Pleasant suprises of 2008 (make your predictions)

[RashanGary]

Deshawn Wynn - Big, fast, quick, instinctive and coming off a good season of conditioning. I think he's going to be a pleasant surpise to make and contribute to the team.

Special Teams - I see guys like Crosby, Ryan, Bishop, Jackson, Barbre, K Hall, Blackmon, Tramon Williams and the whole cast of young characters taking steps physically and mentally with another year of ST's continuity. The ST's were good last year, but I think we'll see them even better in kicking, punting, coverage and returns. I see a top 3 ST's unit in 2008.

Tramon Williams - At a very early stage in his career, he clearly showed he was a better CB than guys like Bush, Blackmon and Walker. Another year of great off season preparation and another year in the system can only mean good things for a player that has already shown he can play bump coverage in the NFL at a young age.

Aaron Rodgers - This may not be a surprise but I think he will put up similar numbers to what Brett did a year ago. I don't think Brett was great as much as the team around him was.

[PackerPro42]

I'll agree with all of those except Wynn. You stated he was big, fast, quick, and instinctive. However when I saw him last year, I saw a guy that look big and slow and struggled to find an open gap the majority of the time. He may be a nice short yardage back that can pound it up the middle, but I think expecting anymore productivity out him this year is a little optimistic.

[PackerPro42]

However, I do look for Brandon Jackson to come around a little bit this year and contribute as a nice 3rd down back. He was beginning to show some promise at the end of last year after Grant had come around. He was actually hitting the hole with some authority instead of searching for an open gap like a lost little puppy looking for it's owner.

[Bretsky]

B Jackson
A Barbre

[Patler]

Atlas Herrion. (Never mind........) :(

[Bretsky]

Atlas Herrion. (Never mind........) :(


:lol: Who are you Patleroaxing this year ?

Tory Humphrey ?

[Patler]

Atlas Herrion. (Never mind........) :(


:lol: Who are you Patleroaxing this year ?

Tory Humphrey ?

Actually, I AM very interested in seeing Humphrey on the field....but no predictions about him. Too uncertain.

Guys I am expecting something from who have not done much so far are Rodgers, Barbre, Jackson and Rouse. I hope at the end of the season to say all played very well.

Have I now jinxed all of them?

[Bretsky]

Atlas Herrion. (Never mind........) :(


:lol: Who are you Patleroaxing this year ?

Tory Humphrey ?

Actually, I AM very interested in seeing Humphrey on the field....but no predictions about him. Too uncertain.

Guys I am expecting something from who have not done much so far are Rodgers, Barbre, Jackson and Rouse. I hope at the end of the season to say all played very well.

Have I now jinxed all of them?


By listing Rodgers you may have just hoaxed the season. If we don't make the playoffs we know who to point the finger at now :wink:

[3irty1]

Rouse, Williams, and Harrell on D

James Jones on O

[Patler]

By listing Rodgers you may have just hoaxed the season. If we don't make the playoffs we know who to point the finger at now :wink:

Did I mention that I meant CORY Rodgers? I think he is available! :lol:

[texaspackerbacker]

Wynn and Humphrey would NOT be on my list.

Most everybody else mentioned look like reasonable choices to be good, although some of those I wouldn't call surprises.

I think Popinga is going to step up, keep his job, and become a quality starter.

Justin Harrell, if he can get and stay healthy, has star written all over him.

And even though he is a rookie, I could see Jermichael Finley make some big plays as a backup TE.

[b bulldog]

Wynn will have a difficult time making the team because his softness will once again turn up once the hitting begins while I expect BJ, Barbre, James Jones, Aaron Rouse , Tramon Williams, jenkins from the interior DL and finally Michael Montgomry from the DE position to all make a much bigger impact than last season or what most expect out of them.

[red]

barbre, rouse, jones and blackmon (hopefully this is the year he shakes the injury bug)

[Fritz]

"Orange" Junius Coston is going to prove himself an NFL-caliber offensive lineman!

You read it hear first, folks.

[Bretsky]

"Orange" Junius Coston is going to prove himself an NFL-caliber offensive lineman!
:laugh:
You read it hear first, folks.

[KYPack]

"Orange" Junius Coston is going to prove himself an NFL-caliber offensive lineman!

You read it hear first, folks.

Gutsy pick, Fritz.

I think this is the year they cut him.

Let's see what happens.

[Brohm]

I think Humphery and Thompson as a back-up LT :shock:

[The Leaper]

I get the feeling Rouse is going to be a positive surprise.

I also think we'll have a couple of nice surprises on the OL, and Jackson will become a very nice 3rd down back.

[DonHutson]

"Orange" Junius Coston is going to prove himself an NFL-caliber offensive lineman!

You read it hear first, folks.

I've got Fritz's back on this one.

Seriously, I don't get why Coston is dismissed so easily around here. He's no worse than Colledge from all I've seen. But it's assumed Colledge will stick somewhere, maybe at Tackle, while lots of people have Coston on the first bus out of town.

I think Coston is already an NFL caliber OL. He's not quite a STARTING caliber NFL OL, but neither is Colledge. I don't mind having both of those guys around as depth. We could do a lot worse.

I expect Barbre and Spitz to establish themselves as starting guards, but Coston and Colledge will make the roster. Tony Moll will be the odd man out this year.

[DonHutson]

Other predicted pleasantries:

Cullen Jenkins - stays healthy and plays the whole season like he played the pre-season last year, kicking ass and causing havoc. I don't know whether this constitutes a surprise, but it would be pleasant.

Jarrett Bush - makes the roster as a 4th S/6th CB and provides quality depth at both.

Ryan Powdrell - stays healthy and provides some major thumping at FB.

Allen Barbre - takes the LG job and runs with it, providing (with help from Powdrell) an instant upgrade in short yardage situations.

AJ Hawk - gets voted to his first Pro Bowl and people get off his back already.

Aaron Rodgers - proves to be one of the better QB's in the NFC, which won't surprise me. It will shock the national media.

Johnny Jolly - enters national discussions regarding the best DT's in the NFL.

Atari Bigby and Aaron Rouse - both improve their consistency while becoming the most feared, most intimidating S tandem in the NFL.

[MadtownPacker]

GDamn DH, you must have drank a whole barrell of koolaid this morning. :lol:

Tramon Williams showed alot IMO. He might get the job via injury to Harris most likely and hopefully never give it back.

Aaron "the ball loves me" Rouse is the easy pick. There is no way he should not be on the field with Bigby now!

[bobblehead]

"Orange" Junius Coston is going to prove himself an NFL-caliber offensive lineman!

You read it hear first, folks.

I've got Fritz's back on this one.

Seriously, I don't get why Coston is dismissed so easily around here. He's no worse than Colledge from all I've seen. But it's assumed Colledge will stick somewhere, maybe at Tackle, while lots of people have Coston on the first bus out of town.

I think Coston is already an NFL caliber OL. He's not quite a STARTING caliber NFL OL, but neither is Colledge. I don't mind having both of those guys around as depth. We could do a lot worse.

I expect Barbre and Spitz to establish themselves as starting guards, but Coston and Colledge will make the roster. Tony Moll will be the odd man out this year.

I got both your backs....coston and college would start on half the teams in this league. (Granted the bad half) They aren't just jokes, they are quality, but TT has raised the bar on our expectations....remember the sherman days of hearing that Barry was the up and comer, my how we have raised the bar.

[red]

i think most people on here would like to see coston fall flat on his ass for no other reason then we've heard his wife is a completely stuck up bitch who thinks the world should bow down before her because her husband is a pro football player

[CaliforniaCheez]

Kyle Ward sticks with the team until just before training camp when someone has to be cut to sign the draft picks.

[Joemailman]

Other predicted pleasantries:

Cullen Jenkins - stays healthy and plays the whole season like he played the pre-season last year, kicking ass and causing havoc. I don't know whether this constitutes a surprise, but it would be pleasant.

Jarrett Bush - makes the roster as a 4th S/6th CB and provides quality depth at both.

Ryan Powdrell - stays healthy and provides some major thumping at FB.

Allen Barbre - takes the LG job and runs with it, providing (with help from Powdrell) an instant upgrade in short yardage situations.

AJ Hawk - gets voted to his first Pro Bowl and people get off his back already.

Aaron Rodgers - proves to be one of the better QB's in the NFC, which won't surprise me. It will shock the national media.

Johnny Jolly - enters national discussions regarding the best DT's in the NFL.

Atari Bigby and Aaron Rouse - both improve their consistency while becoming the most feared, most intimidating S tandem in the NFL.

This post gets the Kool-Aid Man seal of approval!!!

http://ooc.caltech.edu/images/koolaid.jpg

[Charles Woodson]

Other predicted pleasantries:

Cullen Jenkins - stays healthy and plays the whole season like he played the pre-season last year, kicking ass and causing havoc. I don't know whether this constitutes a surprise, but it would be pleasant.

Jarrett Bush - makes the roster as a 4th S/6th CB and provides quality depth at both.

Ryan Powdrell - stays healthy and provides some major thumping at FB.

Allen Barbre - takes the LG job and runs with it, providing (with help from Powdrell) an instant upgrade in short yardage situations.

AJ Hawk - gets voted to his first Pro Bowl and people get off his back already.

Aaron Rodgers - proves to be one of the better QB's in the NFC, which won't surprise me. It will shock the national media.

Johnny Jolly - enters national discussions regarding the best DT's in the NFL.

Atari Bigby and Aaron Rouse - both improve their consistency while becoming the most feared, most intimidating S tandem in the NFL.

This post gets the Kool-Aid Man seal of approval!!!

http://ooc.caltech.edu/images/koolaid.jpg

I can understand all of those except Bush and Powdrell. I mean Bush has gotten plenty of chances, and he just hasnt excelled in the limited games ive seen. And who is Powdrell, whats wrong with korey hall

[Joemailman]

I agree with you about Bush. He just doesn't make the plays when it matter the most. I think he's a long shot to make the team if Blackmon stays healthy.

Powdrell is an interesting prospect who could challenge Kuhn for the FB spot opposite Hall.

[bobblehead]

guys, he is saying bush makes it as a backup and special teams ace, he ain't predicting pro bowls here. I agree, bush's position will be saftey, and he won't be a joke there, as a CB he was merely below average, but not incompetent.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Bush has some talent. He's only been in the league for two years. He has size and speed. I wouldn't be surprised if he makes the team again and becomes a solid backup. He hasn't had all bad moments. He's made a few plays, and he's decent on special teams. I think his problem is confidence. When things start going bad, he loses faith in himself.

[Tarlam!]

These debates are so different from the bygone days. We are talikin' about improvements on already good to great players.

Summaryt? We have no holes and only the QB position is a ?.

When was the last time Pack fans could debate like this?

TT = Genius.

[woodbuck27]

Atlas Herrion. (Never mind........) :(


:lol: Who are you Patleroaxing this year ?

Tory Humphrey ?

Actually, I AM very interested in seeing Humphrey on the field....but no predictions about him. Too uncertain.

Guys I am expecting something from who have not done much so far are Rodgers, Barbre, Jackson and Rouse. I hope at the end of the season to say all played very well.

Have I now jinxed all of them?

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=422988

Packers stick with TE Humphrey through injury

Posted: June 13, 2008

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- Packers tight end Tory Humphrey had a hard time recovering from a broken leg on the first day of training camp last year. It was his second major injury in less than a year, and one that might have cost him a chance to start.

However, after nearly trading in his football pads for a pair of brown shorts after the Packers cut him three years ago, Humphrey has learned a thing or two about perseverance.

Plus, the Packers still think he has what it takes.

"He can definitely be a No. 1 tight end in this league," quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. "No doubt about it."

Link above for the rest of the story.

[woodbuck27]

i think most people on here would like to see coston fall flat on his ass for no other reason then we've heard his wife is a completely stuck up bitch who thinks the world should bow down before her because her husband is a pro football player

and... she doesn't photograph well. :D

[DonHutson]

I can understand all of those except Bush and Powdrell. I mean Bush has gotten plenty of chances, and he just hasnt excelled in the limited games ive seen. And who is Powdrell, whats wrong with korey hall

Well, the premise was to find surprises after all. Harvey and Bobblehead have already addressed Bush explained it well.

There's nothing wrong with Korey Hall. He gives a great effort and he'll stick around for awhile. The only downside with Hall is that he's a little undersized at #235 or so. He throws some pretty good blocks in the open field, but I think an undersized FB along with some undersized interior OL is a major factor in short yardage inconsistency.

Kuhn was decent. He's bigger than Hall. He and Hall seemed to push each other down the stretch. But Powdrell is even a little bigger than Kuhn and probably a better athlete. I remember the team being high on him before he got hurt.

Throw in Corey White, who has some skills with the ball in his hands and FB is the most wide open position on the team right now.

As for the Kool-Aid comments, by God... if you can't be drinking Kool-Aid in a thread about pleasant surprises in the middle of June, when can you?

:wink:

And I don't even think I'm getting THAT carried away. Jolly and the safeties might be wishful thinking I'll admit. We've seen Jenkins play very well for stretches. He just needs to stay healthy and put it all together again. Things seem to be turning Barbre's way in the guard battle already. Hawk is not that far away from Pro Bowl consideration.

As for Rodgers being one of the better QB's in the NFC, well look at the QB's in the NFC. The top guys going in are Hasselbeck, Manning, Brees, Romo, an aging McNabb, and the ancient Garcia. Jason Campbell has shown some promise. If the Packers win 10 games and Rodgers throws more TD's than INT's he's already in the top half.