Jamari Lattimore » Packer Update

Packers Are Loaded With Young Talent

Posted by Michael Rodney at 11:50 am 2 Responses »

Aug 052012

Running back Brandon Saine will be difficult to keep off the field this season

GREEN BAY- My sojourn to Titletown is over, but not before I had a chance to attend practice on Thursday and the scrimmage on Friday night. Here are three under-the-radar players who impressed me:

1) BRANDON SAINE- A few years ago, Jim Tressel called his star player “as good as a receiver as any running back in America.” The disgraced former Ohio State coach wasn’t lying for once. Saine is very skilled out of the backfield. He has soft hands and he reacts naturally to throws. He was also the most dependable pass protector among all the backs I watched the past two practices. He’s going to get plenty of snaps this season. In fact, if he had better natural running skills, he might never leave the field.

2) JAMARI LATTIMORE – More than a few people scoffed last summer when I wrote that this young man was a better player than Vic So’oto. That opinion is no longer debatable. While So’oto is sinking down the depth chart at outside linebacker, Lattimore is thriving on the inside. A year ago, his terrific speed and explosiveness were often negated by athletic offensive tackles who outweighed him by as much as 100 pounds, but those same attributes will cause interior linemen fits. He’s not ready just yet, but don’t be surprised if he’s competing with D.J. Smith for A.J. Hawk’s starting position a year from now.

3) JERRON MCMILLIAN – M.D. Jennings is receiving a lot of attention because he’s currently one of the two safeties on the field in sub-packages, but I’m not sure how long that’s going to last. McMillian will be the better player; it’s only a matter of time. The fourth-round pick from Maine is extremely raw, but he’s much more talented than Jennings. He’s bigger, faster and stronger. He also appears to be smart, coachable and hardworking. Once he stops thinking and just starts reacting, he’s going to get on the field. Whether that happens in the next few months or not until the 2013 season is the only question.

Which Soph Will Step Up For Pack?

Posted by Michael Rodney at 11:39 am 18 Responses »

Apr 092012

Smith is one of a number of young players who could step up next season

Smith is one of a number of second-year players that could step up for the Packers in 2012

A couple of things absolutely must happen if the Packers are going to improve on defense in 2012. One, general manager Ted Thompson must come up with an impact player in this month’s draft. And two, B.J. Raji and Tramon Williams must bounce back from disappointing seasons. Another thing that would really help – but isn’t as essential or as likely – is for one or two of last year’s little-used rookies to become contributors.

It’s impossible to know in early April whether the draft will produce another Clay Matthews or whether Raji and Williams will return to their 2010 form, but after re-watching all four preseason games from last season, it isn’t impossible to take a crack at predicting which second-year players might be ready to make a name for themselves. So with no further adieu, here are my top five young defenders to watch:

1) D.J. SMITH – Last year’s sixth-round pick started three games at inside linebacker and there was little, if any, dropoff at the position. The former Appalachian State star proved to be a breath of fresh air on a defensive unit that stunk to high heaven in 2011. Along with solid production (27 total tackles, 1 interception and 1 pass defensed), he brought quickness, physicality and energy to an otherwise slowish, soft and sluggish unit. Of course, Smith was far from perfect. He missed some assignments and he over pursued the ball too often. Still, he did enough good things to make many fans and members of media question why A.J. Hawk and his bloated base salary ($4.7M) are still around.

2) JAMARI LATTIMORE – Fellow rookie Vic So’oto got all the headlines last summer, but I liked Lattimore better from day one. The undrafted free agent from Middle Tennessee State was too small (6’2, 230) to be used at outside linebacker as a rookie, but he did enough good things to stick around on the 53-man roster all season. With a frame that probably won’t be able to carry more than 240 pounds, it wasn’t a shock to hear coach Mike McCarthy mention the possibility of giving Lattimore a look inside during the upcoming mini-camps and OTAs. His size wouldn’t be quite as big (pardon the pun) an issue there and he’d certainly be better in coverage than any of the returning vets.

3) LAWRENCE GUY - It’s easy to forget that last year’s second seventh-round pick is still on the team. That’s because the former Arizona State star suffered a concussion early in camp and was never heard from again. Guy looks the part of a 3-4 end, and he played like a legitimate prospect as a sophomore. He showed enough strength to hold the point against the run and enough quickness to be disruptive as a pass rusher. But he really struggled as a junior and then shocked everybody by coming out early. Because of the lack of depth at this position, he’ll be given every opportunity to make the team. Whether he’s still around in the fall will depend on which Guy shows up in the summer.

4) M.D. JENNINGS – Even diehard fans were surprised when the undrafted free agent from Arkansas State made the 53-man roster, but they shouldn’t have been. Jennings made plays on a daily basis in practice and he was always around the ball in the preseason games. He never challenged a struggling Charlie Peprah for playing time at safety because he lacked the size and strength needed to play from scrimmage at this level. The coaches would like him to report to training camp at between 195 and 200 pounds after finishing last season under 190. Jennings has a chance to overcome his lack of size and his small college background because he has very good insticts and a real feel for the game.

5) BRANDIAN ROSS - While Davon House figures to go into training camp ahead of Ross on the depth chart, I wouldn’t be shocked if the undrafted free agent from Youngstown St. outplays him – just like he did last summer. House is bigger and faster, but Ross was far more physical and competitive during padded practices and preseason games. And while the 24-year-old wasn’t ready for the big leagues as a rookie, he might be ready after spending over four months on the practice squad and participating in a full offseason of mini-camps and OTAs. In order to take the step, Ross will have to do a better job of anticipating and breaking on throws because he lacks top closing speed.

I left So’oto and House off this list because I have serious reservations about both players. So’oto is tight in his movements. He’s not fluid dropping into coverage, does not change directions smoothly and struggles to break down in space. These are major problems for an OLB in a 3-4. House may look like Al Harris, but he didn’t play like him last summer. He was too passive. He wasn’t aggressive in run support and he didn’t attack the ball in the air. That said, he does have enough physical ability to compete at this level. Whether he’s willing to pay the price remains to be seen.

McCarthy often talks about how the biggest jump a player makes is from year one to year two. Raji, tight end Jermichael Finley, guard Josh Sitton and tackle Marshall Newhouse are prime examples. But they were all draft choices. I can’t remember the last undrafted player to make such a leap. So it’s probably asking an awful lot to expect Lattimore, Jennings and/or Ross to go from rookie benchwarmer to sophomore contributor. But it can happen, and why not be positive in early April? Heck, in early April, even the Cubbies have a chance to win the World Series.

Review: Packers At Colts

Posted by Michael Rodney at 9:03 am 2 Responses »

Aug 282011

McDonald needs to get stronger in the upper body

People say you only have to watch the last two minutes of an NBA game. Well, that saying proved true for the NFL on Friday night in Indianapolis. The Packers, who couldn’t do a thing on offense for the first 28 minutes of the second half, scored 11 points in the final 35 seconds to beat the Colts 24-21. After re-watching the entire game (hey, what else is there to do with a hurricane bearing down on the Northeast?), here are three thoughts:

1] The depth on the offensive line could be a problem. Backup tackles Derek Sherrod and Marshall Newhouse have bright futures, but I’m not sure either is ready to take on some of the NFL’s best defensive ends. While Sherrod looks a lot more comfortable at tackle, he still had trouble keeping rushers away from the quarterback on Friday. And it wasn’t just one type of player that gave him problems. He was beaten by power and by speed. It looks like this year’s No. 1 pick could be spending his game days as one of the inactives – at least early on. Newhouse is the better player now, but he’s had his share of problems in protection as well. He needs to be more consistent with his footwork. He has a tendency to shuffle to cut off the rush instead of kick-sliding. The former TCU star might be OK if pressed into service, but can Green Bay take that chance?

The situation on the interior isn’t a whole lot better. While Nick McDonald played his finest game of the preseason on Friday, he hasn’t shown the strength in practice (or last week against the Cardinals) to consistently hold his own against powerful defensive tackles. The former Grand Valley State star relies more on technique than on natural ability, and that’s a tough way to make a living for a young player. Ray Dominguez often looks awful in those one-on-one drills in practice, but he does OK in the games. I think he’s a better long-term prospect than either McDonald or rookie Caleb Schlauderaff, but he’s not ready to step in and play either. Evan Dietrich-Smith is the team’s best current option to replace any of the interior starters. He doesn’t have much talent or upside (that’s why he was cut a year ago), but he usually finds a way to get the job done. The best option, however, might be to acquire a veteran after final cuts.

2] I know outside linebackers Jamari Lattimore and especially Vic So’oto played well against the Colts, but I wouldn’t be so quick to get rid of Brad Jones – especially with Frank Zombo expected to miss at least a few regular season games. While the former Colorado star hasn’t made very many plays this summer, there’s something to be said for experience. He’s started 12 games since joining Green Bay in 2009 and the team has won 9 of them. Jones doesn’t have the speed of Lattimore or the size of So’oto, but he knows the scheme and he’s seldom caught out of position. The same can’t be said for So’oto, who has struggled to diagnose running plays in practices and games. He also doesn’t move in space nearly as well as Jones. As for Lattimore, he simply can’t play outside linebacker at 230 pounds. He might be able to contribute on special teams and as a pass rush specialist this season, but that’s about it.

If Zombo were healthy, I’d consider releasing Jones to make room for one or maybe even both of the undrafted free agents. But as things stand now, the Packers need to have at least one experienced outside linebacker behind Clay Matthews and Erik Walden. I still think Lattimore has a higher ceiling than So’oto, but it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if the former BYU star grabs the roster spot. He’s more equipped to play right away. Besides, the odds of another team claiming Lattimore on waivers are low. There’s not a huge need for 230-pounders who are still learning how to play with their hand off the ground.

3] If it comes down to it, I’d keep a fifth tight end over a fourth running back, a second fullback, a 10th offensive lineman or a sixth cornerback. That’s because either Andrew Quarless, D.J. Williams or Tom Crabtree would have more value to the team this season than Dimitri Nance, Quinn Johnson, Dietrich-Smith, Schlauderaff, Pat Lee or Josh Gordy. Besides, which tight end would you get rid of? Quarless is the best option should something happen to Finley. Williams has cooled down after a hot start, but he’s too talented to give up on after only five weeks. And Crabtree is the best special teams player and the strongest blocker.

If the numbers don’t add up and the Packers absolutely positively have to get rid of a tight end, I’d very reluctantly dump Williams. As much as I like the former Arkansas star, the emergence of fellow rookie Ryan Taylor has made him less important to the team’s present and to its future. Speaking of Taylor, the more I see of him, the more he reminds me of Mark Chmura. Both players were drafted in the late rounds out of a current Atlantic Coast Conference school and they are similar in size. The Packers can only hope Taylor develops into a Chewy clone on the football field – and a much better human being off of it.

LATTIMORE’S LIGHT BUT EXPLOSIVE

Posted by Michael Rodney at 11:33 am 6 Responses »

Aug 252011

Rookie outside linebacker looks more like a safety

With Frank Zombo almost certain to miss at least the first few games of the regular season, the Packers might be forced to keep an extra outside linebacker on the 53-man roster. That wouldn’t be good news for players vying to be the No. 5 tight end or the No. 6 corner, but it would be great news for Jamari Lattimore and Vic So’oto – a pair of undrafted free agents who are currently battling to be fifth on the depth chart behind Clay Matthews, Erik Walden, Zombo and Brad Jones. It’s difficult to tell which rookie the coaches prefer, but I formed my own opinion after watching both players at practice last week and then in the game against Arizona.

If I had to choose between the two, I’d go with Lattimore. While So’oto might be the better all-around linebacker right now, Lattimore should be an instant dynamo on special teams. And while he’s too small (230 pounds) to beat quality offensive tackles off the edge, he might be able to provide an occasional spark blitzing from an inside position. The former Middle Tennessee State star doesn’t have great 40 speed (4.65 at pro day), but he plays fast, and more importantly, he’s very quick and surprisingly explosive for his size.

EASY TO ROOT FOR RYAN

I’d like to see James Starks supplant Ryan Grant as Green Bay’s No. 1 running back this season. Starks is the younger, shiftier and much more versatile player. That said, I’m glad Grant accepted a pay cut and will remain with the team. He’s always been one of my favorite players. That’s because his story is impossible not to admire. The New Jersey native, who was plagued by injuries at Notre Dame, wasn’t drafted in 2006. He suffered a serious injury while a member of the Giants’ practice squad. He was traded to the Pack in September 2007 for a sixth-round pick – a price some considered too high at the time. All the 28-year-old has done since arriving in Green Bay is rush for 3,457 yards and score 24 TDs. And that doesn’t include his record-setting 212-yard postseason performance against Seattle in January 2008.

WEST’S GOOD, BUT NOT UNIQUE

After the Big 5, Chastin West has clearly been the next best wide receiver in training camp. But if GM Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy decide to keep a sixth player at the position, I’m not so sure West would be the choice. That’s because he doesn’t really add anything different to the group. The former Fresno State star has good size and above-average quickness, but so do Jordy Nelson and James Jones. It might make more sense to keep a young receiver who offers a unique trait. That could be Tori Gurley’s height or Shaky Smithson’s return skills or even Diondre Borel’s athleticism. Would it be fair to keep a lesser performing player over West? Of course not, but like life, the NFL isn’t always fair.

UP-AND-COMING ASSISTANT

While many fans continue to gripe about the performance of offensive line coach James Campen and special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum, the impressive work of one of their colleagues has gone largely unnoticed. And it shouldn’t. Ben McAdoo, who worked with McCarthy in both New Orleans and San Francisco and has been in charge of the tight ends since coming to Green Bay in 2006, has done one heck of a job. Under his tutelage, Jermichael Finley has developed into a budding star, Spencer Havner made the very difficult transition from defense look rather easy and a street free agent (Tom Crabtree) and a rookie (Andrew Quarless) played major roles in the team’s march to its fourth Super Bowl.

PLAYING COLTS A WASTE OF TIME

Unless a team needs a boost an artificial boost in confidence, it’s hard to imagine wanting to play the Colts in August. Indy has won only 4 of its last 29 exhibition games – and most of those losses came with quarterback Peyton Manning taking at least some snaps. Without the future Hall of Famer, the Colts have been even more inept than usual this summer. Indy has been outscored 49-13 by St. Louis and Washington – not exactly two of the league’s élite teams. McCarthy plans on using his starters for perhaps as long as the entire first half, but I don’t see the point. The starters get tested every day in practice more than they figure to get tested Friday. And at least in practice, the odds of getting hurt aren’t as high.

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.