WR Battle

[Patler]

I think the fight for roster spots among WRs is going to be very, very interesting.

Forget about Nelson, Cobb and Adams who will be on the roster absent injuries. Probably Boykin, too, based on his experience alone. Boykin is the third most experienced WR, but certainly can not take it for granted that he will make the team.

Which of the others will make a move to secure roster spots?

Harper - I think many fans are dismissing him too easily. Obviously, 2013 did not turn out for him the way he would have liked, but he brings a few things to the table that are interesting, to say the least. He had the talent to be a 4th round pick just last year. Neither Seattle nor SF gave up on him, Seattle had him on their PS squad, and the story was SF wanted to get him to theirs after their injury picture at WR cleared up and he was released. Big, physical guy who seems to have his focus right. Interesting article about him today:
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packe...263308181.html

Abbrederis is a survivor who finds a way, but can he stay healthy and in one piece? Janis is an intriguing combination of size and speed who was dominant at a lower level of college ball. Can he make the transition?. Either or both could push hard for a roster spot.

Dorsey, Gillette and White are probably the longest shots to make the roster, but have interesting stories as well; and Gillette and White were fighters last year. Dorsey didn't have much opportunity.

Boykin seems like a virtual lock to make the roster, but if Adams ascends to the #3 WR spot early, Boykin at #4 could be vulnerable to the higher potentials of some of the others.

I think training camp and preseason games will be very interesting for WRs.

[bobblehead]

I speculate that they keep six; Nelson, Cobb, Adams, Boykin, Harper, Abbrederis (return guy). I think Janis won't see much time in preseason games because the plan is to practice squad him. He could shock them and overwhelm enough to beat out Harper or Abbrederis, but its not the plan at this point.

[vince]

Agreed. The bottom of the list there is filled with guys who haven't proven a thing but ooze potential.

I think Harper brings a unique physicality along with some explosiveness that'll earn him a spot. I even think they'll have some things in the playbook for him against certain teams who are either too slow at LB or a little too small at DB. He should have some ST value too with his stregth/speed combination.

Nelson, Cobb, Adams, Boykin
Harper

Then I'd say Abberderis has the best shot of making the team because of his reliability, versatility to play outside or inside and special teams value but he needs to get stronger.

I think that unless the other guys really make a case for not being able to be let go in camp and preseason, the odds are against them. Janis would appear to have the highest upside among the rest. Practice squad to develop for him and the same for Dorsey. Gillette's a camp body and I'd say the new influx pushes White out.

One or more of these guys may well get claimed by another team and that's a good thing because the guys ahead of them are both young and talented. I read somewhere that Cobb is only a couple months older than Abberderis.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Abberderis or Janis come down with a late camp injury that puts them on IR and allows them to work out and learn this year while still being protected.

[mraynrand]

That's a good competition set up there. White and Abbers both should pray to the god of skinny punks; whoever he favors will make the team - I'm betting Abbers due to football smarts, but that's just what I hear - may be propaganda. I see them trying to hide Janis and Cleveland will eventually get him. That leave Boykin/Harper - Boykin gets it unless he doesn't show steady progress from last year. Preseason football will be exciting this year.

[pbmax]

Even if he does not stand out enough to get reps as a starter, Abracadabra will be a favorite for the last spot because of his returning. But he will need to be healthy for all of camp.

[woodbuck27]

That's a good competition set up there. White and Abbers both should pray to the god of skinny punks; whoever he favors will make the team - I'm betting Abbers due to football smarts, but that's just what I hear - may be propaganda. I see them trying to hide Janis and Cleveland will eventually get him. That leave Boykin/Harper - Boykin gets it unless he doesn't show steady progress from last year. Preseason football will be exciting this year.

Respectfully.... your post is confusing.

"White and Abbers both should pray to the god of skinny punks" mraynrand

Why?

Neither WR's Myles White nor Jared Abbrederis are skinny in terms of "the Real World" and skinny and Ted Thompson doesn't place punks on the Green Bay Packers Roster!?

http://www.packers.com/team/players.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jared_Abbrederis

Jared Abbrederis is 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Weight: 195 lb (88 kg)

WR Myles White maybe listed lighter (6'-0" and 182 lbs) than what I thought he was reported as weighing after an approx. 10 lb. weight gain this off season (Note: Check this as a fact?) .

Note: Rookie WR prospect Jeff Janis is appreciably bigger at 6' - 3 " and 219 lbs. WR Chris Harper is a chunk at 6' - 1 " and 223 lbs.

[Pugger]

Abracadabra will prob make the team as a returner but I hope he can bulk up some. HE looks rather slight compared to Janis. JJ has a ton of potential too. It will be fun to see him in preseason games this summer. If he shows anything it might be difficult to stash him on the PS.

[woodbuck27]

http://www.vavel.com/en-us/nfl/35053...s-offense.html

A look back at the recent draft and the packers thoughts on offense and WR.

Green Bay Packers Draft Thoughts: Offense


14-05-2014

A quick look at details of the 5 offensive picks taken in the 2014 NFL Draft, and a potential best case and worst case scenario for each player.

[Guiness]

You're correct Woody, White is reported to have put on 10lbs. That's not the kind of thing that will get updated during the offseason, if at all.

I also think that Boykin is vulnerable if Adams can challenge him for the #3 spot. At 6'1" 212 (Adams) vs 6'2" 218 (Boykin) they seem to be a similar size, although I'm not sure what their builds are like.

Someone might sneak in as a returner, Micah Hyde did both duties for a lot of last year, I wonder if that's what they want him doing?

[run pMc]

I really like Harper and think he's got potential, but he's behind Myles White at this moment IMO. White's actually played live snaps and the team likes him...plus he supposedly has deep speed.
If the lightbulb goes on for Harper he could pass him up though.

Agree it's a lock that Jordy, Cobb, Boykin, and Adams make the roster. I think they try to stash Janis on the PS. If Abbrederis can be a PR/KR and stay healthy he sticks.

With the way injuries have hit this team, it's almost a lock that 1 or 2 WR won't make it out of camp healthy.

I think they keep 6 if somebody besides Jordy/Cobb returns kicks and punts. If they discover someone like Demetri Goodson can do the KR/PR job, or the TE's are lights out they might keep 5.
I'm thinking that's unlikely and they keep 6 WR: Jordy, Cobb, Boykin, Adams, and two of: Abbrederis, Harper, White.

Gillette might make the PS, but I'm not expecting much from him.
Dorsey's got size, speed, and a year in the system but I don't know if he's any good or even better than White or Harper.

Am really hoping Adams can show he belongs and by midseason is pushing Boykin for #3 WR snaps. I like that there's a lot of competition and with how they restocked the young talent at WR. Bennett's a good coach and will get them ready to be weapons for Rodgers.

[Zool]

You're correct Woody, White is reported to have put on 10lbs. That's not the kind of thing that will get updated during the offseason, if at all.

Tommy Boy reference

[pbmax]

Well, I put this in the wrong thread, so here it is again.


Harper, unsurprisingly, thinks he has a serious chance. Seattle wanted him back on PS. 49ers swooped in and wanted him to play TE and H-back because they were thin at the position.

http://www.espnwisconsin.com/common/...4451&is_corp=1

[Patler]

10 pounds will help White, but he needs to use it differently, too. Last year in the few snaps that he played, on several occasions DBs threw him around like a rag doll.

My guesses?
- White is released in the first cutdown.
- Abbrederis does not make it out of camp healthy.
- Harper makes it as one of the top 5.
- Janis is signed to the PS, but lasts only a couple weeks before someone else signs him.
- Dorsey is also signed to the PS.
- Gillette is released at the end of camp, and comes back to the PS when Janis signs somewhere else.

[Fritz]

Unless Abbrederis shows a whole lot of flash and dash in camp as a kick and punt returner, I don't see him making the team. He's undersized and underathletic. Why keep him and let a guy with way more upside (Janis) be exposed on the practice squad?

Dorsey needs to have a great and consistent training camp. I think White is too thin, Gillette a camp body.

That means for me it's Nelson, Cobb, Adams, Boykin, Harper, Janis.

[Smidgeon]

Unless Abbrederis shows a whole lot of flash and dash in camp as a kick and punt returner, I don't see him making the team. He's undersized and underathletic. Why keep him and let a guy with way more upside (Janis) be exposed on the practice squad?

Dorsey needs to have a great and consistent training camp. I think White is too thin, Gillette a camp body.

That means for me it's Nelson, Cobb, Adams, Boykin, Harper, Janis.

I like this list better, but I don't think it'll happen. I think it will be Nelson, Cobb, Boykin, Adams, Abracadabra, and Harper/White.

I want Janis like I wanted Charles Johnson last year. And I sort of like White, but Patler's well pointed out his deficiencies. And I'm surprised Gillette even made it to minicamp this year.

[Guiness]

Unless Abbrederis shows a whole lot of flash and dash in camp as a kick and punt returner, I don't see him making the team. He's undersized and underathletic. Why keep him and let a guy with way more upside (Janis) be exposed on the practice squad?

Dorsey needs to have a great and consistent training camp. I think White is too thin, Gillette a camp body.

That means for me it's Nelson, Cobb, Adams, Boykin, Harper, Janis.

Janis might have better measurables, but Abbrederis went 2 rounds earlier. It might just be because he's from a small school, but TT still picked Abbrederis first.

[Brandon494]

Janis might have better measurables, but Abbrederis went 2 rounds earlier. It might just be because he's from a small school, but TT still picked Abbrederis first.

A late 5th rounder and 7th rounder doesn't mean much, the spot will go to the better player. We still have to see if Abby can handle the punishment of the NFL.

[Patler]

Summary of the battle after week 1:

- The concerns many of us had for Abbredaris were justified after only a few days, as he is apparently out for the year.

- Boykin seems to be stepping up, and is said to be the clear leader for the #3 spot.

- Harper, who had a strong mini-camp, has had a disappointing first week.

- Janus didn't come to camp because he was roofing a house. (Something about "shingles".)


Anything else of significance in the WR battle?

[Willard]

Anything else of significance in the WR battle?

It seems significant that we hear more about our 5th and even our no-show 7th rd pick than we do about Adams! I was hoping he was going to see the field a lot this season (ie 30 catches; 500 yds). But I have heard very little about him. Any progress reports out there? Who does he play like?

[Joemailman]

Summary of the battle after week 1:

- The concerns many of us had for Abbredaris were justified after only a few days, as he is apparently out for the year.

- Boykin seems to be stepping up, and is said to be the clear leader for the #3 spot.

- Harper, who had a strong mini-camp, has had a disappointing first week.

- Janus didn't come to camp because he was roofing a house. (Something about "shingles".)


Anything else of significance in the WR battle?

Myles White has looked good at WR, but muffed 3 punts the other day.

Dorsey has been standing out on ST units. Don't forget about the importance of ST on those final roster spots.