Frank Zombo » Packer Update

Packers Will Restrict Shields’ Movement

Posted by Michael Rodney at 10:13 am 9 Responses »

Feb 192013

Cornerback Sam Shields is set to become a restricted free agent next month

With all due respect to the Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein, I really don’t think the decision facing general manager Ted Thompson when it comes to restricted free agent corner Sam Shields is all that tough.

Thompson will have to offer a tender to Shields prior to the start of free agency in March. The highest tender costs roughly $2.88 million and sets compensation at a first-round pick, the middle tender costs $2.02 million and sets compensation at a second-round pick and the low tender costs $1.32 million and sets compensation at the round in which the player was drafted. Since Shields was not drafted, there would be no compensation. Regardless of the tender used, the Packers would have the right to match any offer.

The obvious move would be to use the middle tender on Shields. No general manager is going to give up a second-round pick for an undersized cornerback who still has a lot to prove. As well as the former college wide receiver played late last season, he’s still only seven months removed from being Jarrett Bush’s backup. The low tender, however, is far too risky. I could see any number of teams – especially the ones currently being run by former Green Bay executives – making a strong play for Shields in that scenario.

The Packers other restricted free agents are offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith, tight end Tom Crabtree and linebackers Robert Francois and Frank Zombo. None of the four were drafted into the league.

Dietrich-Smith did a decent job after taking over at center for Jeff Saturday in December, but he lacks the size and the athleticism that most teams are looking for in an interior offensive lineman these days. I’d slap the low tender on him and see what happens. In the highly unlikely event that EDS signs an offer sheet (no RFA has signed an offer sheet since 2009), Thompson would always have the right to match.

I would expect Crabtree to receive the low tender. Francois could also get the low tender, but it might make more sense to let him become a free agent and then attempt to bring him back for less money. The injury-plagued Zombo, who has missed 23 games in three seasons, almost certainly won’t be tendered.

Time Running Out For Injured Players

Posted by Michael Rodney at 8:57 pm 2 Responses »

Aug 012012

Linebacker Frank Zombo is injured again and may not make the final roster

Inside linebacker Desmond Bishop and fullback John Kuhn were activated from the physically unable to perform list Tuesday, but tight end Andrew Quarless, left tackle Derek Sherrod, offensive lineman Jaymes Brooks, outside linebacker Frank Zombo and defensive lineman Johnny Jones remain on PUP.

Quarless will almost certainly begin the season on the list, meaning he’ll miss at least the first six games. Sherrod could face a similar fate if his surgically repaired right leg doesn’t allow him to get on the practice field in the next week or two. The former Mississippi State star broke his tibia and fibula last December and then suffered what head coach Mike McCarthy recently termed a “setback” in the spring.

As for Brooks, Zombo and Jones, their chances of making the team are dwindling by the day. And it’s too bad because all three players – especially the first two – would’ve been right in the mix for spots on the final roster. Brooks is a better athlete and boasts a more impressive resumé than the other young interior linemen competing for backup jobs. And Zombo, who started in the Super Bowl only 18 months ago, has more upside than Erik Walden and Brad Jones and more experience than Dezman Moses and Vic So’oto.

There’s always a chance Brooks and Zombo could stay on PUP once the season starts, but that seems doubtful. More than likely, they’ll either be activated and eventually released or they’ll receive an injury settlement. Either way, their time in with the Packers appears to be running out. And that’s a shame.

It’s Now Or Never For Zombo

Posted by Michael Rodney at 1:09 pm 5 Responses »

Jul 042012

In between injuries, Frank Zombo has played some pretty good football for the Green Bay Packers. The problem is how little time there’s been between injuries. The third-year outside linebacker from Central Michigan missed six games in 2010 with a sprained ankle and 11 games last season with a broken shoulder blade and a strained hamstring. And because the hammy is still not 100 percent, Zombo was forced to sit out the OTAs in May and the minicamp in June. His availability for the start of training camp is up in the air.

In the meantime, general manager Ted Thompson selected Nick Perry in the first round of April’s draft, re-signed veteran Erik Walden, who started 15 games opposite Clay Matthews last season, and uncovered a possible hidden gem in rookie free agent Dezman Moses. Thus, a player who only 17 months ago started and performed well in the Super Bowl will be forced to fight just to keep his spot on the roster.

If – and it’s a big if – Zombo can get and stay healthy, he’ll make it difficult on Thompson to get rid of him. The 25-year-old is a hard-working, tough competitor who plays with a lot of energy. He struggled against the run last season due to injuries, but as a rookie he showed good strength at the point of attack and the ability to hold his ground and take on blocks. And while he’s never going to be great rushing the QB or dropping into coverage, he’s quick enough off the edge to give second-tier tackles some trouble and instinctive enough to stay with most tight ends.

BATTLE AT LINEBACKER FIZZLES

Posted by Michael Rodney at 2:19 pm 7 Responses »

Aug 232011

Walden has struggled at times during the preseason

Outside linebackers Frank Zombo and Erik Walden obviously worked hard during the lockout. The former seems quicker on his feet and the latter is clearly stronger in the upper body. Unfortunately, neither player looks a whole lot better than he did at the end of last season. I was going to include Brad Jones, but in all honesty, he actually looks worse than he did a year ago. Kevin Greene is a terrific position coach, but he can only do so much. Let’s be perfectly honest, there were reasons why Zombo wasn’t drafted, why Walden was released by three teams before signing off the street last October and why Jones lasted until the seventh round in 2009.

Even if none of the right outside linebackers step up, Green Bay should be A-OK on defense. As long as nose tackle/end B.J. Raji, left outside linebacker Clay Matthews, cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams and safety Nick Collins remain healthy, coordinator Dom Capers will keep most opponents below 20 points. But anyone expecting a great defense is probably going to have to wait for at least another season. It’s tough being truly dominant in a 3-4 with only one quality outside linebacker. That’s why the Steelers have always placed such a premium on drafting at that position. Can you remember the last time their coordinator Dick LeBeau went into a regular season without two studs coming off the edge?

As for the Packers, it appears Walden is the player the coaches would like to see win the position (this became a virtual certainty once it was announced that Zombo broke his scapula and will miss about six weeks). That makes sense. He’s the most physically talented of the three candidates for the starting job. The former Middle Tennessee State star possesses pretty good size, above-average athleticism and a non-stop motor. What he lacks, however, is a strong repertoire of pass-rush moves. His initial charge is too often neutralized and he struggles to adjust and counter. Zombo is as tough as nails, but he lacks explosiveness and he’ll always be a bit robotic in space. Jones moves well in reverse, but he gets engulfed by tackles. That’s what happens when you give away 80 pounds and lack a really quick first step.

Thompson did draft an outside linebacker in April, but sixth-round pick Ricky Elmore has been a total bust. He doesn’t play any faster than he timed (4.88) at the NFL Combine. A couple of undrafted free agents have actually been far more impressive. Ricky Lattimore and Vic So’oto aren’t ready to play this season, but they might be worth hanging on to. Lattimore needs to gain at least 10 pounds, but he’s the most explosive outside linebacker on the roster not named Matthews. So’oto is a large man who plays physically and moves well enough to function adequately in space. But he needs some time to learn the position after spending his first three seasons at Brigham Young at tight end and defensive end.

As I wrote a few weeks ago, I still expect the right outside linebacker position to be a timeshare this season. The only difference is I’m no longer as excited about the pieces of property. After reading a lot of positive press about Walden in the local papers, I was kind of disappointed watching him at practice and in the first two exhibition games. Zombo had been the better player in games prior to getting hurt, but he was more competent than anything else. As for Jones, he wasn’t even guaranteed a spot on the final 53 before Zombo’s injury. His roster spot is obviously safe now, but he’ll need to step it up if he wants to see significant snaps on defense when the Saints come marching into Lambeau Field in 16 days.

SLOCUM HAS NO MORE EXCUSES

Posted by Michael Rodney at 3:40 pm 3 Responses »

Aug 162011

Special teams coordinator needs to get the job done

The 2010 Packers won the Super Bowl despite their special teams. While kicker Mason Crosby and punter Tim Masthay were fine, the returners had very little room to manuever and the kick coverage was consistently inconsistent. But things are looking up. The addition of receiver Randall Cobb provides Green Bay with all the ingredients needed to be extremely successful on special teams this season. The former Kentucky star should be just what the doctor ordered on returns, and the outstanding depth at tight end, outside linebacker and in the secondary should be a boon to the coverage units. Truth be told, there’s only one thing that can keep the special teams from rising to the top – the coaching of coordinator Shawn Slocum.

Slocum seems like a hard-working guy, but his return and coverage units have been way too undisciplined since the day he was tabbed to take over for the “retired” Mike Stock (don’t get me started on the decision to replace one of the worst coaches in the league with his assistant). Watch the way other teams play special teams and then watch the Packers. You don’t have to be an expert to see how many guys are missing blocks on returns and how many guys are failing to stay in their lanes in coverage. That’s all about discipline. And if things don’t improve in this particular area, no amount of new talent will make an appreciable difference.

BATTLE OF ATTRITION

Assuming the Packers keep four tight ends, and assuming impressive rookies D.J. Williams and Ryan Taylor are two of them, the final roster spot will likely come down to either Andrew Quarless or Tom Crabtree. The former is the better receiver and the latter is the better blocker. My hunch is that GM Ted Thompson would prefer to keep Quarless, a fifth-round pick with the requisite size and athleticism to create mismatches down the field. But head coach Mike McCarthy always stresses the importance of accountability, and the former Penn State star has been sidelined for much of camp with assorted injuries. That should’ve opened the door for Crabtree, but he’s also missed some time with injuries of his own. So in what figures to be a heated battle, the last man standing could literally wind up being the last man standing.

GUARDS FOUGHT TO A DRAW

After re-watching every snap played by Derek Sherrod and T.J. Lang on Saturday, I still can’t decide which offensive lineman performed better at left guard. Both did some good things and some not so good things. Sherrod definitely played better than he’s been practicing, but the same problems I wrote about a few weeks ago were noticeable against the Browns. As for Lang, he looks more comfortable inside than Sherrod. That’s because his body is better suited for the position and he’s stronger below the waist. What he’ll never do particularly well, however, is adjust on the second level. It’s obvious Thompson and McCarthy would like to see their first-round pick win the job, but I still think Lang is the better choice.

LINEBACKERS WERE IN NO RUSH

None of the three players competing for the starting job at right outside linebacker got anywhere near the quarterback in the preseason opener. That wasn’t a huge surprise considering Frank Zombo, Erik Walden and Brad Jones haven’t shown much as pass rushers in camp. In fact, the most effective pass rusher this summer has probably been undrafted free agent Vic So’oto. The former defensive end from BYU is a physical player with above-average athleticism, but he’s still learning the position. That showed on Saturday night when he got caught out of position on numerous occasions. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers would love for one of his outside linebackers to pick up the slack for Cullen Jenkins, but the more you see, the more you have to wonder whether any of them will be up to the task.

JONES BACK ON THE MARKET?

This following isn’t a rumor, it’s just a thought. With Cobb looking so impressive at wide receiver, is it possible that James Jones could still wind up playing for another team this season? I know he just signed a three-year contract with the Packers, but that doesn’t necessarily preclude a trade from happening. In fact, Jones might be more appealing to other GMs now that his future earnings are set through 2013. And while an offense can never have too many weapons, if Thompson can turn his No. 4 receiver into a decent draft pick or perhaps a proven offensive or defensive lineman, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him make a move with Jones. Just something else to ponder as training camp trudges along.

TALE OF THE TAPE AT ROLB

Posted by Michael Rodney at 6:59 am 5 Responses »

Aug 062011

Jones will attempt to reclaim his starting job

Jones will attempt to reclaim his starting linebacker job

The battle for the right outside linebacker job is so tight that all three candidates have already been given a chance to work with the starters in practice. Frank Zombo on Saturday, Erik Walden on Sunday and Brad Jones on Monday. And based on their play last season, picking a winner is impossible. That’s why this competition figures to continue all month. The following is a breakdown of Zombo, Walden and Jones based on their past performances and their very early work in camp. I analyzed and graded the players in four categories – run support, coverage, pass rush and intangibles.

RUN SUPPORT: Jones was surprisingly effective as a 235-pound rookie, but he struggled a bit last season. Even though he was about 10 pounds heavier, he wasn’t able to hold the edge as consistently. A shoulder injury that eventually ended his season probably explains the regression (7.0). Walden was very shaky in his first few games, but he settled down once he got his feet under him and was never a real liability. He runs well, but lets blockers get into his frame and will get cut at times. He needs to do a better job protecting his legs (6.5). Zombo got taken advantage of by savvy veteran tackles in his first first few starts, but he seldom fell for the same trick twice. He’s bigger and stronger than Jones and Walden, and that – along with solid technique – makes him the most effective at taking on blocks (7.5).

COVERAGE: This is the strength of Jones’ game. Unlike Walden and Zombo, he worked in a 3-4 at Colorado, so playing in space comes very natural to him. It was no coincidence that the defense improved in 2009 when he replaced an injured Aaron Kampman in the starting lineup. He wasn’t quite as effective in coverage last season – whether that was due to the injury and/or the extra weight remains to be seen (8.0). Walden has the athletic ability to be as good as Jones in space, but he’s still learning after spending all four years at Middle Tennessee State at defensive end and his first three seasons in the NFL on the bench. He’s blessed with fluid hips, so he should continue to improve with experience (7.0). Zombo will never look pretty in space because he’s only an average athlete, but he proved to be at least adequate last season. If he starts, coordinator Dom Capers will either replace him in obvious passing situations or call plays that keep him from being isolated on receivers as often as possible (6.0).

PASS RUSH: Jones’ shoulder injury rendered him virtually useless as a pass rusher last season. He did have 4 sacks as a rookie, but most came as the result of good coverage in the secondary. He’s easily engulfed by big tackles and he’s not explosive enough to exploit their sometimes slowish feet (6.5). Walden made headlines with three sacks in the season finale against the Bears, but he only got to the QB one time in his other five starts. He possesses a quick enough first step to give mediocre tackles a tough time, but he’s not strong or explosive enough to create consistent pressure against upper-echelon opponents (7.0). Zombo will never be Clay Matthews as a rusher, but he has a chance to get 8 to 10 sacks in a season. He showed a surprising amount of moves for a rookie and his closing burst is impressive (7.5).

INTANGIBLES: Jones doesn’t have the frame to get much bigger, so size will always be an issue. He’s also had a difficult time staying healthy since joining the Packers. And he hasn’t shown much in limited opportunities on special teams (6.0). Walden is already on his fourth team since entering the National Football League. That means either three organizations made a big mistake by releasing him or he’s just a journeyman who caught lightning in a bottle last season. He possesses the best combination of size, speed and strength, so there’s definitely something for assistant coach Kevin Greene to work with in the future (6.5). Zombo played the most consistently last season, and that’s even more impressive when you consider that he had never played with his hand off the ground until he signed with Green Bay as an undrafted free agent in April 2010. He needs to keep improving – and he will – but just how high is his ceiling (7.0)?

OVERALL: Zombo finished with 28 total points – 1/2 more than Jones and 1 more than Walden. That makes sense since these three players are so close in ability. Since their strengths and weaknesses are so different, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Capers use all three during the course of a game. And if not all three, then at least two of them. So while the Packers may not have one really good ROLB, they might be able to manufacture such a player by using the best parts of all three. Think of it like a Frankenlinebacker.

Q&A: WHO’S THAT LINEBACKER?

Posted by Michael Rodney at 1:22 pm 7 Responses »

Jul 032011

Smith doesn't look like a typical NFL linebacker

The United States Postal Service doesn’t deliver on Sunday, but Packer Update now does. Send me your questions on the Packers or the NFL and I’ll answer a few of them at this time every week.

I can’t wait to see Alex Green play in the NFL. I live in Hawaii, so I followed his college career very closely. He’s going to be fun to watch. Which rookie are you most anxious to see play once training camp begins? – Jonathan

Since there were no mini-camps and OTAs this offseason, I’ll be more anxious than usual to see all the picks. But the one who probably intrigues me the most is the one who I know the least about – D.J. Smith. Nolan Nawrocki of Pro Football Weekly described him this way: “Does not look the part – lacks ideal height, has a soft midsection and 20 percent body fat.” That sounds more like my best friend than an NFL linebacker. But Nawrocki also described him as an “instinctive self-starter with a winning pedigree.” I don’t know what to think, and I guess that’s why I’m really looking forward to seeing Smith with my own two eyes.

I know it’s early to be thinking about this, but Jermichael Finley, Ryan Grant and Josh Sitton could all be free agents after the 2011 seasons. Which one will be re-signed first? – Chad

I’m not sure if it will happen during the season, but I can guarantee you that extending Sitton will be the focus of GM Ted Thompson’s attention in the coming months. Not only is he one of the best young guards in the NFL, but he’s dependable – something Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy really value in players. I don’t think there’s any hurry to extend Finley and Grant. Both players have something to prove after missing most of last season with serious injuries.

Who do you think will be the breakout player from either this year’s second-year players? – Mackie

I know this is the predictable answer, but I’ll go with Mike Neal. He’s far and away the most talented of the second-year players and he’ll be given every opportunity to replace Cullen Jenkins at right defensive end. I’m not sure if Frank Zombo is going to “breakout,” but I think he has a chance to really improve in 2011. I wasn’t a big fan of his last summer, but the more I watched him play, the more I began to appreciate the subtle things he brings to the defense.

I really enjoyed your list of the worst 20 Packers since 1978. Are you going to do a list of the best 20 Packers, and if so, which wide receiver would you rank the highest? – Phillip

I just finished my list of the top 20 Packers of the past three decades (look for it sometime in the next few weeks). This franchise has been blessed with a lot of really talented receivers since 1978. James Lofton, Sterling Sharpe, Robert Brooks, Antonio Freeman, Javon Walker, Donald Driver and Greg Jennings all played at an extremely high level – some very briefly and some for a long time. And I firmly believe Terrence Murphy would’ve been a star had he not gotten hurt. I’m not going to reveal who finished the highest, but I will tell you he played in the 80s.