Grim Reaper???
Who will make the team?
By Jason Wilde / madison.com
GREEN BAY — One of Ted Thompson's favorite words is competition. To the Green Bay Packers' third-year general manager, from competition springs individual improvement, which leads to team success. "I think we have more competition at more positions than in the past, which I think theoretically will lead to a better team, if we put these players in the right positions and we make the right decisions," Thompson said. "So I feel pretty good about the team. Most of these guys are football guys. I like the group." What Thompson doesn't like is paring the roster down from the 87 players on it to an NFL-mandated 53 for the Sept. 9 regular-season opener against Philadelphia, a task he says is going to be difficult given how close many of those competitions are. While he has a general idea of how the roster will look, very little is certain going into Thursday night's third preseason game against Jacksonville at Lambeau Field. "Things do change. Some guys that maybe aren't playing very well will all of a sudden play really good in the last couple of games, or vice versa," Thompson said. "We're constantly going through different combinations of players and looking at the board and seeing how it looks, and doing it again. But there's not that many decisions already made." With the NFL's two mandatory roster reductions — to 75 players by 3 p.m. Tuesday and to 53 players by 3 p.m. Sept. 1 — in mind, here's a subjective look at where the Packers stand entering Thursday's game against the Jaguars.
Quarterbacks (2 or 3)
In: Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers.
On the bubble: Ingle Martin, Paul Thompson.
Favre is the icon. Rodgers has been impressive through two games — 28-of-43 for 265 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 105.3 rating — and now looks like a very worthy heir apparent. The question is at No. 3, where Martin, a 2006 fifth-round pick, hasn't shown much. Thompson, an undrafted rookie free agent, has shown flashes but was horrible against Seattle. The coaches want to see Martin take a step forward tonight after he was knocked out of the preseason opener at Pittsburgh by a blow to the head.
"When you've got a guy (in Ingle) who's been in your program now for over a full year, you want to see some development," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "We'll be interested to see how far he's come."
It's possible the Packers could keep just Favre and Rodgers and put Thompson on the practice squad.
Running backs (5 or 6)
In: Brandon Jackson, Korey Hall.
On the bubble: Vernand Morency, Noah Herron, Corey White, Brandon Miree, DeShawn Wynn.
Out: P.J. Pope, Ryan Powdrell.
No area is more uncertain than the backfield, where Jackson, a rookie second-round pick, has assumed the starting halfback job because Morency hasn't practiced since the opening of camp July 28, when he strained the patellar tendon in his right knee. Coach Mike McCarthy thinks he'll be ready for the opener, but who knows for sure?
Miree is listed as the starting fullback on the depth chart but has missed significant time with a stinger, allowing Hall, a converted college linebacker and rookie sixth-round pick, to make a run at the job. Herron seems safe as the third-down back, but the position is in too much flux to know for sure.
Wynn teased the coaches with a glimpse of his ability in practice before a quadriceps injury put him back on the sideline before the games started. It's hard to believe he hasn't found a way to get back on the field. Pope and Powdrell's knee injuries killed their chances.
Wide receivers (5 or 6)
In: Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Ruvell Martin.
On the bubble: Carlyle Holiday, David Clowney, Chris Francies.
Out: Calvin Russell, Carlton Brewster, Shaun Bodiford.
The release of Robert Ferguson was in part the result of Martin and Holiday's improvement. Holiday has the inside track on the No. 5 job, while Francies would have to do something spectacular to earn it. Clowney has struggled as a receiver and is more practice-squad material.
Bodiford had a realistic shot to make the team as a returner before a knee injury against Seattle knocked him out. Suspended receiver Koren Robinson is eligible for reinstatement Sept. 18, when his one-year ban for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy expires.
Tight ends (3)
In: Donald Lee, Bubba Franks.
On the bubble: Zac Alcorn, Clark Harris
Out: Joe Werner.
The team kept four tight ends last year but barely has two worth keeping this year. Franks looks like a new man after back-to-back disappointing seasons, while Lee remains listed as the starter.
They'll see the bulk of the action because neither candidate for the No. 3 job has done much. Harris, a rookie seventh-round pick from Rutgers, could have seized the job but didn't. The competition is so poor that injured Tory Humphrey (ankle) was probably the best option here. Don't be surprised if the team claims a tight end on the final cuts. Werner isn't ready to play in the NFL but a year on the practice squad could make him an intriguing prospect.
Offensive line (9 or 10)
In: LT Chad Clifton, RT Mark Tauscher, C Scott Wells, RG Jason Spitz, LG Daryn Colledge, G Allen Barbre.
On the bubble: RT Tony Moll, T/G Junius Coston, G/C Tony Palmer, C/T Tyson Walter.
Out: T/G Travis Leffew, T/G Adam Stenavich, G Pat Murray, T Orrin Thompson, C C.J. Blomvall.
Barbre, a rookie fourth-round pick, appears to be the top backup, mainly because Moll has missed so much time with a pinched nerve in his neck. Palmer had been an option as the backup to Wells at center but a hamstring injury has sidelined him. Still, he figures to stick, as does Coston, a 2005 fifth-round pick who's finally starting to show why the team drafted him. Walter's versatility and experience could land him the final spot.
Defensive line (9 or 10)
In: DE Aaron Kampman, DE Cullen Jenkins, DT Ryan Pickett, DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, DT Justin Harrell, DT Corey Williams, DT Johnny Jolly.
On the bubble: DE Michael Montgomery, DT Colin Cole, DE Jason Hunter, DT Daniel Muir.
Out: DE Larry Birdine, DE DeVon Hicks.
Jenkins, like Kampman last year, has taken his game to a higher plane after signing a big contract. Harrell, the rookie first-round pick, has been outplayed by Jolly, Williams, Pickett and Cole, but he's the No. 1 pick and will eventually be a player. Jolly's camp has been the most impressive, considering he did little as a sixth-round pick last year.
Montgomery was a lock after a strong camp but now could be headed to injured reserve with a knee injury suffered against Seattle. At best, he'll be inactive for the first few weeks of the season. That could open the door for Hunter. Cole deserves a roster spot but could be traded. Muir has been impressive as an undrafted rookie.
Linebackers (5 or 6)
In: MLB Nick Barnett, WLB A.J. Hawk, SLB Brady Poppinga.
On the bubble: MLB Abdul Hodge, WLB Tracy White, MLB Desmond Bishop, WLB Rory Johnson, SLB Spencer Havner.
Out: MLB-WLB Tim Goodwell, SLB Juwan Simpson.
The starters are set. The backups are anything but. White, a top-notch special-teamer, should make the team based on that alone. Bishop, a rookie sixth-round pick, is working ahead of Hodge, whose patellar tendinitis in both knees is troubling. Johnson, Havner, Bishop and Hodge are playing for the last one or two jobs tonight and next Thursday night.
Defensive backs (9 or 10)
In: CB Al Harris, S Nick Collins, CB Charles Woodson, S Atari Bigby, CB Will Blackmon, S Aaron Rouse, CB Jarrett Bush.
On the bubble: S Marquand Manuel, CB Patrick Dendy, S Tyrone Culver, CB Tramon Williams, CB Frank Walker, S Charlie Peprah.
Out: S Alvin Nnabuife, CB Antonio Malone.
Bigby starts Thursday night ahead of Manuel, and with rookie third-round pick Rouse, Culver and Peprah in the mix, Manuel could be cut. The team would take a $1.2 million hit on the salary cap in 2008, but it may be time for the club to admit it whiffed on him as a free agent. Marviel Underwood has already been cut, Manuel could be next.
Bush has taken the lead in the No. 3 corner spot over Dendy, but both figure to make the team. Blackmon's return work should land him a spot, too. Culver, a 2006 sixth-round pick, is reliable, while Peprah has flashed and is good on special teams.
Walker, the club's only unrestricted free-agent signing, simply hasn't shown as much as Bush, Blackmon, Dendy or Williams. He got a $150,000 signing bonus up front, but with a $750,000 base salary and $240,000 roster bonus (in the form of $15,000 for each game he's on the 45-man roster), he'll have to come on strong in the final two games to show he's worth keeping, both fiscally and given the younger players' improvement.
Special teams (3)
In: LS Rob Davis, P Jon Ryan.
On the bubble: K Dave Rayner, K Mason Crosby.
Out: P Ryan Dougherty.
Rayner and Crosby are in an intense duel for the kicking job, and special teams coordinator Mike Stock insists Crosby hasn't taken even a slight lead. Everything being equal, Crosby will likely get the nod based on potential, while Rayner's one year of experience kicking at Lambeau Field should help his chances. Ryan is punting extremely well, improving following a technique change.
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By Jason Wilde / madison.com
GREEN BAY — One of Ted Thompson's favorite words is competition. To the Green Bay Packers' third-year general manager, from competition springs individual improvement, which leads to team success. "I think we have more competition at more positions than in the past, which I think theoretically will lead to a better team, if we put these players in the right positions and we make the right decisions," Thompson said. "So I feel pretty good about the team. Most of these guys are football guys. I like the group." What Thompson doesn't like is paring the roster down from the 87 players on it to an NFL-mandated 53 for the Sept. 9 regular-season opener against Philadelphia, a task he says is going to be difficult given how close many of those competitions are. While he has a general idea of how the roster will look, very little is certain going into Thursday night's third preseason game against Jacksonville at Lambeau Field. "Things do change. Some guys that maybe aren't playing very well will all of a sudden play really good in the last couple of games, or vice versa," Thompson said. "We're constantly going through different combinations of players and looking at the board and seeing how it looks, and doing it again. But there's not that many decisions already made." With the NFL's two mandatory roster reductions — to 75 players by 3 p.m. Tuesday and to 53 players by 3 p.m. Sept. 1 — in mind, here's a subjective look at where the Packers stand entering Thursday's game against the Jaguars.Quarterbacks (2 or 3)
In: Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers.
On the bubble: Ingle Martin, Paul Thompson.
Favre is the icon. Rodgers has been impressive through two games — 28-of-43 for 265 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 105.3 rating — and now looks like a very worthy heir apparent. The question is at No. 3, where Martin, a 2006 fifth-round pick, hasn't shown much. Thompson, an undrafted rookie free agent, has shown flashes but was horrible against Seattle. The coaches want to see Martin take a step forward tonight after he was knocked out of the preseason opener at Pittsburgh by a blow to the head.
"When you've got a guy (in Ingle) who's been in your program now for over a full year, you want to see some development," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "We'll be interested to see how far he's come."
It's possible the Packers could keep just Favre and Rodgers and put Thompson on the practice squad.
Running backs (5 or 6)
In: Brandon Jackson, Korey Hall.
On the bubble: Vernand Morency, Noah Herron, Corey White, Brandon Miree, DeShawn Wynn.
Out: P.J. Pope, Ryan Powdrell.
No area is more uncertain than the backfield, where Jackson, a rookie second-round pick, has assumed the starting halfback job because Morency hasn't practiced since the opening of camp July 28, when he strained the patellar tendon in his right knee. Coach Mike McCarthy thinks he'll be ready for the opener, but who knows for sure?
Miree is listed as the starting fullback on the depth chart but has missed significant time with a stinger, allowing Hall, a converted college linebacker and rookie sixth-round pick, to make a run at the job. Herron seems safe as the third-down back, but the position is in too much flux to know for sure.
Wynn teased the coaches with a glimpse of his ability in practice before a quadriceps injury put him back on the sideline before the games started. It's hard to believe he hasn't found a way to get back on the field. Pope and Powdrell's knee injuries killed their chances.
Wide receivers (5 or 6)
In: Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Ruvell Martin.
On the bubble: Carlyle Holiday, David Clowney, Chris Francies.
Out: Calvin Russell, Carlton Brewster, Shaun Bodiford.
The release of Robert Ferguson was in part the result of Martin and Holiday's improvement. Holiday has the inside track on the No. 5 job, while Francies would have to do something spectacular to earn it. Clowney has struggled as a receiver and is more practice-squad material.
Bodiford had a realistic shot to make the team as a returner before a knee injury against Seattle knocked him out. Suspended receiver Koren Robinson is eligible for reinstatement Sept. 18, when his one-year ban for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy expires.
Tight ends (3)
In: Donald Lee, Bubba Franks.
On the bubble: Zac Alcorn, Clark Harris
Out: Joe Werner.
The team kept four tight ends last year but barely has two worth keeping this year. Franks looks like a new man after back-to-back disappointing seasons, while Lee remains listed as the starter.
They'll see the bulk of the action because neither candidate for the No. 3 job has done much. Harris, a rookie seventh-round pick from Rutgers, could have seized the job but didn't. The competition is so poor that injured Tory Humphrey (ankle) was probably the best option here. Don't be surprised if the team claims a tight end on the final cuts. Werner isn't ready to play in the NFL but a year on the practice squad could make him an intriguing prospect.
Offensive line (9 or 10)
In: LT Chad Clifton, RT Mark Tauscher, C Scott Wells, RG Jason Spitz, LG Daryn Colledge, G Allen Barbre.
On the bubble: RT Tony Moll, T/G Junius Coston, G/C Tony Palmer, C/T Tyson Walter.
Out: T/G Travis Leffew, T/G Adam Stenavich, G Pat Murray, T Orrin Thompson, C C.J. Blomvall.
Barbre, a rookie fourth-round pick, appears to be the top backup, mainly because Moll has missed so much time with a pinched nerve in his neck. Palmer had been an option as the backup to Wells at center but a hamstring injury has sidelined him. Still, he figures to stick, as does Coston, a 2005 fifth-round pick who's finally starting to show why the team drafted him. Walter's versatility and experience could land him the final spot.
Defensive line (9 or 10)
In: DE Aaron Kampman, DE Cullen Jenkins, DT Ryan Pickett, DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, DT Justin Harrell, DT Corey Williams, DT Johnny Jolly.
On the bubble: DE Michael Montgomery, DT Colin Cole, DE Jason Hunter, DT Daniel Muir.
Out: DE Larry Birdine, DE DeVon Hicks.
Jenkins, like Kampman last year, has taken his game to a higher plane after signing a big contract. Harrell, the rookie first-round pick, has been outplayed by Jolly, Williams, Pickett and Cole, but he's the No. 1 pick and will eventually be a player. Jolly's camp has been the most impressive, considering he did little as a sixth-round pick last year.
Montgomery was a lock after a strong camp but now could be headed to injured reserve with a knee injury suffered against Seattle. At best, he'll be inactive for the first few weeks of the season. That could open the door for Hunter. Cole deserves a roster spot but could be traded. Muir has been impressive as an undrafted rookie.
Linebackers (5 or 6)
In: MLB Nick Barnett, WLB A.J. Hawk, SLB Brady Poppinga.
On the bubble: MLB Abdul Hodge, WLB Tracy White, MLB Desmond Bishop, WLB Rory Johnson, SLB Spencer Havner.
Out: MLB-WLB Tim Goodwell, SLB Juwan Simpson.
The starters are set. The backups are anything but. White, a top-notch special-teamer, should make the team based on that alone. Bishop, a rookie sixth-round pick, is working ahead of Hodge, whose patellar tendinitis in both knees is troubling. Johnson, Havner, Bishop and Hodge are playing for the last one or two jobs tonight and next Thursday night.
Defensive backs (9 or 10)
In: CB Al Harris, S Nick Collins, CB Charles Woodson, S Atari Bigby, CB Will Blackmon, S Aaron Rouse, CB Jarrett Bush.
On the bubble: S Marquand Manuel, CB Patrick Dendy, S Tyrone Culver, CB Tramon Williams, CB Frank Walker, S Charlie Peprah.
Out: S Alvin Nnabuife, CB Antonio Malone.
Bigby starts Thursday night ahead of Manuel, and with rookie third-round pick Rouse, Culver and Peprah in the mix, Manuel could be cut. The team would take a $1.2 million hit on the salary cap in 2008, but it may be time for the club to admit it whiffed on him as a free agent. Marviel Underwood has already been cut, Manuel could be next.
Bush has taken the lead in the No. 3 corner spot over Dendy, but both figure to make the team. Blackmon's return work should land him a spot, too. Culver, a 2006 sixth-round pick, is reliable, while Peprah has flashed and is good on special teams.
Walker, the club's only unrestricted free-agent signing, simply hasn't shown as much as Bush, Blackmon, Dendy or Williams. He got a $150,000 signing bonus up front, but with a $750,000 base salary and $240,000 roster bonus (in the form of $15,000 for each game he's on the 45-man roster), he'll have to come on strong in the final two games to show he's worth keeping, both fiscally and given the younger players' improvement.
Special teams (3)
In: LS Rob Davis, P Jon Ryan.
On the bubble: K Dave Rayner, K Mason Crosby.
Out: P Ryan Dougherty.
Rayner and Crosby are in an intense duel for the kicking job, and special teams coordinator Mike Stock insists Crosby hasn't taken even a slight lead. Everything being equal, Crosby will likely get the nod based on potential, while Rayner's one year of experience kicking at Lambeau Field should help his chances. Ryan is punting extremely well, improving following a technique change.
Story Link >>
Published by PackerPundit On Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at 4:46 PM.
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