Kiwon
09-05-2006, 02:57 AM
Secondary filled with rookies
After starting duo, defensive backfield has little experience
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Sept. 4, 2006
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers' starting secondary has 21 years of playing experience.
The backups in the secondary have two. If that doesn't scare a head coach, what will?
After the acquisition on waivers Sunday of cornerback Jarrett Bush and safety Charlie Peprah, both rookies, the Packers increased their total of players in the secondary with no NFL experience to four. Thus, half the unit is rookies, which means even without an injury occurring, at least one rookie is going to have to contribute this season.
Normally, that wouldn't be that big of a deal, but of the four rookies - Bush, Peprah, safety Tyrone Culver and cornerback Will Blackmon - none were drafted higher than the fourth round. Bush, in fact, wasn't drafted at all, and Culver was a sixth-round pick.
If ever there was proof that the Packers are in a rebuilding phase - a term general manager Ted Thompson refuses to use - it's the 17 rookies and first-year players on their roster. And when four of those rookies are in the secondary, where mistakes are felt the most, the proof is indisputable.
"You can see it," Packers cornerback Al Harris said. "And that happens every so often, teams have to do it. I've seen it in Philadelphia, so it happens. It's got to."
Does it mean the season is a bust?
"No, not at all," Harris said. "It doesn't mean that. No one is looking at it like that."
Youth will be served in many areas of the football team, but in the secondary, which has been a sore spot for the team since cornerback Mike McKenzie was traded two years ago, it will be different. Bush and Peprah are coming from different teams and until Monday morning, hadn't even met defensive coordinator Bob Sanders, let alone practiced in his system.
And Blackmon, one of the Packers' fourth-round picks, joined the other two in practicing for the first time Monday. Blackmon missed all of training camp with a broken foot and began his comeback by taking part in individual drills.
With division rival Chicago coming to Lambeau on Sunday for the home opener, it would be silly to think any of the new guys can play a role in the game other than on special teams. Thompson thought Bush and Peprah were more physical and better athletes than Jason Horton, the third-year cornerback who was let go to make room for them, but he certainly left the secondary in a predicament.
"We're trying to get as many good football players as possible," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "You've got to trust your personnel board. There's a reason why the personnel department goes about it the way they do. I was impressed with the process (during cut-downs). It was almost like a mini-draft all over again."
The problem McCarthy and Sanders face in the secondary is that they will be vulnerable against teams that go to a four-receiver attack. In training camp, Ahmad Carroll and Horton came in during those situations with one playing in the slot along with Charles Woodson and the other playing left corner.
Now, if they need to have four cornerbacks on the field, they'll probably have to move Nick Collins from safety to slot corner and bring Culver in to play safety. Collins has cornerback speed, but he has played safety all camp long and would be better served staying there.
Another way to handle it would be to bring in Carroll as a third corner and use linebacker A.J. Hawk in coverage against a receiver, but that's somewhat risky.
"There's a plan and we're moving forward," Sanders said without divulging details. "We have no excuses. Our goal is to beat Chicago and we're moving forward with our plan."
It wouldn't be surprising to see in the first month of the season Chicago, New Orleans, Detroit and Philadelphia try to spread the field on the Packers with multiple receivers knowing that Green Bay is lacking experience in the secondary. If that happens, the Packers would have to find a way to adjust until the rookies are ready.
Based on what they've been told of the newcomers they understand why Thompson made the moves.
"We had an opportunity to get two good players, two good prospects," Green Bay defensive backs coach Kurt Schottenheimer said. "We've got a pretty good solution that we feel good about (until they're ready)."
In the meantime, the coaches are putting the rookies through a crash course to see if they can get them ready to play in the coming weeks. They also have safety Atari Bigby, who knows the defensive scheme after spending all of training camp here, on the practice squad and could elevate him when his broken hand heals.
But ultimately, those rookies are going to have to play.
"It's not the end of the world," safety Marquand Manuel said. "You have to understand that and see that. There's going to be growing pains, yeah. But as long as we're on the same page, we'll be all right."
After starting duo, defensive backfield has little experience
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Sept. 4, 2006
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers' starting secondary has 21 years of playing experience.
The backups in the secondary have two. If that doesn't scare a head coach, what will?
After the acquisition on waivers Sunday of cornerback Jarrett Bush and safety Charlie Peprah, both rookies, the Packers increased their total of players in the secondary with no NFL experience to four. Thus, half the unit is rookies, which means even without an injury occurring, at least one rookie is going to have to contribute this season.
Normally, that wouldn't be that big of a deal, but of the four rookies - Bush, Peprah, safety Tyrone Culver and cornerback Will Blackmon - none were drafted higher than the fourth round. Bush, in fact, wasn't drafted at all, and Culver was a sixth-round pick.
If ever there was proof that the Packers are in a rebuilding phase - a term general manager Ted Thompson refuses to use - it's the 17 rookies and first-year players on their roster. And when four of those rookies are in the secondary, where mistakes are felt the most, the proof is indisputable.
"You can see it," Packers cornerback Al Harris said. "And that happens every so often, teams have to do it. I've seen it in Philadelphia, so it happens. It's got to."
Does it mean the season is a bust?
"No, not at all," Harris said. "It doesn't mean that. No one is looking at it like that."
Youth will be served in many areas of the football team, but in the secondary, which has been a sore spot for the team since cornerback Mike McKenzie was traded two years ago, it will be different. Bush and Peprah are coming from different teams and until Monday morning, hadn't even met defensive coordinator Bob Sanders, let alone practiced in his system.
And Blackmon, one of the Packers' fourth-round picks, joined the other two in practicing for the first time Monday. Blackmon missed all of training camp with a broken foot and began his comeback by taking part in individual drills.
With division rival Chicago coming to Lambeau on Sunday for the home opener, it would be silly to think any of the new guys can play a role in the game other than on special teams. Thompson thought Bush and Peprah were more physical and better athletes than Jason Horton, the third-year cornerback who was let go to make room for them, but he certainly left the secondary in a predicament.
"We're trying to get as many good football players as possible," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "You've got to trust your personnel board. There's a reason why the personnel department goes about it the way they do. I was impressed with the process (during cut-downs). It was almost like a mini-draft all over again."
The problem McCarthy and Sanders face in the secondary is that they will be vulnerable against teams that go to a four-receiver attack. In training camp, Ahmad Carroll and Horton came in during those situations with one playing in the slot along with Charles Woodson and the other playing left corner.
Now, if they need to have four cornerbacks on the field, they'll probably have to move Nick Collins from safety to slot corner and bring Culver in to play safety. Collins has cornerback speed, but he has played safety all camp long and would be better served staying there.
Another way to handle it would be to bring in Carroll as a third corner and use linebacker A.J. Hawk in coverage against a receiver, but that's somewhat risky.
"There's a plan and we're moving forward," Sanders said without divulging details. "We have no excuses. Our goal is to beat Chicago and we're moving forward with our plan."
It wouldn't be surprising to see in the first month of the season Chicago, New Orleans, Detroit and Philadelphia try to spread the field on the Packers with multiple receivers knowing that Green Bay is lacking experience in the secondary. If that happens, the Packers would have to find a way to adjust until the rookies are ready.
Based on what they've been told of the newcomers they understand why Thompson made the moves.
"We had an opportunity to get two good players, two good prospects," Green Bay defensive backs coach Kurt Schottenheimer said. "We've got a pretty good solution that we feel good about (until they're ready)."
In the meantime, the coaches are putting the rookies through a crash course to see if they can get them ready to play in the coming weeks. They also have safety Atari Bigby, who knows the defensive scheme after spending all of training camp here, on the practice squad and could elevate him when his broken hand heals.
But ultimately, those rookies are going to have to play.
"It's not the end of the world," safety Marquand Manuel said. "You have to understand that and see that. There's going to be growing pains, yeah. But as long as we're on the same page, we'll be all right."