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Notes On A Preseason Game

 Posted by at 12:04 pm  7 Responses »
Aug 262012
 

A healthier Tramon Williams looks like an elite cornerback once again

The title of this post pays homage to Notes On a Scandal - one of the most underrated movies in recent years. Anyway, here are 5 thoughts from the Packers’ 27-13 victory over the Bengals on Thursday:

1) Tramon Williams isn’t Darrelle Revis, but he may receive similar treatment from quarterbacks this season. It’s hard to imagine too many balls being thrown Williams’ way when the pickings should be much easier on the opposite side of the field. Regardless, it’s sure nice to see the former Louisiana Tech star healthy again. He was arguably the second-best corner in the league in 2010, but a serious shoulder injury made him look very average last season. With Williams back to form, the Packers will automatically be better against the pass. How much better will depend on what happens at the other corner. The secondary really needs Davon House to return from his own shoulder injury as quickly as possible.

2) I have absolutely no problem with Donald Driver making this football team. He’s had a very solid training camp, and more importantly, none of the young receivers (i.e. Diondre Borel and Tori Gurley) have done enough to replace him on the roster. I do, however, have a major problem with Driver taking snaps away from James Jones and especially Randall Cobb. At the age of 37, Driver struggles to get separation against even the most mediocre defensive backs. And while he still has the ability to find openings in tight spaces, so do Jones and Cobb. The difference is that those two younger players can beat cornerbacks and provide Aaron Rodgers with far more opportunities to complete passes down the field.

3) It only took a handful of carries to see why general manager Ted Thompson chose Cedric Benson over Ryan Grant. Playing against his former team, the newest Packer showed why he hasn’t rushed for less than 1,000 yards since the ’08 season. He’s a big, strong and powerful runner who’s swift afoot for his size and knows how to finish runs. He keeps his knees pumping on contact and can carry tacklers with him for extra yardage. If Benson can secure the football, he’s going to be a huge addition to the offense. Not only is he better than Grant, James Starks and Alex Green, but he’s also more respected by opposing defensive coordinators. That in itself should open things up a little more for the passing game.

4) Marshall Newhouse is too athletic and too intelligent to fail at left tackle, but I don’t think he’s ever going to be better than average at the position. He reminds me a lot of former Eagle and current Colt Winston Justice, another very talented offensive lineman who never took that step from serviceable to good. Newhouse has quick feet, but he still gets beat to the outside. That’s because he’s a bit high-hipped, and even after another year in the weight room, he still has an underdeveloped upper body. The offense set numerous franchise records last season with Newhouse starting 10 games at left tackle, so there’s no reason to panic. But anyone expecting him to be Chad Clifton in his prime will be extremely disappointed.

5) Real estate is all about location, location and location. You can say the same thing about Evan Dietrich-Smith. While the former Idaho State star did OK when playing between Pro Bowl center Scott Wells and Pro Bowl caliber right tackle Bryan Bulaga last season, he’s struggled this summer when flanked by undrafted rookies. It’s as if every one of his physical limitations has been magnified. He really labors to shift his weight and handle quick counters. The good news is that if EDS has to play this season, he’ll be surrounded by quality linemen. The bad news is that a team’s top backup at three positions should probably be able to hold his own regardless of who’s standing to his right and to his left.

Tramon Could Be Playing For His Future

 Posted by at 1:38 pm  14 Responses »
Jun 262012
 
packers10, spt, lynn, 11

The Green Bay Packers will have to spend at least $200 million in the next six to 18 months to re-sign receiver Greg Jennings and extend quarterback Aaron Rodgers and linebacker Clay Matthews. In order to keep those three stars, general manager Ted Thompson will almost certainly have to let other good players go. For example, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see ascending left guard T.J. Lang sign elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent in 2013. It also wouldn’t be a surprise if cornerback Charles Woodson and linebacker A.J. Hawk were released or forced to take massive pay cuts following this season. But there’s another player whose shaky future in Green Bay will definitely surprise you. Two years after agreeing to a five-year extension worth just over $38 million, cornerback Tramon Williams could very well be on his way out.

Williams parlayed a breakthrough season in 2010 into that lucrative deal, but he struggled in 2011 after injuring his right shoulder on opening night.  Normally you wouldn’t be worried about a shoulder injury suffered in September lingering into the next season, but after reading a recent article on FoxSportsWisconsin.com, it’s hard not to be concerned. “We did strength tests on my shoulder (in early June) and it was at about 50 percent when they tested,” Williams told Paul Imig. “It probably was worse during the season. It was bad. I hadn’t done anything on it for a while, trying to heal it up a little bit. I started my rehab process, did that for a couple weeks, then we did the strength test to see where we were. They tested my strong arm, which is my left arm, and then the right arm, and my right arm was significantly weaker than my left arm. And this is my dominant arm, my right arm, so it was weak.”

A weak right shoulder greatly limits Williams’ ability to be physical with wide receivers at the line of scrimmage. And being physical with wide receivers is one of the things that made the former Louisiana Tech star so successful in 2010. The Packers are obviously hoping that the shoulder will continue to get stronger in the coming months. Increased strength, along with a (hopefully) more effective pass rush, should allow Williams to perform better than he did a year ago. But he’ll probably have to return to his Pro Bowl form of 2010 in order to justify the huge raise he’s scheduled to get in 2013. And based on the information in Imig’s story, it’s fair to question whether that’s possible.

Williams is scheduled to make a base salary of $2.3 million this season. That number jumps to $5.9 million ($7.4 million against the cap) in 2013. That’s the type of money a team pays for a star player. Releasing Williams next offseason would save the team $5.9 million in real money and $5 million against the cap. That might not seem like a lot, but every dollar will count when it comes to getting contracts done with Jennings, Rodgers and Matthews. It’s also important to remember that Thompson will have to deal with Jermichael Finley and B.J. Raji in the not too distant future.

Besides his contract, there are other things working against Williams. One is his age. He’ll turn 30 next March, and while Woodson has been defying Father Time for years, the majority of corners – even 100% healthy ones – begin to show signs of decline around that birthday. Another thing working against Williams is the potential depth at the position. Sam Shields looked like a budding star in 2010. Thompson traded up in the second round to draft Casey Hayward in April. And the coaches have been heaping praise on Davon House throughout the offseason. All three of those players are under 26. If at least two of the them prove to be legitimate, it’s difficult to imagine Williams returning in 2013 unless he regains the form that made him arguably the second-best cornerback in the league in 2010.

Ted, just sign a damn returner!

 Posted by 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).

Free at last! Free at last?

 Posted by at 12:38 pm  12 Responses »
Jul 272010
 
Holding on to Jenkins won't be quite this easy

Holding on to Jenkins won't be quite as easy as this

Training camp doesn’t open for another three days and there may not even be a season in 2011, but that didn’t stop us from taking a quick glance at the Packers who could be unrestricted free agents next March. Assuming – and as of today these assumptions are about as enormous as Ryan Pickett’s pre-training camp belly – that the players and the owners agree to a new collective bargaining agreement and that the number of accrued seasons to achieve true freedom reverts back to four from six, here are the players who would be eligible to hit the open market (along with their age as of 3/31/2011 and their current salary): John Kuhn (27/$1.176M), Korey Hall (28/$550K), Brandon Jackson (25/$550K), Donald Driver (36/$7.206M), James Jones (27/$1.101M), Allen Barbre (26/$550K), Jason Spitz (28/$1.759M), Daryn Colledge (29/$1.759M), Cullen Jenkins (30/$3.2M), Desmond Bishop (26/$550K), Tramon Williams (28/$3.168M/), Atari Bigby (29/$1.759M), Will Blackmon (26/$1.176M), Charlie Peprah (28/$630K) and Mason Crosby (26/$1.0M).

This is hardly an imposing list, but there will be a few interesting decisions facing GM Ted Thompson. As of today, the most compelling scenarios involve Driver, Jones, Colledge, Spitz, Jenkins, Bishop and Williams.

It’s hard to imagine Driver in another uniform, but as Packer fans found out two years ago, you just never know. That said, the only way we see the veteran wide receiver leaving Green Bay is if he asks for too much money or if Thompson isn’t willing to let Jones get away. It’s unlikely that Jones would re-sign unless he foresees a better opportunity to play – something that won’t happen if Driver is still around. Of course, Thompson’s decision on Jones will only be difficult if the former San Jose State star performs at a high level in 2010. Otherwise, he’ll almost certainly be allowed to walk without a fight.

There’s almost no chance that both Colledge and Spitz will return in 2011, so Thompson will have to choose between the two. Spitz – if his health is OK – would be the logical choice since he can play three positions. Not having a CBA brought Colledge back to Green Bay for another season, but his somewhat arrogant personality and his finesse-style of play just aren’t a good with the Packers.

Jenkins already looked to be the key unrestricted free agent in 2011, and his importance to the team’s present and future only increased with the news of Johnny Jolly’s indefinte suspension. It’s very likely that Thompson will want to re-sign the veteran defensive lineman; the big question is whether the feeling will be mutual. For the most part, Jenkins kept quiet last season and admirably did all the dirty work that’s required of an end in the 3-4. Whether he’d voluntarily sign up for more of the same remains to be seen. We have our doubts. That’s why it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the franchise tag used – if there’s even a franchise tag to use.

While Bishop has handled his lack of playing time with great aplomb, you know he’s dying to get a legitimate opportunity to win a starting job. That almost certainly won’t happen this season, but the door could finally open for him in 2011. That’s because A.J. Hawk and his scheduled $11 million contract could be moving on. Of course, even if that happens, Bishop would still have to contend with another overpaid inside linebacker (Brandon Chillar), so he might just decide that parting ways with the Packers makes the most sense. And who could really blame him?

Thompson showed what he thinks of Williams by placing the highest tender on him in February, so the odds are very good that the former street free agent will be around for many years to come. But there are a few variables that could change things between now and next March. For example, what happens if both Pat Lee and Brandon Underwood step up this season? Or if Williams continues to be inconsistent – this time as a fulltime starter. Or if he plays so well that other teams are lining up to make him rich? In short, it’s probably safe to hold on to your No. 38 jersey, but you might want to have a backup number in mind just in case.

The remaining potential unrestricted free agents won’t cause Thompson to lose much sleep. He should be able to pick and choose who comes back and who doesn’t. As of today, we’ll put Crosby, Hall and Jackson in the former category and Barbre, Bigby, Blackmon, Kuhn and Peprah in the latter. But needless to say, all of this can change depending on how these 15 players perform in 2010 and how things go at the bargaining table over the next eight months.

(NOTE- In a few cases, the salaries listed for 2010 are estimates and do not include playing time bonuses, escalator clauses, etc.)