motife
07-27-2008, 10:17 AM
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports/packers//298016
Packers by position: An age-old question at CB
By JASON WILDE
608-252-6176
July 26, 2008
GREEN BAY — Lionel Washington will turn 48 during this season. He played 15 years in the NFL, he's entering his 10th season as a coach and his oldest son, 22-year-old Deron, was just drafted by the NBA's Detroit Pistons.
So when the Green Bay Packers' cornerbacks coach asks this question, you have to remember where the man is coming from.
"Old? What is old? Seriously. What is old?" the good-natured Washington replied when asked about aging starting cornerbacks Al Harris (33) and Charles Woodson (31). "I don't know what old is. I guess once a guy gets into this 10th season, you consider him old."
Well, while no one is suggesting that cornerbacks' age needs to be converted into dog years, neither Woodson nor Harris had his best game the last time the Packers played one that counted — the NFC Championship against the New York Giants on Jan. 20.
Harris was primarily responsible for Plaxico Burress, who caught 11 passes for 152 yards, and Woodson was run over by Brandon Jacobs on the Giants' first possession of the game.
Still, on the Packers' list of concern areas entering Monday morning's first practice of training camp, Woodson and Harris are well down the list.
Even in the secondary, the Packers have bigger issues. Ranking ahead of the "old" corners: The lack of progress made by fourth-year safety Nick Collins, who figures to face stiff competition for his starting job from second-year man Aaron Rouse, and the third cornerback job, where Tramon Williams finished the season ahead of Jarrett Bush and oft-injured Will Blackmon.
In 47 career starts (including two playoffs games), Collins has four interceptions. Rouse, who started three games as a rookie third-round pick last year when Collins was out with a knee injury, already has two interceptions.
"I think we all have to recognize that Aaron Rouse is a pretty good football player, and that's going to add a lot of competition to the position," secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer said. "What try to do is get your best players on the field. We're going to go into camp and see how things work out."
Schottenheimer maintained, however, that Collins still has a chance to realize the Pro Bowl expectations the staff has had for him the past several years.
"It's going to take the interceptions, causing fumbles, scoring touchdowns, making big plays. Those are the things that, until you do them, you don't get identified," Schottenheimer said. "People see you make plays and be productive and then you get that reputation and notoriety. Until you do that, people just say you're a guy who makes plays at times.
"He needs to make plays on the ball when he has the opportunity."
Collins' fellow starter, Atari Bigby, was much better in that regard last year (five interceptions, four fumbles forced and 15 pass break-ups in 18 starts). He also ended the season with some devastating, bell-ringing hits, which Schottenheimer said carry a greater value than a simple tackle.
"To me, there's nothing that brings an identity to a defense more than physical toughness. Atari really wants to punish you when he hits you," Schottenheimer said. "And you just love that about guys like him. "Atari played well all season long, but I can't tell you the amount of people who called me after the Seattle game (in the NFC divisional playoffs). I got literally 20 or 25 calls from fellow coaches and friends, 'Who is that No. 20?' They didn't know who he was. But he certainly got their attention. That kid made an impression."
The third corner competition starts with Williams, who took over for Bush and Blackmon, neither of whom could hold the job — Bush due to inconsistent play, Blackmon because of injury.
Blackmon, who re-injured the foot that cost him most of his rookie season, is expected to be healthy for camp, while Bush changed his diet and spent virtually every offseason day in Green Bay. Rookie second-round pick Pat Lee also will compete.
"They all have a chance right now," Washington said. "We've got four or five guys who can fly into that spot and play well for us. They've got experience under their belt — we've got Tramon, we've got Jarrett, we've got Blackmon. And we've also got P-Lee. I think we'll be better this year than we were last year. I really believe that. We could play six DBs, seven DBs. I have that much confidence."
Packers by position: An age-old question at CB
By JASON WILDE
608-252-6176
July 26, 2008
GREEN BAY — Lionel Washington will turn 48 during this season. He played 15 years in the NFL, he's entering his 10th season as a coach and his oldest son, 22-year-old Deron, was just drafted by the NBA's Detroit Pistons.
So when the Green Bay Packers' cornerbacks coach asks this question, you have to remember where the man is coming from.
"Old? What is old? Seriously. What is old?" the good-natured Washington replied when asked about aging starting cornerbacks Al Harris (33) and Charles Woodson (31). "I don't know what old is. I guess once a guy gets into this 10th season, you consider him old."
Well, while no one is suggesting that cornerbacks' age needs to be converted into dog years, neither Woodson nor Harris had his best game the last time the Packers played one that counted — the NFC Championship against the New York Giants on Jan. 20.
Harris was primarily responsible for Plaxico Burress, who caught 11 passes for 152 yards, and Woodson was run over by Brandon Jacobs on the Giants' first possession of the game.
Still, on the Packers' list of concern areas entering Monday morning's first practice of training camp, Woodson and Harris are well down the list.
Even in the secondary, the Packers have bigger issues. Ranking ahead of the "old" corners: The lack of progress made by fourth-year safety Nick Collins, who figures to face stiff competition for his starting job from second-year man Aaron Rouse, and the third cornerback job, where Tramon Williams finished the season ahead of Jarrett Bush and oft-injured Will Blackmon.
In 47 career starts (including two playoffs games), Collins has four interceptions. Rouse, who started three games as a rookie third-round pick last year when Collins was out with a knee injury, already has two interceptions.
"I think we all have to recognize that Aaron Rouse is a pretty good football player, and that's going to add a lot of competition to the position," secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer said. "What try to do is get your best players on the field. We're going to go into camp and see how things work out."
Schottenheimer maintained, however, that Collins still has a chance to realize the Pro Bowl expectations the staff has had for him the past several years.
"It's going to take the interceptions, causing fumbles, scoring touchdowns, making big plays. Those are the things that, until you do them, you don't get identified," Schottenheimer said. "People see you make plays and be productive and then you get that reputation and notoriety. Until you do that, people just say you're a guy who makes plays at times.
"He needs to make plays on the ball when he has the opportunity."
Collins' fellow starter, Atari Bigby, was much better in that regard last year (five interceptions, four fumbles forced and 15 pass break-ups in 18 starts). He also ended the season with some devastating, bell-ringing hits, which Schottenheimer said carry a greater value than a simple tackle.
"To me, there's nothing that brings an identity to a defense more than physical toughness. Atari really wants to punish you when he hits you," Schottenheimer said. "And you just love that about guys like him. "Atari played well all season long, but I can't tell you the amount of people who called me after the Seattle game (in the NFC divisional playoffs). I got literally 20 or 25 calls from fellow coaches and friends, 'Who is that No. 20?' They didn't know who he was. But he certainly got their attention. That kid made an impression."
The third corner competition starts with Williams, who took over for Bush and Blackmon, neither of whom could hold the job — Bush due to inconsistent play, Blackmon because of injury.
Blackmon, who re-injured the foot that cost him most of his rookie season, is expected to be healthy for camp, while Bush changed his diet and spent virtually every offseason day in Green Bay. Rookie second-round pick Pat Lee also will compete.
"They all have a chance right now," Washington said. "We've got four or five guys who can fly into that spot and play well for us. They've got experience under their belt — we've got Tramon, we've got Jarrett, we've got Blackmon. And we've also got P-Lee. I think we'll be better this year than we were last year. I really believe that. We could play six DBs, seven DBs. I have that much confidence."