TopHat
05-10-2007, 06:01 AM
A HOT OFFSEASON & POSTDRAFT TOPIC ON PACKER SITES IS WHETHER BRET NEEDS MORE OFFENSIVE PLAYMAKERS? FANS, AFTER FAVRE'S COMMENTS, VOTE AND DECIDE.
http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=61&p=2&c=642293&ssf=1&RequestedURL=http%3a%2f%2fpackers.scout.com%2f2%2f 642293.html
Sydney Speaks! Favre a gun with no bullets By Harry Sydney
PackerReport.com’s Harry Sydney has digested the Packers Class of 2007 for the past week. While Sydney lauds general manager Ted Thompson for thinking long-term and building a solid foundation through recent drafts, he feels there is still a big-time need for more playmakers.
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http://www.packersnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070507/PKR07/705070421/1959
Mike Vandermause column: With no key additions on offense, who will score? By Mike Vandermause
The regular season is four months away, so perhaps it's too soon to begin targeting the Green Bay Packers' potential problems. Who can say what hidden roster gem might emerge and make a major impact? But staring at the upcoming season from a distance, there's one nagging issue that can't be ignored. Assuming no significant free agents are signed, a giant question mark looms over the Packers' offense. This is a team that finished in the bottom third of the NFL in scoring last year and froze in the red zone. This is a team that lost featured running back Ahman Green. This is a team that signed no free agents on the offensive side of the ball.
How are the Packers going to score this season? If they ranked near the bottom of the league last year, what's going to change in 2007 with quarterback Brett Favre a year older and no experienced workhorse ready to replace Green? It's possible the Packers will become a spinoff of the Chicago Bears, in which they rely on a dominant defense and happily accept whatever production they can muster out of the offense. It's not the worst way to go, especially if you believe defense wins championships. Ted Thompson, for one, isn't sounding the alarms over a lack of talent on offense. "I think we have a pretty decent group of guys here," the Packers' general manager said of the offense after last weekend's draft. "As a team, I think the best way, the most consistent way, to get better is to get better from within. Our own guys have to try to keep getting better."
That seems to indicate no significant upgrades to the roster will be forthcoming. If the Packers improve on offense, they must do it with the talent on hand. Last year's rookie linemen — Daryn Colledge, Tony Moll and Jason Spitz — are bound to get better, as will promising receiver Greg Jennings. Does coach Mike McCarthy have enough talent to make the offense flourish? Or will the Packers be forced to scratch and claw for every touchdown? "I am never one to complain about who's not here," McCarthy said Sunday following the team's rookie orientation camp. "My focus has always been on who's here." It appears the Packers will use a running-back-by-committee approach that includes holdover Vernand Morency and rookie Brandon Jackson. "The role Ahman played and the job he did is going to have to be shared by some people," Thompson said. "I think it's going to be more of a group effort." That might be the Packers' best and only option, since Jackson never started a full season in college and Morency has been strictly a change-of-pace back in the NFL. History indicates rookie wide receivers typically aren't difference-makers, meaning big things shouldn't be expected of third-round draft choice James Jones or fifth-rounder David Clowney.
With the possible exception of Jackson, the rookie contributions shouldn't matter too much if McCarthy's theory about last year's offensive struggles is correct. "We didn't at the end of the day say, 'Well, we just don't have enough playmakers,'" McCarthy said. "We have players here that we need to put in position to be successful. If we do that and everybody does their job, we'll be more productive." Whether that's a realistic possibility or wishful thinking remains to be seen. __________________________________________________ ____________________________________
http://www.madison.com/tct/sports/packers/index.php?ntid=131974&ntpid=2
Mike Lucas: Packers, Thompson show no sense of urgency By Mike Lucas
The Green Bay Packers could do everyone a favor by signing Keyshawn Johnson to a contract. If nothing else, it would keep him off the air. The loquacious Johnson -- whose autobiography was aptly titled "Just Give Me the Damn Ball" -- was part of ESPN's marathon coverage last weekend of the National Football League draft. Johnson, the TV analyst, actually showed more potential than the insufferable Shannon Sharpe, who already has a steady CBS gig. Johnson might even be passable if he could keep himself out of the conversation occasionally. But, in his own third person world, that would be asking Keyshawn to do more than Keyshawn is willing to do.
What are the Packers willing to do to help the offense and Brett Favre? Not much, according to the national pundits, who have been critical of Ted Thompson and the way the passive Green Bay general manager has been avoiding Favre and his needs. Thompson came under attack Tuesday on ESPN's sitcom, Pardon the Interruption, during which it was reported that Thompson was unwilling to offer a fourth-round draft choice to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for Randy Moss. The suggestion was that Thompson was playing hardball with the Raiders (and maybe Favre) and really not that interested in acquiring Moss. Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson has showed no signs of wanting to upgrade his team quickly, instead he seems to be building for the future.
At least not at that price. At THAT price? We are talking about a fourth-round draft choice, which is what New England dealt to Oakland as part of the deal. There was also the matter of restructured contracts, whether it was Moss or quarterback Tom Brady taking less to make it work. Pardon the interruption here, but it was implied that the Packers just didn't work hard enough to make it work. Especially if the reports are true, and Thompson didn't think Moss was worth a fourth-round draft choice. Heck, Mike Sherman burned a third-round pick on a punter. But Moss didn't have the same value as an unproven fourth-rounder? Get serious. There were other instances last weekend where Thompson may have been guilty of an Ahman Green -- "dropping the ball" -- in the draft. As it is, he has yet to replace Green, adding to the ongoing mystery surrounding the relationship between Thompson and Favre. Do they have a relationship? Do they communicate about team needs? Not Favre's needs, but team needs. Offensively, the Packers need better skill position players. Not to extend Favre's career or appease Favre. But to move the ball, and the chains. How about appeasing the offense?
The NFL draft is akin to college recruiting. And there will be no attempt here to determine whether the Packers had a good draft or a bad draft. That will play out in time. But there is a growing perception nationally that Thompson and Favre are not on the same page. And maybe never have been. That can be traced to Thompson using a first-round pick on a quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, in his first draft with the Packers. How is Rodgers working out? Nobody knows, of course, which may be more of an indictment than endorsement of Thompson's selection. Right now, the general impression is that Thompson has little or no sense of urgency when it comes to Favre and whatever window is left for the Packers and Favre. And that comes off as self-defeating, if not selfish. You want selfish? Sign Keyshawn, a slow, possession receiver, who doesn't mind getting physical as a downfield blocker for the running game. Johnson will be 35 in July. Favre will be 38 in October, making for a potential odd and very old couple. Thompson wouldn't even have to part with a precious fourth-round draft choice to make this work, at whatever price.
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http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/column/oates//index.php?ntid=132228&ntpid=2
Oates: Packers' draft still hot topic TOM OATES
For fans and critics, it has become the draft that won't go away. No matter how much they try to forget about the Green Bay Packers' performance in last weekend's NFL draft, people can't let it go. It seems everyone has a strong opinion on general manager Ted Thompson, though those opinions are deeply divided. Some wanted Thompson to trade for wide receiver Randy Moss, some were violently opposed to it. Some wanted him to draft an offensive playmaker in the first round, some wanted him to take the best available player. Some wanted him to trade up for a halfback, some wanted him to trade down and gather additional picks.
The only thing people seem to agree on is that quarterback Brett Favre must be seething as he sits on his tractor in Mississippi and wonders why Thompson went a third straight year without adding a sure-fire playmaker to the offense. Some think Favre should sue for non-support. Some think he should have called Thompson and retired on the spot. But with all due respect to Favre, the greatest player in Packers history, it doesn't really matter what he thinks. It's not Thompson's job to make sure Favre is happy with every decision. It is, however, his job to maximize Favre's ability in the final years of his career.
Thompson fell down on the job again last weekend, but not because he didn't placate Favre. It was because he didn't give Favre the means to be fully productive at his age and diminished skill level. That affects the entire team, not just Favre. Despite his timid approach to building a team, Thompson has done some good things in Green Bay. With a whopping 34 draft picks in three years, he has fortified a roster depleted by Mike Sherman's mismanagement of the draft. The one thing Thompson has failed to do, however, is add game-breakers to a sluggish offense. Indeed, it has become increasingly apparent that Thompson is reading out of a 10-year-old playbook, one written by his mentor, former general manager Ron Wolf.
During the Packers' Super Bowl years, Wolf spent his money elsewhere and handed Favre mid-round draft picks at the skill positions. In 1996 and '97, Edgar Bennett (fourth round) and Dorsey Levens (fifth) were the halfbacks, Robert Brooks (third) and Antonio Freeman (third) were the wide receivers and Mark Chmura (sixth) was the tight end. All of those players were good, but none was truly special. The Packers got away with it because Favre was such a dominant playmaker himself. At 37, Favre simply isn't the playmaker he once was. Yet, Thompson is still trying to surround him with good but not great skill players. He doesn't seem to understand that Favre needs more help than he once did.
By refusing Saturday to trade for Cleveland's first-round pick in 2008, Thompson showed he wants to win now. That's why it's curious that he didn't give Favre more help. If Favre is going to be the quarterback, why not give him the weapons he needs at this point in his career? Wolf has said often that his biggest regret is not putting enough weapons around Favre during his prime. Thompson is doing the same thing at a time when Favre needs them more than ever.
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http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports/index.php?ntid=131568&ntpid=3
Oates: Offense passed over again TOM OATES
At least we know who's not running the draft for the Green Bay Packers. It's not quarterback Brett Favre, that's for sure. Nor is it the suddenly vocal Packers fans. If it was, the Packers would have spent their first-round pick in Saturday's NFL draft on a wide receiver or a tight end or some other player who could provide a booster shot for an offense that has been woefully short of playmakers for the past two seasons. But if Packers general manager Ted Thompson had any inclination to throw Favre a bone in the final years of his storied career, it hasn't been evident on draft day. For the third time in three years, Thompson ignored the needs of the team's offense and the wishes of its fans with his first-round pick, which he used on oft-injured Tennessee defensive tackle Justin Harrell.
In doing so, Thompson passed on several pass-catchers - tight end Greg Olsen of Miami (Fla.) and wide receivers Robert Meachem of Tennessee and Dwayne Bowe of LSU - who might have given the anemic offense an immediate lift. Drafting 16th overall, Thompson also bypassed several chances to trade down and accumulate picks even though he probably could have dropped five to 10 spots and still landed Harrell, considered by Thompson and others a top-10 talent were it not for his long injury history. Trading down and losing Harrell wasn't a risk Thompson was willing to take, even if it meant he was booed by offense-hungry fans gathered in the Lambeau Field atrium. Thompson wanted Harrell even though defensive tackle ranked sixth or seventh on a list of team needs for the 2007 season. "We don't draft based on needs," he said. "I know that's boring, and I hate to be repetitive, but we don't think that's the best policy. We think, really and truly, that the more good football players - regardless of position - that you can add to your team, the better off you are as an organization and as a team."
It's hard to argue with that strategy in today's NFL, where building through the draft is the accepted road to success. And any team would love an immovable, run-stuffing tackle, something the Packers' otherwise well-stocked defensive line lacks. However, Thompson has leaned too far toward the best-available-player philosophy and not paid enough attention to need. Since he took over the Packers' draft, his first-round picks have been a quarterback of the future (Aaron Rodgers), a linebacker (A.J. Hawk) and now Harrell. His only real big-ticket acquisitions in free agency have been defensive players - cornerback Charles Woodson and defensive tackle Ryan Pickett last year.
Unless Thompson is able to complete a much-rumored trade with Oakland for wide receiver Randy Moss, there will be almost no chance to add an impact player on offense in what might be Favre's final season. The Packers picked Nebraska halfback Brandon Jackson late in the second round, but how much immediate help can he provide when he couldn't even start until the final nine games of his career? Third-round wide receiver James Jones of San Jose State is regarded as a developmental pick. Green Bay's failure to add firepower to an already punchless offense that has lost halfback Ahman Green to free agency could spell trouble in the fall - no matter how good the defense is. Thompson admits people might get the impression he's neglecting the offense, but he claims he was just following his draft board with the selection of Harrell. "We felt like he was the best value on the board," Thompson said. "We felt like anytime you have a chance to get a quality defensive lineman of his ability, you have to think about taking him."
Thompson could have made the case that he needed to improve the defense because the rest of the teams in the NFC North added a potential playmaker in the first round Saturday, but he didn't. Detroit took wide receiver Calvin Johnson of Georgia Tech with the second pick, Minnesota took halfback Adrian Peterson of Oklahoma with the seventh pick and Chicago took Olsen with the 31st pick. Despite that, the Packers stuck to their long-range plan by picking Harrell. "He's a guy that we really coveted at 16," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "I've said it over and over again, 'We're going to build this football team strong with the offensive and defensive lines.' We've added another excellent football player, excellent prospect to that defensive line group. You just cannot have enough big guys." The defense had better be good because, at the rate the Packers are going, the offense won't be.
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http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=602432
It's catch-as-catch-can for team's wide receivers Big group battles for precious roster spots By RICHARD PUFALL
There is a traffic jam on Lombardi Avenue. The wide receivers are backed up, bumper to bumper as far as the eye can see. Right now, there are 11 wide receivers on the roster of the Green Bay Packers. That number could grow to 12 if the Packers add Keyshawn Johnson, who was recently cut by the Carolina Panthers. There could be 13 men fighting for what looks like five roster spots when - or if - Koren Robinson comes back. Robinson, suspended for one year for violation of the National Football League's substance abuse policy, can apply for reinstatement on Sept. 18. Let's complete the roll call: Donald Driver. Greg Jennings. Ruvell Martin. Carlyle Holiday. Chris Francies. Robert Ferguson. Shaun Bodiford. Calvin Russell. Carlton Brewster. Then there are 2007 draft picks, James Jones (third round) and David Clowney (fifth).
"I think you know what we have," said wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson. "You're going to see Donald be Donald, which to me is a pretty darn good player, a Pro Bowl player. "I think you're going to see a Greg Jennings, who is a healthy Greg Jennings and if you think back to last year, pretty decent first half and not as good second half, I think primarily, because of the ankle (injury)." It appears the Packers have some quality woven into the quantity that is their receiving corps.
And it all starts with Driver: Donald Driver: Green Bay's No. 1 wide receiver is perhaps the most underrated player at his position in the game. He started all 16 games in 2006, was selected to his second Pro Bowl and turned in the best season of his eight-year career with 92 receptions for 1,295 yards and eight touchdowns. Yes, he has a job.
Greg Jennings: The Green Bay coaches love this guy and they should. Jennings has great ability matched by a terrific attitude and work ethic. Only injuries can hold him back. Jennings started 2006 on a 1,000-yard pace, but an ankle injury in Miami slowed him down the stretch. Still, Jennings caught 45 passes for 632 yards and three touchdowns. He was named to the NFL's all-rookie team. And there's no reason to believe he won't be even more productive in his second season. "I definitely think my ability to run after the catch is a strength," Jennings said. Said Robinson: "He is polished at an early age. "Driver and Jennings appear to be locked in as starters, which means 11 other receivers could be competing for three jobs.
Ruvell Martin: He earned respect and a chance for more in 2007. Martin, at 6-foot-4, has perfect size for the West Coast offense. He played in 13 games in 2006, caught 21 passes for 358 yards and a 17-yard average. He left a lasting impression in Green Bay's season finale, a 26-7 victory over the Bears in Chicago. On New Year's Eve at Soldier Field Martin caught seven passes for 118 yards. He will be difficult to cut.
Robert Ferguson: His picture is next to the word "disappointing" in the dictionary. In six seasons with the Packers, Ferguson just hasn't gotten it done. A tough special-teams player, but he can't stay healthy. He played in just four games last season with one start, catching a paltry five passes for 31 yards before going on injured reserve with a damaged foot. He was not drafted by Thompson and that can only hurt him. Ferguson changed his uniform number from 89 to 87 and it could change one more time - to unlisted.
Carlyle Holiday: He left a positive impression in just four games with the Packers last season, catching nine passes for 126 yards (14-yard average). He had a career-high five catches for 87 yards in the finale at Chicago, making him worth a long look.
Chris Francies: He will have a tough time making this team without an epidemic of injuries. He played in just two games in 2006, with two receptions for 16 yards.
Shaun Bodiford: He played in just six games last season, including three with Detroit and did not catch a pass. He went on injured reserve on Nov. 15 with a shin injury. Bodiford is not likely to find full-time employment with Green Bay.
Calvin Russell & Carlton Brewster: Neither played in a game with the Packers in 2006 and that isn't likely to change in '07.
James Jones: Thompson likes his draft picks and there is a lot to like about Jones, a big, strong and physical receiver from San Jose State, who was selected in the third round. "I want competition," Jones said, when asked about the possibility of Johnson joining the race. "I want the Packers to be the best team that we can be. "I think that's everyone's goal that's here, to make the roster and to be a starter. This is a dream come true. So I'm going to work real hard to try and become a starter." Jones brings a hunger to succeed that few others can understand. From the time he was 8 until he was 12 he lived in homeless shelters in San Jose with his mother and sister. "We went from shelter to shelter," Jones said. "Bunch of schools . . . every shelter we moved to I moved to a different school. So I went to about four or five elementary schools." Jones went to one middle school, moved in with his grandmother until his mom was able to secure a home for the family, then he went to one high school. "Nobody wants to do it, but I was with my mom and I believed in my mom and believing in God I knew everything would work out. You just got to keep faith. Sometimes you go through the day and you don't eat. . . . Sometimes you barely can sleep. "Everybody don't go through it, but I was glad I went through it. It made me a better person."
David Clowney: If he makes the team, Clowney will be the fastest player on the roster. Clowney, who was drafted in the fifth round out of Virginia Tech, ran a 4.29 40-yard dash on an indoor rubber track during campus agility tests, then ran a 4.35 on an outdoor grass field. "I plan to be here," Clowney said. "I plan to stay. The last Virginia Tech wide receiver here did an awesome job - Antonio Freeman. And I expect to do the same thing." Clowney said the first thing he thought of when he got the call from the Packers was Brett Favre. "Being able to catch a ball from a Hall of Fame quarterback, a legend, is a blessing," Clowney said. "It's great and I plan to do a lot with it." Clowney has speed and quickness, but looks smaller than his listed dimensions for 6-0½ and a 188 pounds. He said he welcomes the competition, no matter the size or name. "We've got Donald Driver and of course Jennings," he said "They're both great wide receivers. I've seen what both of them can do and they're both outstanding. . . . I welcome any competition. That's what makes you a better receiver, it helps your drive. . . . I don't care if it's Keyshawn or Donald Driver . . . me and James, we know each other well from the combine and we're going to make each other better." And Clowney has a message for Green Bay's coaches and fans who have been looking for a deep threat. "They found him," he said. "I plan on being that deep threat. I plan on staying."
Keyshawn Johnson: Don't count your wide receivers before they're signed. The Packers must decide if Johnson is worth pursing and will be a good fit in Green Bay. Johnson turns 35 in June, which is elderly in the NFL at his position. But it's hard to overlook his numbers. In his one season with Carolina, Johnson caught 70 passes for 815 yards, an 11.6-yard average and four touchdowns. For his career he has 10,571 yards and 64 touchdowns. Johnson, a possession receiver for his entire career, could help the Packers solve their problems in the red zone. But Green Bay might see Johnson as nothing more than an older version of Ruvell Martin, who turns 25 in August. "Well, I think anytime you can upgrade your football team, whether it's with a veteran or with a younger player, that's something you have to look at," head coach Mike McCarthy said. "Obviously, Keyshawn has been very effective, more than effective, he's been very productive in the National Football League, so I think you have to look at all those situations, and that's what we do."
Koren Robinson: He has been sort of the forgotten man. Robinson is serving a one-year suspension and is not allowed to set foot on Packer property or use team facilities. When he was released last year by Minnesota, many in the Twin Cities believed that the Vikings had lost their best wide receiver. Before his suspension Robinson caught seven passes with the Packers for 89 yards and a 12.7 average in four games. At 27, Robinson is young enough to return as a productive receiver, if he can defeat his personal demons. In 2002 with Seattle he caught 78 passes for 1,240 and a 15.9 average.
"The one thing about our group, if you look at them, youth is a positive, particularly guys that have been here," McCarthy said Friday after the first day of Green Bay's rookie orientation camp. "I told the rookies today, the veterans have been here since March 19 getting after it. You look at Calvin Russell, he's put on probably 8 to 10 pounds of lean muscle mass. You're just seeing guys develop. Clowney and Jones I think both bring a dimension to our football team that you like. Clowney can really run. You can see his burst and his fast twitch out here today. You just never have enough good skill players." True. But in September, 13 wide receivers will be about eight too many.
http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=61&p=2&c=642293&ssf=1&RequestedURL=http%3a%2f%2fpackers.scout.com%2f2%2f 642293.html
Sydney Speaks! Favre a gun with no bullets By Harry Sydney
PackerReport.com’s Harry Sydney has digested the Packers Class of 2007 for the past week. While Sydney lauds general manager Ted Thompson for thinking long-term and building a solid foundation through recent drafts, he feels there is still a big-time need for more playmakers.
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http://www.packersnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070507/PKR07/705070421/1959
Mike Vandermause column: With no key additions on offense, who will score? By Mike Vandermause
The regular season is four months away, so perhaps it's too soon to begin targeting the Green Bay Packers' potential problems. Who can say what hidden roster gem might emerge and make a major impact? But staring at the upcoming season from a distance, there's one nagging issue that can't be ignored. Assuming no significant free agents are signed, a giant question mark looms over the Packers' offense. This is a team that finished in the bottom third of the NFL in scoring last year and froze in the red zone. This is a team that lost featured running back Ahman Green. This is a team that signed no free agents on the offensive side of the ball.
How are the Packers going to score this season? If they ranked near the bottom of the league last year, what's going to change in 2007 with quarterback Brett Favre a year older and no experienced workhorse ready to replace Green? It's possible the Packers will become a spinoff of the Chicago Bears, in which they rely on a dominant defense and happily accept whatever production they can muster out of the offense. It's not the worst way to go, especially if you believe defense wins championships. Ted Thompson, for one, isn't sounding the alarms over a lack of talent on offense. "I think we have a pretty decent group of guys here," the Packers' general manager said of the offense after last weekend's draft. "As a team, I think the best way, the most consistent way, to get better is to get better from within. Our own guys have to try to keep getting better."
That seems to indicate no significant upgrades to the roster will be forthcoming. If the Packers improve on offense, they must do it with the talent on hand. Last year's rookie linemen — Daryn Colledge, Tony Moll and Jason Spitz — are bound to get better, as will promising receiver Greg Jennings. Does coach Mike McCarthy have enough talent to make the offense flourish? Or will the Packers be forced to scratch and claw for every touchdown? "I am never one to complain about who's not here," McCarthy said Sunday following the team's rookie orientation camp. "My focus has always been on who's here." It appears the Packers will use a running-back-by-committee approach that includes holdover Vernand Morency and rookie Brandon Jackson. "The role Ahman played and the job he did is going to have to be shared by some people," Thompson said. "I think it's going to be more of a group effort." That might be the Packers' best and only option, since Jackson never started a full season in college and Morency has been strictly a change-of-pace back in the NFL. History indicates rookie wide receivers typically aren't difference-makers, meaning big things shouldn't be expected of third-round draft choice James Jones or fifth-rounder David Clowney.
With the possible exception of Jackson, the rookie contributions shouldn't matter too much if McCarthy's theory about last year's offensive struggles is correct. "We didn't at the end of the day say, 'Well, we just don't have enough playmakers,'" McCarthy said. "We have players here that we need to put in position to be successful. If we do that and everybody does their job, we'll be more productive." Whether that's a realistic possibility or wishful thinking remains to be seen. __________________________________________________ ____________________________________
http://www.madison.com/tct/sports/packers/index.php?ntid=131974&ntpid=2
Mike Lucas: Packers, Thompson show no sense of urgency By Mike Lucas
The Green Bay Packers could do everyone a favor by signing Keyshawn Johnson to a contract. If nothing else, it would keep him off the air. The loquacious Johnson -- whose autobiography was aptly titled "Just Give Me the Damn Ball" -- was part of ESPN's marathon coverage last weekend of the National Football League draft. Johnson, the TV analyst, actually showed more potential than the insufferable Shannon Sharpe, who already has a steady CBS gig. Johnson might even be passable if he could keep himself out of the conversation occasionally. But, in his own third person world, that would be asking Keyshawn to do more than Keyshawn is willing to do.
What are the Packers willing to do to help the offense and Brett Favre? Not much, according to the national pundits, who have been critical of Ted Thompson and the way the passive Green Bay general manager has been avoiding Favre and his needs. Thompson came under attack Tuesday on ESPN's sitcom, Pardon the Interruption, during which it was reported that Thompson was unwilling to offer a fourth-round draft choice to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for Randy Moss. The suggestion was that Thompson was playing hardball with the Raiders (and maybe Favre) and really not that interested in acquiring Moss. Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson has showed no signs of wanting to upgrade his team quickly, instead he seems to be building for the future.
At least not at that price. At THAT price? We are talking about a fourth-round draft choice, which is what New England dealt to Oakland as part of the deal. There was also the matter of restructured contracts, whether it was Moss or quarterback Tom Brady taking less to make it work. Pardon the interruption here, but it was implied that the Packers just didn't work hard enough to make it work. Especially if the reports are true, and Thompson didn't think Moss was worth a fourth-round draft choice. Heck, Mike Sherman burned a third-round pick on a punter. But Moss didn't have the same value as an unproven fourth-rounder? Get serious. There were other instances last weekend where Thompson may have been guilty of an Ahman Green -- "dropping the ball" -- in the draft. As it is, he has yet to replace Green, adding to the ongoing mystery surrounding the relationship between Thompson and Favre. Do they have a relationship? Do they communicate about team needs? Not Favre's needs, but team needs. Offensively, the Packers need better skill position players. Not to extend Favre's career or appease Favre. But to move the ball, and the chains. How about appeasing the offense?
The NFL draft is akin to college recruiting. And there will be no attempt here to determine whether the Packers had a good draft or a bad draft. That will play out in time. But there is a growing perception nationally that Thompson and Favre are not on the same page. And maybe never have been. That can be traced to Thompson using a first-round pick on a quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, in his first draft with the Packers. How is Rodgers working out? Nobody knows, of course, which may be more of an indictment than endorsement of Thompson's selection. Right now, the general impression is that Thompson has little or no sense of urgency when it comes to Favre and whatever window is left for the Packers and Favre. And that comes off as self-defeating, if not selfish. You want selfish? Sign Keyshawn, a slow, possession receiver, who doesn't mind getting physical as a downfield blocker for the running game. Johnson will be 35 in July. Favre will be 38 in October, making for a potential odd and very old couple. Thompson wouldn't even have to part with a precious fourth-round draft choice to make this work, at whatever price.
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http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/column/oates//index.php?ntid=132228&ntpid=2
Oates: Packers' draft still hot topic TOM OATES
For fans and critics, it has become the draft that won't go away. No matter how much they try to forget about the Green Bay Packers' performance in last weekend's NFL draft, people can't let it go. It seems everyone has a strong opinion on general manager Ted Thompson, though those opinions are deeply divided. Some wanted Thompson to trade for wide receiver Randy Moss, some were violently opposed to it. Some wanted him to draft an offensive playmaker in the first round, some wanted him to take the best available player. Some wanted him to trade up for a halfback, some wanted him to trade down and gather additional picks.
The only thing people seem to agree on is that quarterback Brett Favre must be seething as he sits on his tractor in Mississippi and wonders why Thompson went a third straight year without adding a sure-fire playmaker to the offense. Some think Favre should sue for non-support. Some think he should have called Thompson and retired on the spot. But with all due respect to Favre, the greatest player in Packers history, it doesn't really matter what he thinks. It's not Thompson's job to make sure Favre is happy with every decision. It is, however, his job to maximize Favre's ability in the final years of his career.
Thompson fell down on the job again last weekend, but not because he didn't placate Favre. It was because he didn't give Favre the means to be fully productive at his age and diminished skill level. That affects the entire team, not just Favre. Despite his timid approach to building a team, Thompson has done some good things in Green Bay. With a whopping 34 draft picks in three years, he has fortified a roster depleted by Mike Sherman's mismanagement of the draft. The one thing Thompson has failed to do, however, is add game-breakers to a sluggish offense. Indeed, it has become increasingly apparent that Thompson is reading out of a 10-year-old playbook, one written by his mentor, former general manager Ron Wolf.
During the Packers' Super Bowl years, Wolf spent his money elsewhere and handed Favre mid-round draft picks at the skill positions. In 1996 and '97, Edgar Bennett (fourth round) and Dorsey Levens (fifth) were the halfbacks, Robert Brooks (third) and Antonio Freeman (third) were the wide receivers and Mark Chmura (sixth) was the tight end. All of those players were good, but none was truly special. The Packers got away with it because Favre was such a dominant playmaker himself. At 37, Favre simply isn't the playmaker he once was. Yet, Thompson is still trying to surround him with good but not great skill players. He doesn't seem to understand that Favre needs more help than he once did.
By refusing Saturday to trade for Cleveland's first-round pick in 2008, Thompson showed he wants to win now. That's why it's curious that he didn't give Favre more help. If Favre is going to be the quarterback, why not give him the weapons he needs at this point in his career? Wolf has said often that his biggest regret is not putting enough weapons around Favre during his prime. Thompson is doing the same thing at a time when Favre needs them more than ever.
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http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports/index.php?ntid=131568&ntpid=3
Oates: Offense passed over again TOM OATES
At least we know who's not running the draft for the Green Bay Packers. It's not quarterback Brett Favre, that's for sure. Nor is it the suddenly vocal Packers fans. If it was, the Packers would have spent their first-round pick in Saturday's NFL draft on a wide receiver or a tight end or some other player who could provide a booster shot for an offense that has been woefully short of playmakers for the past two seasons. But if Packers general manager Ted Thompson had any inclination to throw Favre a bone in the final years of his storied career, it hasn't been evident on draft day. For the third time in three years, Thompson ignored the needs of the team's offense and the wishes of its fans with his first-round pick, which he used on oft-injured Tennessee defensive tackle Justin Harrell.
In doing so, Thompson passed on several pass-catchers - tight end Greg Olsen of Miami (Fla.) and wide receivers Robert Meachem of Tennessee and Dwayne Bowe of LSU - who might have given the anemic offense an immediate lift. Drafting 16th overall, Thompson also bypassed several chances to trade down and accumulate picks even though he probably could have dropped five to 10 spots and still landed Harrell, considered by Thompson and others a top-10 talent were it not for his long injury history. Trading down and losing Harrell wasn't a risk Thompson was willing to take, even if it meant he was booed by offense-hungry fans gathered in the Lambeau Field atrium. Thompson wanted Harrell even though defensive tackle ranked sixth or seventh on a list of team needs for the 2007 season. "We don't draft based on needs," he said. "I know that's boring, and I hate to be repetitive, but we don't think that's the best policy. We think, really and truly, that the more good football players - regardless of position - that you can add to your team, the better off you are as an organization and as a team."
It's hard to argue with that strategy in today's NFL, where building through the draft is the accepted road to success. And any team would love an immovable, run-stuffing tackle, something the Packers' otherwise well-stocked defensive line lacks. However, Thompson has leaned too far toward the best-available-player philosophy and not paid enough attention to need. Since he took over the Packers' draft, his first-round picks have been a quarterback of the future (Aaron Rodgers), a linebacker (A.J. Hawk) and now Harrell. His only real big-ticket acquisitions in free agency have been defensive players - cornerback Charles Woodson and defensive tackle Ryan Pickett last year.
Unless Thompson is able to complete a much-rumored trade with Oakland for wide receiver Randy Moss, there will be almost no chance to add an impact player on offense in what might be Favre's final season. The Packers picked Nebraska halfback Brandon Jackson late in the second round, but how much immediate help can he provide when he couldn't even start until the final nine games of his career? Third-round wide receiver James Jones of San Jose State is regarded as a developmental pick. Green Bay's failure to add firepower to an already punchless offense that has lost halfback Ahman Green to free agency could spell trouble in the fall - no matter how good the defense is. Thompson admits people might get the impression he's neglecting the offense, but he claims he was just following his draft board with the selection of Harrell. "We felt like he was the best value on the board," Thompson said. "We felt like anytime you have a chance to get a quality defensive lineman of his ability, you have to think about taking him."
Thompson could have made the case that he needed to improve the defense because the rest of the teams in the NFC North added a potential playmaker in the first round Saturday, but he didn't. Detroit took wide receiver Calvin Johnson of Georgia Tech with the second pick, Minnesota took halfback Adrian Peterson of Oklahoma with the seventh pick and Chicago took Olsen with the 31st pick. Despite that, the Packers stuck to their long-range plan by picking Harrell. "He's a guy that we really coveted at 16," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "I've said it over and over again, 'We're going to build this football team strong with the offensive and defensive lines.' We've added another excellent football player, excellent prospect to that defensive line group. You just cannot have enough big guys." The defense had better be good because, at the rate the Packers are going, the offense won't be.
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http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=602432
It's catch-as-catch-can for team's wide receivers Big group battles for precious roster spots By RICHARD PUFALL
There is a traffic jam on Lombardi Avenue. The wide receivers are backed up, bumper to bumper as far as the eye can see. Right now, there are 11 wide receivers on the roster of the Green Bay Packers. That number could grow to 12 if the Packers add Keyshawn Johnson, who was recently cut by the Carolina Panthers. There could be 13 men fighting for what looks like five roster spots when - or if - Koren Robinson comes back. Robinson, suspended for one year for violation of the National Football League's substance abuse policy, can apply for reinstatement on Sept. 18. Let's complete the roll call: Donald Driver. Greg Jennings. Ruvell Martin. Carlyle Holiday. Chris Francies. Robert Ferguson. Shaun Bodiford. Calvin Russell. Carlton Brewster. Then there are 2007 draft picks, James Jones (third round) and David Clowney (fifth).
"I think you know what we have," said wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson. "You're going to see Donald be Donald, which to me is a pretty darn good player, a Pro Bowl player. "I think you're going to see a Greg Jennings, who is a healthy Greg Jennings and if you think back to last year, pretty decent first half and not as good second half, I think primarily, because of the ankle (injury)." It appears the Packers have some quality woven into the quantity that is their receiving corps.
And it all starts with Driver: Donald Driver: Green Bay's No. 1 wide receiver is perhaps the most underrated player at his position in the game. He started all 16 games in 2006, was selected to his second Pro Bowl and turned in the best season of his eight-year career with 92 receptions for 1,295 yards and eight touchdowns. Yes, he has a job.
Greg Jennings: The Green Bay coaches love this guy and they should. Jennings has great ability matched by a terrific attitude and work ethic. Only injuries can hold him back. Jennings started 2006 on a 1,000-yard pace, but an ankle injury in Miami slowed him down the stretch. Still, Jennings caught 45 passes for 632 yards and three touchdowns. He was named to the NFL's all-rookie team. And there's no reason to believe he won't be even more productive in his second season. "I definitely think my ability to run after the catch is a strength," Jennings said. Said Robinson: "He is polished at an early age. "Driver and Jennings appear to be locked in as starters, which means 11 other receivers could be competing for three jobs.
Ruvell Martin: He earned respect and a chance for more in 2007. Martin, at 6-foot-4, has perfect size for the West Coast offense. He played in 13 games in 2006, caught 21 passes for 358 yards and a 17-yard average. He left a lasting impression in Green Bay's season finale, a 26-7 victory over the Bears in Chicago. On New Year's Eve at Soldier Field Martin caught seven passes for 118 yards. He will be difficult to cut.
Robert Ferguson: His picture is next to the word "disappointing" in the dictionary. In six seasons with the Packers, Ferguson just hasn't gotten it done. A tough special-teams player, but he can't stay healthy. He played in just four games last season with one start, catching a paltry five passes for 31 yards before going on injured reserve with a damaged foot. He was not drafted by Thompson and that can only hurt him. Ferguson changed his uniform number from 89 to 87 and it could change one more time - to unlisted.
Carlyle Holiday: He left a positive impression in just four games with the Packers last season, catching nine passes for 126 yards (14-yard average). He had a career-high five catches for 87 yards in the finale at Chicago, making him worth a long look.
Chris Francies: He will have a tough time making this team without an epidemic of injuries. He played in just two games in 2006, with two receptions for 16 yards.
Shaun Bodiford: He played in just six games last season, including three with Detroit and did not catch a pass. He went on injured reserve on Nov. 15 with a shin injury. Bodiford is not likely to find full-time employment with Green Bay.
Calvin Russell & Carlton Brewster: Neither played in a game with the Packers in 2006 and that isn't likely to change in '07.
James Jones: Thompson likes his draft picks and there is a lot to like about Jones, a big, strong and physical receiver from San Jose State, who was selected in the third round. "I want competition," Jones said, when asked about the possibility of Johnson joining the race. "I want the Packers to be the best team that we can be. "I think that's everyone's goal that's here, to make the roster and to be a starter. This is a dream come true. So I'm going to work real hard to try and become a starter." Jones brings a hunger to succeed that few others can understand. From the time he was 8 until he was 12 he lived in homeless shelters in San Jose with his mother and sister. "We went from shelter to shelter," Jones said. "Bunch of schools . . . every shelter we moved to I moved to a different school. So I went to about four or five elementary schools." Jones went to one middle school, moved in with his grandmother until his mom was able to secure a home for the family, then he went to one high school. "Nobody wants to do it, but I was with my mom and I believed in my mom and believing in God I knew everything would work out. You just got to keep faith. Sometimes you go through the day and you don't eat. . . . Sometimes you barely can sleep. "Everybody don't go through it, but I was glad I went through it. It made me a better person."
David Clowney: If he makes the team, Clowney will be the fastest player on the roster. Clowney, who was drafted in the fifth round out of Virginia Tech, ran a 4.29 40-yard dash on an indoor rubber track during campus agility tests, then ran a 4.35 on an outdoor grass field. "I plan to be here," Clowney said. "I plan to stay. The last Virginia Tech wide receiver here did an awesome job - Antonio Freeman. And I expect to do the same thing." Clowney said the first thing he thought of when he got the call from the Packers was Brett Favre. "Being able to catch a ball from a Hall of Fame quarterback, a legend, is a blessing," Clowney said. "It's great and I plan to do a lot with it." Clowney has speed and quickness, but looks smaller than his listed dimensions for 6-0½ and a 188 pounds. He said he welcomes the competition, no matter the size or name. "We've got Donald Driver and of course Jennings," he said "They're both great wide receivers. I've seen what both of them can do and they're both outstanding. . . . I welcome any competition. That's what makes you a better receiver, it helps your drive. . . . I don't care if it's Keyshawn or Donald Driver . . . me and James, we know each other well from the combine and we're going to make each other better." And Clowney has a message for Green Bay's coaches and fans who have been looking for a deep threat. "They found him," he said. "I plan on being that deep threat. I plan on staying."
Keyshawn Johnson: Don't count your wide receivers before they're signed. The Packers must decide if Johnson is worth pursing and will be a good fit in Green Bay. Johnson turns 35 in June, which is elderly in the NFL at his position. But it's hard to overlook his numbers. In his one season with Carolina, Johnson caught 70 passes for 815 yards, an 11.6-yard average and four touchdowns. For his career he has 10,571 yards and 64 touchdowns. Johnson, a possession receiver for his entire career, could help the Packers solve their problems in the red zone. But Green Bay might see Johnson as nothing more than an older version of Ruvell Martin, who turns 25 in August. "Well, I think anytime you can upgrade your football team, whether it's with a veteran or with a younger player, that's something you have to look at," head coach Mike McCarthy said. "Obviously, Keyshawn has been very effective, more than effective, he's been very productive in the National Football League, so I think you have to look at all those situations, and that's what we do."
Koren Robinson: He has been sort of the forgotten man. Robinson is serving a one-year suspension and is not allowed to set foot on Packer property or use team facilities. When he was released last year by Minnesota, many in the Twin Cities believed that the Vikings had lost their best wide receiver. Before his suspension Robinson caught seven passes with the Packers for 89 yards and a 12.7 average in four games. At 27, Robinson is young enough to return as a productive receiver, if he can defeat his personal demons. In 2002 with Seattle he caught 78 passes for 1,240 and a 15.9 average.
"The one thing about our group, if you look at them, youth is a positive, particularly guys that have been here," McCarthy said Friday after the first day of Green Bay's rookie orientation camp. "I told the rookies today, the veterans have been here since March 19 getting after it. You look at Calvin Russell, he's put on probably 8 to 10 pounds of lean muscle mass. You're just seeing guys develop. Clowney and Jones I think both bring a dimension to our football team that you like. Clowney can really run. You can see his burst and his fast twitch out here today. You just never have enough good skill players." True. But in September, 13 wide receivers will be about eight too many.