woodbuck27
06-18-2006, 08:39 AM
The open audition he wanted
Ryan aims to unseat Sander as the Packers' punter
By TODD ROSIAK
trosiak@journalsentinel.com
Posted: June 16, 2006
Green Bay - Jon Ryan was looking for an opportunity this off-season, plain and simple.
So much so, in fact, that after he received offers from both the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants, the veteran of the Canadian Football League signed with the Packers despite the fact their offer of a $35,000 signing bonus was $5,000 less than the Giants' offer.
And now, rather than competing with 19-year veteran Jeff Feagles in New York for an opportunity that might never have come, Ryan has his sights set on replacing inconsistent third-year man B.J. Sander in Green Bay.
"I just knew they were going to give me a fair look," Ryan said of his decision to take less money to sign with the Packers. "B.J.'s a veteran, he played good last year, but he's not a guy that's been around for 10 years or anything."
He's also not a guy who's set the world on fire in his previous two seasons in Green Bay, either.
He became a source of criticism early in his first year when, after then-coach and general manager Mike Sherman spent a third-round pick to draft him out of Ohio State - earning him a signing bonus of $583,250 in the process - he punted so poorly he wound up being inactivate for all 16 games.
Sander won the job with a decent training camp last year but then proceeded to finish 30th among 30 punters in gross average (39.2) and net average (33.9), and tied for last with just 11 punts inside the 20-yard line and a long punt of 53 yards.
To be fair, Sander did tie for the league-low in touchbacks with two before missing the final two games of the season with a broken bone in his left (punting) leg.
But even if he had continued to kick there was no question the Packers would be looking to better themselves at the position in the off-season.
Ryan Flinn, who took Sander's place when he was injured, was kept around for another look until Ryan arrived. Then just before the team's post-draft minicamp Flinn was waived, turning it into a two-man battle for the job.
Although he has no previous NFL experience, the 6-foot, 202-pound Ryan did post impressive numbers in the CFL.
He averaged a league-record 50.6 gross yards per punt last season for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, with a long of 82. In 2004, his first in Winnipeg, he booted a 92-yarder.
"I had really no other options but to go to the CFL. There was no NFL interest," Ryan said.
A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, Ryan played at the University of Regina before being drafted by Winnipeg. At both places, and even in the years before, he gained lots of experience kicking in adverse conditions - a must for any punter calling Lambeau Field home.
"I think it's an upside," he said.
Sander's performances worsened as the weather got worse in Green Bay last season, so Ryan's experience in such conditions undoubtedly played a role in the Packers' interest.
"I was up in Saskatchewan for a little bit of my early career and know what it's like in that place," said special teams coordinator Mike Stock.
Ryan and Sander have had limited opportunities thus far to punt in a team setting but when they have, the results have been inconsistent.
On Monday Ryan averaged 51 yards on eight punts with a long of 60 and Sander 48.9 yards on nine punts with a long of 55, but a stiff breeze was at their backs.
Compare that to a practice just three days earlier, when, while punting into a stiff breeze, each had a series of forgettable turns culminated by three sub-30-yarders by Sander and a miss-hit by Ryan that barely made it past the line of scrimmage.
Once the Packers' voluntary workouts wrap up on Wednesday, Ryan plans on returning to Canada to train. Consistency is his No. 1 goal.
"I think in terms of my distance and hang time, that's all good," he said. "I just need to get it consistently to where it's 45 yards and 4.6 hang time every time."
And once he and Sander return for the open of training camp on July 28, the competition will heat up like the weather.
And with a new regime in place, it's clear this coaching staff isn't entering with any preconceived notions about either punter.
"I'll let them decide (who wins) by the way they perform," Stock said. "Whoever performs the most consistently is the guy that's going to get the job."
From the June 17, 2006 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
woodbuck27: This is going to be a great battle! OUR punting had to improve immensely as it sucked last season.
It was ' the PUNTING HORROR SHOW '.
Ryan aims to unseat Sander as the Packers' punter
By TODD ROSIAK
trosiak@journalsentinel.com
Posted: June 16, 2006
Green Bay - Jon Ryan was looking for an opportunity this off-season, plain and simple.
So much so, in fact, that after he received offers from both the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants, the veteran of the Canadian Football League signed with the Packers despite the fact their offer of a $35,000 signing bonus was $5,000 less than the Giants' offer.
And now, rather than competing with 19-year veteran Jeff Feagles in New York for an opportunity that might never have come, Ryan has his sights set on replacing inconsistent third-year man B.J. Sander in Green Bay.
"I just knew they were going to give me a fair look," Ryan said of his decision to take less money to sign with the Packers. "B.J.'s a veteran, he played good last year, but he's not a guy that's been around for 10 years or anything."
He's also not a guy who's set the world on fire in his previous two seasons in Green Bay, either.
He became a source of criticism early in his first year when, after then-coach and general manager Mike Sherman spent a third-round pick to draft him out of Ohio State - earning him a signing bonus of $583,250 in the process - he punted so poorly he wound up being inactivate for all 16 games.
Sander won the job with a decent training camp last year but then proceeded to finish 30th among 30 punters in gross average (39.2) and net average (33.9), and tied for last with just 11 punts inside the 20-yard line and a long punt of 53 yards.
To be fair, Sander did tie for the league-low in touchbacks with two before missing the final two games of the season with a broken bone in his left (punting) leg.
But even if he had continued to kick there was no question the Packers would be looking to better themselves at the position in the off-season.
Ryan Flinn, who took Sander's place when he was injured, was kept around for another look until Ryan arrived. Then just before the team's post-draft minicamp Flinn was waived, turning it into a two-man battle for the job.
Although he has no previous NFL experience, the 6-foot, 202-pound Ryan did post impressive numbers in the CFL.
He averaged a league-record 50.6 gross yards per punt last season for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, with a long of 82. In 2004, his first in Winnipeg, he booted a 92-yarder.
"I had really no other options but to go to the CFL. There was no NFL interest," Ryan said.
A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, Ryan played at the University of Regina before being drafted by Winnipeg. At both places, and even in the years before, he gained lots of experience kicking in adverse conditions - a must for any punter calling Lambeau Field home.
"I think it's an upside," he said.
Sander's performances worsened as the weather got worse in Green Bay last season, so Ryan's experience in such conditions undoubtedly played a role in the Packers' interest.
"I was up in Saskatchewan for a little bit of my early career and know what it's like in that place," said special teams coordinator Mike Stock.
Ryan and Sander have had limited opportunities thus far to punt in a team setting but when they have, the results have been inconsistent.
On Monday Ryan averaged 51 yards on eight punts with a long of 60 and Sander 48.9 yards on nine punts with a long of 55, but a stiff breeze was at their backs.
Compare that to a practice just three days earlier, when, while punting into a stiff breeze, each had a series of forgettable turns culminated by three sub-30-yarders by Sander and a miss-hit by Ryan that barely made it past the line of scrimmage.
Once the Packers' voluntary workouts wrap up on Wednesday, Ryan plans on returning to Canada to train. Consistency is his No. 1 goal.
"I think in terms of my distance and hang time, that's all good," he said. "I just need to get it consistently to where it's 45 yards and 4.6 hang time every time."
And once he and Sander return for the open of training camp on July 28, the competition will heat up like the weather.
And with a new regime in place, it's clear this coaching staff isn't entering with any preconceived notions about either punter.
"I'll let them decide (who wins) by the way they perform," Stock said. "Whoever performs the most consistently is the guy that's going to get the job."
From the June 17, 2006 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
woodbuck27: This is going to be a great battle! OUR punting had to improve immensely as it sucked last season.
It was ' the PUNTING HORROR SHOW '.