Official Training Camp Thread

[texaspackerbacker]

I've got high hopes for Brenton Cox also.

Glad to hear Rasheed Walker is getting some work too. I'm not as thrilled with Tom as a lot of ya'all are, and I definitely don't want Meyers replaced at Center. Having Tom as a backup all across the line is good, though, considering how Newman stuck it up and Hanson is pretty worthless. I thought Caleb Jones looked good in the game, also that other huge guy, Telfort. Any news on Tenuta, the 6'8" guy who was carted off but supposedly got good marks from that rating scheme?

As for the TE group, Deguara may be getting fullback reps, but he has plenty of experience to be the 3rd TE. And Austin Allen may be better than his college rep, considering he got flawed coaching at Nebraska. Kraft had a bad game, but I'm pretty sure he will still be ok. No need to bring in another TE.

I'm surprised we don't have a thread yet about guessing the 53 man roster.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

It's Carrington Valentine's world, and we're just living in it.

Love throws a rock to Romeo, which Valentine picks off for 6. I am straight as Cupid’s arrow, but I am sensing romance in the air.

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;

[run pMc]

Brenton Cox definitely has some asshole to him, and I think you need to have a few guys like that on defense. (Honestly, doesn't hurt to have one on your OL too). As long as they aren't doing criminal stuff or being a locker cancer, and keep the assholishness to the playing field, that is. He would have been a R4 pick if not for the major character concerns. When I watched Florida games, he often stood out. I think he's undisciplined but I also think he's knows he's on a short leash and this is probably his only/best shot in the NFL. I don't know that he'll crack the roster -- the OLB group is pretty deep -- but I could easily see him making the PS or getting scooped up by another team. He's played pretty well against the 2's and 3's and has some upside.

And yeah, Carrington Valentine is having a camp. Reports are that he's not quite Sam Shields rookie year good, but he's not far off. R7 picks are like lottery tickets, it sounds like they might have hit big on that one.

Also hearing good things about Grant Dubose stacking a couple of good days in camp. I think they keep 6 WRs, but he and Malik Heath might give them pause about keeping 7.

Finally, there are whispers that GB staff think they got a good one with Luke Musgrave. I hope so, and that the kid can stay healthy. He's big and fast, and they are feeding him the ball so they are going to feature him. It sounds like he's a mismatch problem already, so if/when he puts it all together he could be a stud.

[Fritz]

Brenton Cox definitely has some asshole to him, and I think you need to have a few guys like that on defense. (Honestly, doesn't hurt to have one on your OL too). As long as they aren't doing criminal stuff or being a locker cancer, and keep the assholishness to the playing field, that is. He would have been a R4 pick if not for the major character concerns. When I watched Florida games, he often stood out. I think he's undisciplined but I also think he's knows he's on a short leash and this is probably his only/best shot in the NFL. I don't know that he'll crack the roster -- the OLB group is pretty deep -- but I could easily see him making the PS or getting scooped up by another team. He's played pretty well against the 2's and 3's and has some upside.

And yeah, Carrington Valentine is having a camp. Reports are that he's not quite Sam Shields rookie year good, but he's not far off. R7 picks are like lottery tickets, it sounds like they might have hit big on that one.

Also hearing good things about Grant Dubose stacking a couple of good days in camp. I think they keep 6 WRs, but he and Malik Heath might give them pause about keeping 7.

Finally, there are whispers that GB staff think they got a good one with Luke Musgrave. I hope so, and that the kid can stay healthy. He's big and fast, and they are feeding him the ball so they are going to feature him. It sounds like he's a mismatch problem already, so if/when he puts it all together he could be a stud.

And is there a better name for a bad-ass guy than “Cox”? Just read a puff piece about how the Packers - offense and defense - are more physical this year. We’ll see. And yes, lots of OLB depth, but if the kid can excel on ST, maybe they keep him. Lots of depth at OLB, at WR, at CB, at RB. And Jonathon Ford may be playing himself into the DL conversation. If another team has depth at guard or center or (blocking) TE, mebbe there could be a trade. I’d add safety, but all our safeties are already pretty much just depth guys. Next year’s draft, for that position.

[texaspackerbacker]

Valentine reminds me more of Ladarius Gunter than Sam Shields, and I say that as somebody who had a high opinion of Gunter. He (and Valentine) seem like overachievers - very good man coverage guys without elite speed and with limited ceilings.

Glad to hear Jonathan Ford is doing well. The DLineman who has looked good to me is Colby Wooden.

[MadScientist]

Valentine has elite speed and explosion scores. Gunter had very poor grades. Valentine and Shields had very similar numbers.

[run pMc]

Valentine ran a 4.44 40, Gunter was much slower.
Gunter was a bigger corner, but Valentine has longer arms and is a much much better athlete.

https://twitter.com/MathBomb/status/1643042324442755073
https://ras.football/2020/01/06/ladarius-gunter-ras/

Gunter was put in a tough spot in 2016 when GB basically had no speed at corner and had to cover prime Julio in the NFCCG. i thought he was a decent player who gave his all, but that was a bad matchup.
Valentine is known in college for being a press-and-bail guy and not great in zone or vs. double-moves, we'll see how Joe Barry uses him.

Apparently the new secondary coach is not having them line up so far off, which would be good. Defense needs to play well this year, the QB can't be expected to bail them out and they have a lot of talent.

[Joemailman]

Valentine has elite speed and explosion scores. Gunter had very poor grades. Valentine and Shields had very similar numbers.

Sam had a slightly faster 40 time, although Valentine's 10 yards split was slightly better. Sam at top speed was one of the fastest NFL players I ever saw. I doubt Valentine can match that, but he sure is explosive, as Jordan Love found out in practice yesterday.

[texaspackerbacker]

For the record, I'm NOT knocking Valentine who I really like, just saying I had a higher opinion of Gunter than most did.

Glad to hear the new secondary coach has maybe improved things. I'm still worried about Joe Barry's all out pressure D that ALMOST gets to the QB. Likely most teams will handle it better than the Burrow-less Bengals did in preseason.

[MadScientist]

Gunter was limited by his physical tools, but was a gamer and gave everything he had. But the lack of tools was why he went from starting CB in the NFCC to out of a job the next year.

Valentine will only be limited by himself. He has all the necessary physical tools.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

I'm still worried about Joe Barry's all out pressure D that ALMOST gets to the QB.

Anything but the vanilla ice ice baby 4-men rush of Barry’s first two seasons. Blitz all day, yo. And just put J-Alex on an island and let him do his thing, cos, dude floats like Deion and stings like Wu-Tang.

[Sparkey]

Brenton Cox definitely has some asshole to him, and I think you need to have a few guys like that on defense. (Honestly, doesn't hurt to have one on your OL too). As long as they aren't doing criminal stuff or being a locker cancer, and keep the assholishness to the playing field, that is. He would have been a R4 pick if not for the major character concerns. When I watched Florida games, he often stood out. I think he's undisciplined but I also think he's knows he's on a short leash and this is probably his only/best shot in the NFL. I don't know that he'll crack the roster -- the OLB group is pretty deep -- but I could easily see him making the PS or getting scooped up by another team. He's played pretty well against the 2's and 3's and has some upside.

And yeah, Carrington Valentine is having a camp. Reports are that he's not quite Sam Shields rookie year good, but he's not far off. R7 picks are like lottery tickets, it sounds like they might have hit big on that one.

Also hearing good things about Grant Dubose stacking a couple of good days in camp. I think they keep 6 WRs, but he and Malik Heath might give them pause about keeping 7.

Finally, there are whispers that GB staff think they got a good one with Luke Musgrave. I hope so, and that the kid can stay healthy. He's big and fast, and they are feeding him the ball so they are going to feature him. It sounds like he's a mismatch problem already, so if/when he puts it all together he could be a stud.

I have always read/been told that the biggest challenge for a college TE is learning all the nuances of the position in the NFL. I believe having a father that lettered 2 years at QB in college and an uncle who played QB in the NFL has helped him immensely.

[Fritz]

Rasheed Walker practicing at LT with the ones. Something to watch. If Walker takes over as primary backup at LT, it makes it easier to put Tom at center.

Ienjoy the ups-and-downs of camp, so I was glad to see Walker is making progress. I've also read that other players are really making a push - Jonathon Ford, Anthony Johnson, even Shemale Jean-Claude-Van-Damme, apparently. Some guys are in the running to make the team because of specific needs - a blocking TE, a third-down RB who can play well on ST and block well, a corner who can play the slot. Some guys are in the running to make the team because they are showing too much skill to be left off. Daniel Whelan may be in that group - as I've said, if the dude can show he's a reasonable holder, then why not?

Those are fun stories to follow.

[bobblehead]

Walker's an interesting guy. He was pegged as a possible 3rd round pick in 2022 who slid to the 7th round. Couple of reasons given were some meniscus issues and not being in great shape at the combine. He did not participate at the combine other than measurements and weigh in. I think he might be better suited to RT than LT, but either way he gives Packers some flexibility on where they play Tom.

Larry McCarren did a breakdown today on Walker's performance last Friday night. https://www.packers.com/video/rock-r...han-deep-x4008

Walker probably has the skill set to play LT or RT. He definitely would have been a 3rd or better if he hadn't been hurt. I actually expected to hear more of him in this camp, but glad that the chatter is starting now. He was a factor in my love for last years draft. Guy is a legit NFL talent. I don't expect, but wouldn't be shocked if our OL next year was Yosh, Elgton, Tom, Runyan, Walker (or the tackles could land opposite). Again, I don't expect it, but its not impossible either.

[bobblehead]

For several seasons, the Packers turn up a training camp warrior. Usually an OLB that goes crazy in the pre-season, makes a splash, but disappears in the regular season. I went to the game Friday and spotted a guy who I've been interested in...Brenton Cox. He is an OLB and a college free agent. He splashed like crazy in the game. 3 QB hurries and a deflection that turned into a pick. He is 6-4 250 country strong with a nasty disposition.

Cox has a hell of a backstory. He's a GA boy and was rated in the top 20 nationally of high school prospects. He got a scholarship to GA and played on those stacked Dog defenses. He even started a game or two. He also got tossed out of school for fighting in the locker room, maybe fighting with a coach, and weed. Florida snapped him up and he played 3 years there. He had a 4 sack game vs Fla ST. He also got thrown out of school there. More fights in the locker room, a fight with a coach, but I guess he learned how to hide his weed better.

The kid is an asshole, but a tough player. Let's keep him. This D could use a few assholes on it.

I read somewhere "he could have went in the 5th...." That was ridiculous. If not for his problems he was a lock to go in the 2nd. Top 20 guy, successful in the SEC in 2 programs when on the field. Yea, thats a 5th rounder. Thats why I don't read much "pundit" crap regarding the draft. I am tempering my excitement over cox after the Kylin Hill experience. That guy was/is so talented, but a major head case.

[bobblehead]

I have always read/been told that the biggest challenge for a college TE is learning all the nuances of the position in the NFL. I believe having a father that lettered 2 years at QB in college and an uncle who played QB in the NFL has helped him immensely.

I agree on that. He has a head start on most guys coming out.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

I agree on that. He has a head start on most guys coming out.

Poor man’s Jimmy Graham.

[Joemailman]

Poor man’s Jimmy Graham.

Nah. Looks like Musgrave is at least willing to try to block.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

Nah. Looks like Musgrave is at least willing to try to block.

Jimmy tried to block, too. He wasn’t too good at it, but he did try.

Packers would be better off with Musgraves being a poor man’s Jimmy Graham than a rich man’s Mercedes Lewis.

[call_me_ishmael]

I read somewhere "he could have went in the 5th...." That was ridiculous. If not for his problems he was a lock to go in the 2nd. Top 20 guy, successful in the SEC in 2 programs when on the field. Yea, thats a 5th rounder. Thats why I don't read much "pundit" crap regarding the draft. I am tempering my excitement over cox after the Kylin Hill experience. That guy was/is so talented, but a major head case.

Maybe, but it is also to remember that he doesn't have the measurable that NFL teams crave since the NFL is different from college. Although I would agree that success in the SEC trumps that for me personally and shows you're explosive, fast, etc even if it doesn't show up at the combine.

The Packers had that TE from Oregon many moons ago that was in a similar spot. Elite talent but a bum off the field. He washed out and didn't make the team 'cause bums gonna bum.