Jennings » Packer Update

POSTCARD FROM TRAINING CAMP

Posted by Michael Rodney at 10:27 am 4 Responses »

Aug 082011

Starks is battling Grant for the starting halfback job

The one thing I’ve learned from watching Matt Flynn the past four summers is that he will always play better than he practices. Aaron Rodgers‘ backup is off to another relatively slow start, but there’s no reason to be concerned. He’ll find a way to move the offense as soon as the opposition is wearing different colored uniforms. I didn’t see what the coaches saw in Graham Harrell last summer and I still don’t see it. His arm is weak and his accuracy is average at best. The lockout is the only argument I can make for keeping him around. At least he knows the system.

I used to think James Starks looked like a poor man’s Eric Dickerson, but now I’m tempted to remove the words poor and man. That’s how terrific he’s looked in training camp. The playoff sensation is running with great power and decisiveness. While Ryan Grant appears fully recovered from the ankle injury that ended his 2010 season, he simply doesn’t possess Starks’ physical ability. The former 1,200 yard rusher may be the nominal starter when the Saints come to Lambeau, but I can’t imagine him getting the bulk of the carries. Rookie Alex Green hasn’t done much through the first week of practices.

Jermichael Finley is an absolute freak. His height, athletic ability and soft hands make him almost impossible to defend. He’s almost toying with the poor souls who are assigned to cover him. Barring injury or stupidity, there’s no way I can imagine general manager Ted Thompson letting this guy get away. Prior to Finley’s return to the practice field, the most impressive tight end was seventh-round pick Ryan Taylor. He isn’t as savvy a route runner as fellow rookie D.J. Williams or as strong a blocker as Tom Crabtree, but he’s a more complete player. He has a good chance of making the team.

The coaches are giving the young receivers plenty of snaps, and a few of them have taken advantage of the heavy workload. Second-round pick Randall Cobb has looked terrific. His incredible quickness makes him stand out from the crowd. I realize the Packers have the best quartet of veteran receivers in the league, but coach Mike McCarthy will find ways to get Cobb on the field. Count on it. If the team wasn’t so deep at this position, either Chastin West or Shaky Smithson would have a legitimate chance to stick. West isn’t flashy, but he runs good routes and catches almost everything. Smithson is a quick as a hiccup return specialist with enough raw skills to eventually develop into a useful NFL receiver.

Bryan Bulaga looks like the player ready to take the biggest leap from season one to season two. He’s so much more confident than he was a year ago. And why not? He now has 16 starts under his belt, and more importantly, the coaches are no longer asking him to learn multiple positions. First-round pick Derek Sherrod has struggled at left guard after spending his entire college career at tackle. Veteran T.J. Lang has been more impressive, but it’s early. If Sherrod doesn’t start, he might find himself backing up Bulaga. That’s because Marshall Newhouse will be hard to supplant as Chad Clifton‘s understudy. The quick-footed youngster been one of the most improved players in camp. I was surprised when Nick McDonald made the team last summer. I didn’t see anything to get excited about – and I still don’t. Right now, journeyman Evan Dietrich-Smith is the second-best center on the roster.

Anyone waiting for C.J. Wilson to flash big-time pass rushing skills had better get a chair. It’s going to be a very long wait. He’s not athletic enough to beat quality offensive linemen on a consistent basis. On the other hand, Jarius Wynn just might be. The undersized three-year veteran is enjoying his finest camp. He looks quicker than before and he seems to have added to his repertoire of moves. If he continues to improve, there will be a place for him on the final roster. Mike Neal has only practiced sparingly, but it doesn’t take long to see his potential. Assuming he can stay healthy, he’ll be a more than adequate replacement for Cullen Jenkins. Ryan Pickett and Howard Green look more like sumo wrestlers than defensive linemen, but extra pounds won’t be an issue as long as they can shut down the run.

Erik Walden has taken the early lead in the battle to start opposite Clay Matthews. The former street free agent is playing more like a high draft choice. He looks bigger, stronger and more explosive than he did last season. Frank Zombo and Brad Jones have been OK, but neither has flashed nearly as often as Walden. Sixth-round pick Ricky Elmore was a productive pass rusher in college, but he hasn’t gotten many sniffs of the quarterback yet. In fact, undrafted free agent Jamari Lattimore has probably been more impressive. He needs to get stronger, but he runs well and seems to pack a punch. Depth at inside linebacker is still a concern, but it isn’t quite as big a concern thanks to Robert Francois. The third-year player is much-improved now that he’s taking all of his snaps at one position. He isn’t a big hitter. but he’s smart and fairly athletic. Not surprisingly, sixth-round pick D.J. Smith is still thinking too much.

Davon House and Brandon Underwood were both enjoying solid camps before suffering injuries. The former was making a strong push to be the No. 4 corner and the latter was showing real promise at safety. Veteran Jarrett Bush is covering like a blanket so far, but I’m not getting carried away. He typically plays better in practice than he does in games. Sam Shields was the talk of camp at this time a year ago, but he’s been pretty unspectacular so far. He doesn’t seem to be playing with the same sense of urgency. I’m not worried, but it’s something to keep an eye on. There probably won’t be room for Josh Gordy, but he can play corner in this league. Morgan Burnett has been up-and-down in his return from knee surgery, but his potential is obvious. He has superior range. Brandion Ross and Anthony Levine are talented small-school players who don’t seem to be intimidated by the bright lights.

Mason Crosby is off to another slow start, but he’ll be OK. Tim Masthay, on the other hand, looks terrific. It’s amazing how much better he’s gotten since last summer. Cobb has a chance to be the team’s best returner since Allen Rossum. Under-appreciated long snapper Brett Goode is almost automatic.

-Special thanks to contributor Mike Tahan, who has been covering training camp for Packer Update. Mike wrote this post – all I had to do was edit his shaky spelling and atrocious grammar!

Plenty of Packers got snubbed

Posted by Michael Rodney at 1:47 pm No Responses »

Dec 292010

Raji is one of a number of deserving players who didn't make the Pro Bowl

Five Packers deserved to go to the Pro Bowl and five were chosen on Tuesday. The problem is which players will be in Hawaii on Jan. 30, 2011 and which players will be on a golf course that Sunday (of course, fans hope that none of the five Packers will be playing in that “game” and instead they’ll be preparing for a much, much bigger one a week later). Offensive tackle Chad Clifton, safety Nick Collins, wide receiver Greg Jennings, outside linebacker Clay Matthews and cornerback Charles Woodson were named to the NFC squad. That’s the highest number of Packers selected to the Pro Bowl since 2007.

Collins, Jennings and Matthews are very deserving. Collins hasn’t had a great season by his standards, but he’s still one of the top three safeties in the conference. Jennings, who only caught 14 passes in the first five games, has been arguably the league’s premiere wide receiver since the middle of October. Matthews is the most feared member of one of the league’s best defenses and a likely top-5 finisher in the defensive player of the year voting. So that’s where the fans, players and coaches got it right. But they got it wrong by rewarding Clifton and Woodson and snubbing Aaron Rodgers and Tramon Williams.

Clifton deserves all the credit in the world for bouncing back from a week 2 benching and putting together a very solid season. But at this point in his career, the only way he should be in Hawaii in January is if he’s taking his family on vacation. The 34-year-old has never been much of a run blocker, but he was so good in pass protection earlier in his career that a trip to the Pro Bowl wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow. That’s not the case now. He’s still not much of a run blocker and his protection isn’t good enough to offset that deficiency – at least as far as postseason honors are concerned.

Woodson is having a good season, but he isn’t even the best corner on his own team. That distinction goes to Williams, who was named the first alternate. While Woodson, the reigning defensive player of the year, is third on the team in tackles and has forced 5 fumbles, his coverage has been spotty. And since covering receivers is a pretty big part of a corner’s job, it’s safe to say this trip to Hawaii is borne more out of respect for what he’s done than for what he’s actually doing. Williams, on the other hand, has played so well that it’s actually a surprise when a receiver catches a pass on his watch.

Mike Vick, Drew Brees and Matt Ryan are the quarterbacks. All three are having very good seasons for very good teams, but the latter two simply aren’t as deserving as Rodgers, who’s the first alternate. Brees has thrown 21 picks in what has been an up-and-down year and Ryan is blessed to have Pro Bowlers all around him on offense. The Falcons’ star gets to hand off to Michael Turner and throw to Tony Gonzalez. The Packers’ star gets to hand off to Brandon Jackson and attempt to beat the cover-2 with Andrew Quarless. Rodgers has carried the offense on his back for the past nine weeks. That will likely get him some strong MVP consideration. Somehow, it didn’t get him to Hawaii.

The good news for Rodgers and Williams is that they’ll probably wind up in Hawaii if the Packers don’t get to the Super Bowl. Since either Philadelphia, New Orleans or Atlanta is likely to get there if Green Bay doesn’t, the first alternate would step in for Vick, Brees or Ryan. The only fly in the ointment would be if the Bears and Jay Cutler make it all the way to Dallas. As for Williams, he’ll get his ticket punched the minute Woodson begs out of the game. And the odds of No. 21 making the trip are about the same as, well, they’re about the same as the Bears and Jay Cutler making it to Dallas.

Offensive guard Josh Sitton and nose tackle B.J. Raji were also overlooked, but that didn’t come as a big surprise. Young linemen often have to wait their turn while bigger-named veterans bask in the Hawaii sun for an undeserving year or two. Guard Chris Snee of the Giants and nose tackle Jay Ratliff of Dallas are two prime examples. Both are perennial Pro Bowlers, but neither has had a particularly good season. Unfortunately, that’s how this whole process works and why it’s so flawed. Fans vote for their favorites, and let’s be honest, players and coaches vote for who they know and who they see. For example, do you think Sitton and Raji got votes from any coaches or players from the Saints?

Anyway, we’ve spent way too much time writing about a fake game – especially when the Packers have such a huge real game coming up in a matter of days. And if the Packers are to beat the Bears and then go on a run through the playoffs, they’ll do it on the backs of players like Rodgers, Sitton, Raji and Williams. And if those four are sipping champagne and holding the Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 6, 2011 at Cowboys Stadium, do you think any of them will care one iota about not making the Pro Bowl?

Time for Jennings to step up

Posted by Michael Rodney at 11:42 pm 2 Responses »

Oct 122010

Packers need Jennings to play like a premier receiver

Packers need Jennings to play like a premier wide receiver

The Packers are paying Greg Jennings like a premier wide receiver, but after five games, the former Western Michigan star is playing a lot like Robert Ferguson. That has to stop this Sunday against the Dolphins. Without running back Ryan Grant and tight end Jermichael Finley, the top three wide receivers have to step up. Donald Driver and James Jones have to stop dropping passes and Jennings has to find ways to get open – and once open, he has to come away with the ball.

There’s no question that Grant’s absence has affected Jennings more than any other receiver on the roster. With little respect for Green Bay’s running game, opposing defensive coordinators are playing a lot of cover 2 against the Packers – a scheme that separates the deep half of the field (starting at about 15 yards from the line of scrimmage) into two zones. Each of these zones is occupied by one of the safeties. The goal is to keep receivers from making big plays down the field. And making big plays down the field is exactly what Jennings does best. Defenses are also doing a much better job of taking away the slant pass – another staple of Mike McCarthy’s offense that Jennings found very much to his liking in prior seasons.

Jennings, who has only 14 receptions this season, is clearly getting frustrated with his lack of productivity. Usually one of the most loquacious players in the locker room, he has refused to talk to reporters since the beginning of last week. And while his frustration is certainly understandable, it’s also misguided. The only person Greg Jennings should be upset with is Greg Jennings. It’s not as if he’s being ignored. In fact, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has targeted Jennings as often as he has targeted Driver and Finley. The only difference is that Driver and Finley are finding ways to get open.

To be fair, it’s easier for Driver and Finley to adjust than it is for Jennings. The former has 11 seasons worth of experience to draw on – not to mention a toughness that is legendary – and the latter is so physically talented that no scheme is going to be able to stop him. Jennings, on the other hand, is still learning the nuances of playing the position in only his fifth season. And at 5-11 195, he lacks the size to outjump and/or outmuscle defensive backs, a la Houston’s Andre Johnson and Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald.

There’s little doubt Jennings will catch his usual 70 passes for over 1,000 yards once Grant returns in 2011 (or an equally talented back is acquired), but that doesn’t mean much today. The injury-ravaged Packers won’t get a sniff of the playoffs unless Jennings finds a way to make an impact in the next three months. Can he? That remains to be seen. If Jennings is truly the special player Ted Thompson thought he was when he handed him that big extension, the answer is yes. If the answer is no, then Thompson may want a refund because he wound up spending a lot of money on just another pretty good wide receiver.

Ted, just sign a damn returner!

Posted by Michael Rodney at 4:24 pm 27 Responses »

Sep 072010

Would the Packers really risk Williams on returns?

Would the Packers really risk Williams on punt returns?

It’s usually pretty hard to pay attention during a Mike McCarthy press conference. That’s because – as is the case with any coach not named Rex Ryan – he seldom says anything interesting. But that changed on Monday when McCarthy mentioned Greg Jennings and Tramon Williams as potential punt returners for the season opener at Philadelphia. In fact, I was so shocked I had to read the transcript to make sure what I heard was what I thought I heard. It was. Here’s what he said: “[Jordy] Nelson, [Brandon] Jackson are kickoff options. Tramon Williams and, yup, Greg Jennings options on punts.”

You have to believe McCarthy won’t actually use Jennings on returns, but just the fact he’s even thinking about it tells you how badly this team needs to sign a specialist to replace Will Blackmon. Former All-Pro Clifton Smith is available after being released by Tampa Bay. If healthy, he’d be a great acquisition. So what’s the problem? I’ve long believed Thompson doesn’t want to waste a roster spot on a player who can’t contribute at a position. That makes some sense until you really think about it. Breno Giacomini was a position player who didn’t play for two seasons, and Nick McDonald is a position player who almost certainly won’t play in 2010.

If the goal is to win this season, wouldn’t a quality returner help more than a 10th lineman? Unless Williams is the second-coming of Deion Sanders, he has no business returning punts. On second thought, even if he is the next Sanders, he still has no business returning punts. Not when an undrafted rookie is the No. 3 cornerback. I’ve been ranting about the need to acquire a quality returner since Blackmon got hurt last season. It apparently isn’t going to happen, so rather than continuing to bang my head against the wall, I’m going to give this topic a rest (until, of course, Williams turns an ankle returning a punt and the Packers are forced to play both Shields and Jarrett Bush in the nickel).

JENNINGS' EXTENSION IS A WIN-WIN

Posted by Packer Update at 9:10 am Comments Off

Jun 252009

A lot was made about the length of wide receiver Greg Jennings’ extension and how beneficial it is for the player. What was overlooked is just how beneficial the deal is for the team. “This was an extremely shrewd move by the Packers,” opined a former scout. “This deal allows Ted Thompson to keep one of his better young players for the next four seasons at a fairly reasonable number. And just as importantly, it gives the organization plenty of time to find and develop another No. 1 receiver to potentially replace Jennings in 2013. That’s what makes Thompson a quality general manager. He’s always looking ahead.”

Speaking of the future, do you think it was just a coincidence that four of the top five picks in this year’s draft and the teams’ most significant free agent signing of the offseason play nose tackle, outside linebacker, guard, tackle and safety? Remember, Ryan Pickett, Aaron Kampman, Daryn Colledge, Chad Clifton and Nick Collins are all entering the final year of their contracts. “In today’s NFL, a team must always have young players ready to step in for established veterans who either become too old or too expensive to keep around,” said the scout. “Pittsburgh has been doing this for years. It’s a blueprint that works and one that Thompson is clearly following.”

As for Jennings, his three-year extension is worth between $28 and $31 million. And while those numbers are definitely eye-popping, it’s important to remember that the actual contract covers four years. So, in reality, the ex-Western Michigan star will be making between $7 and $8 million per season. That’s still some serious coin, but it doesn’t put him in the same neighborhood as Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald, who makes $10 million per. “I thought Thompson overpaid for Ryan Grant and Brady Poppinga last summer, but for the most part, he’s done a very good job with contracts,” said the scout. “He’s been able to keep his best young players while also maintaining a healthy salary cap. You can’t ask for much more than that.”