Report: Gruden adds ex-Packers offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett to staff.

[woodbuck27]

https://sports.yahoo.com/report-gruden-adds-ex-packers-052844006.html

Report: Gruden adds ex-Packers offensive coordinator to staff

" Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden reportedly hired another member of his staff on Friday night, and named Edgar Bennett the team's wide receivers coach, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. "

NBC Sports Bay Area staff

NBC Sports BayArea•Jan 13, 2018, 12:28 AM

[woodbuck27]

https://247sports.com/nfl/oakland-raiders/Bolt/Report-Raiders-hire-former-Packers-OC-Edgar-Bennett-as-WR-coach-113637890

The Raiders just made a home run hire for their wide receivers coach.

13 Hours ago.

Comment woodbuck27:

Why did Mike McCarthy feel it was necessary to dismiss a Packer HOFer and Experienced Coach 2001 - 2017 such as Edgar Bennett?

What was sensable about that move by Mike McCarthy? I don't like that move at all. Unless Edgar Bennett was anxious to leave Green Bay for a better opportunity!?


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Bennett#Coaching_career

[Cheesehead Craig]

My take is that really the wide receivers have not excelled in the last few years. Davis has done nothing and Janis still doesn't have it after several years. We've all commented how receivers can't get open. Edgar had a great playing career here, that does not give him a pass on what I feel was coaching an underperforming group. I've always thought he's received too much credit for what many feel is Rodgers throwing wide receivers open.

[woodbuck27]

My take is that really the wide receivers have not excelled in the last few years. Davis has done nothing and Janis still doesn't have it after several years. We've all commented how receivers can't get open. Edgar had a great playing career here, that does not give him a pass on what I feel was coaching an underperforming group. I've always thought he's received too much credit for what many feel is Rodgers throwing wide receivers open.

Edgar Bennett has not been the WR's Coach for the past three Seasons.

Then there is this:

https://247sports.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/Bolt/Green-Bay-Packers-offensive-coordinator-Edgar-Bennett-in-line-to-be-next-NFL-head-coach--99980979

Packers OC Edgar Bennett in line to be next NFL head coach

Edgar Bennett has been a Packers assistant coach since 2005.

Brian Jones - Jul 14, 2017 0

Ten Days ago we had this:

https://247sports.com/Bolt/More-details-emerge-from-Green-Bay-Packers-offensive-coaching-changes--113166571

More details emerge from Packers offensive coaching changes

Edgar Bennett will likely remain on the coaching staff after being let go as offensive coordinator.

Tom Pelissero @TomPelissero
#Packers announce they’ve parted ways with DC Dom Capers and assistants Scott McCurley and Mike Trgovac. They’re also reassigning OC Edgar Bennett and QBs coach Alex Van Pelt’s contract won’t be renewed, sources tell @RapSheet and me. NFL’s most stable staff getting a big shakeup

6:33 PM - Jan 3, 2018 · Plymouth, MN

[texaspackerbacker]

My take is that really the wide receivers have not excelled in the last few years. Davis has done nothing and Janis still doesn't have it after several years. We've all commented how receivers can't get open. Edgar had a great playing career here, that does not give him a pass on what I feel was coaching an underperforming group. I've always thought he's received too much credit for what many feel is Rodgers throwing wide receivers open.

I'm a little bit conflicted about this post. For sure, Packer receivers haven't done a very good job of getting open, but I'm not sure Bennett could have somehow made them more athletic or talented. To the extent that he might be the one behind under-using guys like Janis and Davis, as well as Clark and the Purdue guy we drafted, then maybe he gets blame.

Any offensive coordinator of the Packers, of course, has way less responsibility and authority than OCs of other teams since McCarthy in effect is his own OC. I was surprised when Philbin left for Miami so highly regarded. Now he's back. Whether he will be any better at playing second fiddle than Bennett was, who knows.

[Smidgeon]

My take is that really the wide receivers have not excelled in the last few years. Davis has done nothing and Janis still doesn't have it after several years. We've all commented how receivers can't get open. Edgar had a great playing career here, that does not give him a pass on what I feel was coaching an underperforming group. I've always thought he's received too much credit for what many feel is Rodgers throwing wide receivers open.

Bennett improved the position from the year before. Don't forget they suffered from a terrible case of the dropsies before him. He did well with them, enough to justify a promotion, but he got Peter Principled for sure.

[mraynrand]

Some guys are just position coaches. I think Edgar is probably that kind of guy. Same with Ray Rhodes - that guy was such a great defensive back coach, he never should have gone away from it - but who can blame them - you have to try for the brass ring. Coordinators and HCs have to have a different, somewhat more detached demeanor. I get the feeling that a nice guy like Bennett is just too friendly with players to be that overseer kind of coach. That's primarily based on history and talking with the guy for ten minutes, so I could be wrong...

[pbmax]

Am I missing something? Edgar hasn’t coached the WRs since 2014.

[Bretsky]

Mike Mccarthy promoted Bennett a few times when he felt he was doing good jobs

Perhaps he was not an effective OC

Would ANYBODY here prefer Edgar Bennett to Philbin ?

I think most would consider it an upgrade

[Cheesehead Craig]

Am I missing something? Edgar hasn’t coached the WRs since 2014.

My apologies, I thought he coached them longer.

[Joemailman]

Mike Mccarthy promoted Bennett a few times when he felt he was doing good jobs

Perhaps he was not an effective OC

Would ANYBODY here prefer Edgar Bennett to Philbin ?

I think most would consider it an upgrade

Philbin is an upgrade. Under Bennett as OC in 2015-2016, the Packers offense went through stretches where they really struggled. Not sure how much of Hundley's struggles this year were Bennett's fault. With the Raiders, Bennett will be going back to doing what he does best. Coaching wide receivers.

[Bretsky]

Philbin is an upgrade. Under Bennett as OC in 2015-2016, the Packers offense went through stretches where they really struggled. Not sure how much of Hundley's struggles this year were Bennett's fault. With the Raiders, Bennett will be going back to doing what he does best. Coaching wide receivers.


So I"m not the only one who saw Bennett as a subpar average OC (he did great as the WR coach iMO)

So we should be praising MM for these moves IMO

[mraynrand]

So I"m not the only one who saw Bennett as a subpar average OC (he did great as the WR coach iMO)

So we should be praising MM for these moves IMO

Only if they work. Probably should have brought in Tom Coughlin (but only when he wins).

[pbmax]

So I"m not the only one who saw Bennett as a subpar average OC (he did great as the WR coach iMO)

So we should be praising MM for these moves IMO

Give him far less room on offense than defense. He should know how the OC is doing very quickly. Went for 3 years. Not as bad as sticking with poor defensive results, but still. He's loyal.

[SkinBasket]

So I"m not the only one who saw Bennett as a subpar average OC

The proof was in the puddin. Without Rodgers the offense was exposed as practically useless. Not sure how much stronger of an indictment you need against an "OC" than an offense that fell apart: couldn't communicate, operate, or produce. Time for Edgar to make his own way and stop sucking off Rodger's tit.

[pbmax]

The proof was in the puddin. Without Rodgers the offense was exposed as practically useless. Not sure how much stronger of an indictment you need against an "OC" than an offense that fell apart: couldn't communicate, operate, or produce. Time for Edgar to make his own way and stop sucking off Rodger's tit.

Happened in 2013 too. Clements got sacked after the next season I believe.

I think the problem runs deeper than the OC.

[mraynrand]

Happened in 2013 too. Clements got sacked after the next season I believe.

I think the problem runs deeper than the OC.

I agree, but I don't think it's a problem - except when Rodgers gets hurt long-term.

Several have argued that the problem is the offense is tuned to Rodger's special talents. That's good - it should be. What needs to happen is better preparation for Rodgers to be hurt or gone. Clearly Stubby threw people under the bus for not being prepared. Well, he's the next to go under if this ever happens again. Well, maybe Murphy goes first, but it doesn't matter - if things are so bad that Murphy doesn't survive, neither will Stubby. So they better solve the Rodgers-less problem. Question is - can they do it without restructuring the Rodgers-led offensive scheme itself, or does the whole thing need an overhaul? I think the latter - Stubby needs to recraft the offense this offseason. Bring in a solid backup vet and rework the whole thing so it works for Rodgers and the vet.

[pbmax]

I don't know what the backup pool looks like for doing Rodgers version of the offense.

The question is can they construct a subset of the base offense (if it exists) for the backup. McCarthy never settled on one approach with BH.

[beveaux1]

It’s important to note that this offense is fine-tuned to Rodger’s abilities. If the offense is changed to make it a more generic offense, chances are that it won’t function as well for Rodgers. I’m not sure I would want a less effective offense so that a backup could function more effectively if he had to take over.

[pbmax]

It’s important to note that this offense is fine-tuned to Rodger’s abilities. If the offense is changed to make it a more generic offense, chances are that it won’t function as well for Rodgers. I’m not sure I would want a less effective offense so that a backup could function more effectively if he had to take over.

I agree with this, but also want to note that without some more basic functionality, like beating man coverage when the DBs are better athletes than your receivers save Davante, its a huge risk to assume your mobile QB will live long enough for someone to come uncovered eventually.

Given the nature of the offense, its surprising Rodgers hasn't been hurt more.

[denverYooper]

I agree with this, but also want to note that without some more basic functionality, like beating man coverage when the DBs are better athletes than your receivers save Davante, its a huge risk to assume your mobile QB will live long enough for someone to come uncovered eventually.

Given the nature of the offense, its surprising Rodgers hasn't been hurt more.

I am hoping the emergence of Williams and Jones and the return of Montgomery causes them to re-work the offense in a way that will be less risky to Rodgers's long term health.

But I dunno. I'm afraid part of it is just how Rodgers likes to roll.

[mraynrand]

I am hoping the emergence of Williams and Jones and the return of Montgomery causes them to re-work the offense in a way that will be less risky to Rodgers's long term health.

But I dunno. I'm afraid part of it is just how Rodgers likes to roll.

It's the big play/safe play threshold. They always want the TD play, and waiting for it kills the check down it seems - or there is no check down designed in. When the offense had 4-5 legit receiving targets, Rodgers could usually identify the target before the snap or had enough confidence to throw it to where Jennings of Nelson should be (e.g. Jennings after he broke down the defense over the middle and Nelson to back shoulder). Mix in a WR screen and a draw and you've got an offense that Rodgers can run. Add Lacy and you can straight up run as an option.

As the receivers dwindled in skill level, and when Lacy became ineffective, there's no run threat and the receivers can be jammed or doubled (Adams), and the pass plays became extended. Rodgers dancing around and Bacteria and other linemen extending blocks still worked enough to win. Linemen start getting hurt, Rodgers goes out, and the whole thing falls apart.

Fortunately, they still had Adams - until he got taken out - and some decent running backs. But that's not enough with an inaccurate passer and your other receiving options being Aged Jordy, Slow Cobb, Oven Mitts, Traitor Bennett and Injured Monty.

[pbmax]

Get a Jennings in around 2 and I think things look much different.

#carrythisteamonhisback

[SkinBasket]

Happened in 2013 too. Clements got sacked after the next season I believe.

I think the problem runs deeper than the OC.

Well, we can all say that, but a coach rising through the ranks to the position of offensive coordinator had a chance to show he could coordinate an offense, not just rely on the superstar QB. Edgar didn’t do that. Thus his departure with little hand wringing. A true candidate for the next level would have distinguished himself, not shit himself.

[pbmax]

I think its fair to conclude that Edgar got Peter Principled.

[Fritz]

The proof was in the puddin. Without Rodgers the offense was exposed as practically useless. Not sure how much stronger of an indictment you need against an "OC" than an offense that fell apart: couldn't communicate, operate, or produce. Time for Mike to make his own way and stop sucking off Rodger's tit.

Fixed it for you.