Scott Campbell
08-07-2007, 08:55 AM
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070807/PKR01/708070492/1057/PKR&located=RSS
Packers expect more great things from Kampman By Rob Demovsky
rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com
It's only natural when a player has a career year to question whether it was a fluke or the start of something bigger.
At least one player believes he knows the answer regarding Green Bay Packers defensive end Aaron Kampman, who was second in the NFL last season with 15½ sacks.
"He's not a one-hit wonder here," Packers right tackle Mark Tauscher said on Monday. "He's been consistent since the day he got here, and he's consistently gotten better and better."
There may be no better authority on Kampman than Tauscher. The eighth-year veteran has been practicing against Kampman since the Packers drafted him in the fifth round in 2002. During every training camp practice, Tauscher lines up against Kampman, and the two regularly square off in the first rep of the one-on-one pass blocking/pass rushing drill.
"I said a couple of years ago that he was going to be a Trace Armstrong type of player," said Tauscher, referring to the former Miami Dolphins' defensive end who had a career-best 16½ sacks in his 12th NFL season. "As he gets older and more crafty, he's going to get better. I think Kampman is one of the best defensive ends in the NFL.
"He's going to get a lot of attention this year, more than he did last year, so I don't necessarily know if his numbers will be the same. But if I were a gambling man, I would say he'll have as good, if not a better season, than he did last year."
Kampman, who had just 13½ career sacks before last season, wasn't just a sack man in 2006. According to research compiled by Pro Football Prospectus, Kampman led the NFL in quarterback knockdowns (with 35) and ranked seventh in quarterback pressures (with 24).
"Teams don't run at him, either," Tauscher said.
Kampman made his first Pro Bowl appearance in large part because of his gaudy sack numbers, but he's insisted that he didn't go into last season with the sole purpose of increasing his sack production.
"In the end, everyone looks at sacks," Kampman said. "But if you really think about it, a deflection, a pressure that forces an incompletion is pretty similar. You're not getting negative yardage or a chance at a fumble, but they're still big, positive plays.
"People were down on (Indianapolis Colts defensive end) Dwight Freeney last year, but he was right up there in terms of actually hitting the quarterback."
In fact, Freeney led the NFL in quarterback pressures (with 32) despite notching only 5½ sacks.
"The biggest thing for me is I don't have to worry about the numbers," Kampman said. "Yes, I set goals, but I don't worry about the numbers because I've always played this way. I'm going to give what I have, and, hopefully, that's going to help our team win. In the process, that's going to produce numbers. Will it be as many or more? I don't know."
The Packers are operating under the assumption Kampman will be just as good, if not better, this season. For what it's worth, he hasn't exactly stood out so far during training camp. But it's hard for defensive ends to make big plays in practice because they aren't allowed to hit the quarterbacks, and none of the running drills has featured live tackling. In eight one-on-one reps against Tauscher, Kampman has won just two, and he has lost all three to second-year lineman Tony Moll.
Yet there are other indicators that suggest Kampman, at 27 and in the second year of a four-year, $21 million contract, is an ascending player. As the 2006 season went on, Kampman began to receive more attention from opposing offensive coordinators. He saw more double teams and more protection moved his way and still managed to finish strong, recording 5½ sacks during the final month of the season.
Part of that coincided with the Packers' decision to move Cullen Jenkins outside to defensive end, especially on early downs. Jenkins provided more power as a rusher than the player he replaced, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, and was more stout against the run.
Kampman's study habits also suggest he's still learning the game. At practice on Monday, he stopped quarterback Brett Favre after a series to ask why he made a certain audible call.
"(Former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker) Derrick Thomas would study quarterbacks better than anyone," said John Schneider, the Packers' personnel analyst to the general manager, who spent three years with the Chiefs. "Not that I'm comparing Aaron to Derrick Thomas, but he's like him in that he knows how to attack his opponent. He's the ultimate professional in terms of studying his opponent and learning quarterbacks' tendencies.
"There are a lot of guys that God's given a lot of ability to — and Aaron's one of those guys — but he also combines that with an intense film study of his opponent."
Packers expect more great things from Kampman By Rob Demovsky
rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com
It's only natural when a player has a career year to question whether it was a fluke or the start of something bigger.
At least one player believes he knows the answer regarding Green Bay Packers defensive end Aaron Kampman, who was second in the NFL last season with 15½ sacks.
"He's not a one-hit wonder here," Packers right tackle Mark Tauscher said on Monday. "He's been consistent since the day he got here, and he's consistently gotten better and better."
There may be no better authority on Kampman than Tauscher. The eighth-year veteran has been practicing against Kampman since the Packers drafted him in the fifth round in 2002. During every training camp practice, Tauscher lines up against Kampman, and the two regularly square off in the first rep of the one-on-one pass blocking/pass rushing drill.
"I said a couple of years ago that he was going to be a Trace Armstrong type of player," said Tauscher, referring to the former Miami Dolphins' defensive end who had a career-best 16½ sacks in his 12th NFL season. "As he gets older and more crafty, he's going to get better. I think Kampman is one of the best defensive ends in the NFL.
"He's going to get a lot of attention this year, more than he did last year, so I don't necessarily know if his numbers will be the same. But if I were a gambling man, I would say he'll have as good, if not a better season, than he did last year."
Kampman, who had just 13½ career sacks before last season, wasn't just a sack man in 2006. According to research compiled by Pro Football Prospectus, Kampman led the NFL in quarterback knockdowns (with 35) and ranked seventh in quarterback pressures (with 24).
"Teams don't run at him, either," Tauscher said.
Kampman made his first Pro Bowl appearance in large part because of his gaudy sack numbers, but he's insisted that he didn't go into last season with the sole purpose of increasing his sack production.
"In the end, everyone looks at sacks," Kampman said. "But if you really think about it, a deflection, a pressure that forces an incompletion is pretty similar. You're not getting negative yardage or a chance at a fumble, but they're still big, positive plays.
"People were down on (Indianapolis Colts defensive end) Dwight Freeney last year, but he was right up there in terms of actually hitting the quarterback."
In fact, Freeney led the NFL in quarterback pressures (with 32) despite notching only 5½ sacks.
"The biggest thing for me is I don't have to worry about the numbers," Kampman said. "Yes, I set goals, but I don't worry about the numbers because I've always played this way. I'm going to give what I have, and, hopefully, that's going to help our team win. In the process, that's going to produce numbers. Will it be as many or more? I don't know."
The Packers are operating under the assumption Kampman will be just as good, if not better, this season. For what it's worth, he hasn't exactly stood out so far during training camp. But it's hard for defensive ends to make big plays in practice because they aren't allowed to hit the quarterbacks, and none of the running drills has featured live tackling. In eight one-on-one reps against Tauscher, Kampman has won just two, and he has lost all three to second-year lineman Tony Moll.
Yet there are other indicators that suggest Kampman, at 27 and in the second year of a four-year, $21 million contract, is an ascending player. As the 2006 season went on, Kampman began to receive more attention from opposing offensive coordinators. He saw more double teams and more protection moved his way and still managed to finish strong, recording 5½ sacks during the final month of the season.
Part of that coincided with the Packers' decision to move Cullen Jenkins outside to defensive end, especially on early downs. Jenkins provided more power as a rusher than the player he replaced, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, and was more stout against the run.
Kampman's study habits also suggest he's still learning the game. At practice on Monday, he stopped quarterback Brett Favre after a series to ask why he made a certain audible call.
"(Former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker) Derrick Thomas would study quarterbacks better than anyone," said John Schneider, the Packers' personnel analyst to the general manager, who spent three years with the Chiefs. "Not that I'm comparing Aaron to Derrick Thomas, but he's like him in that he knows how to attack his opponent. He's the ultimate professional in terms of studying his opponent and learning quarterbacks' tendencies.
"There are a lot of guys that God's given a lot of ability to — and Aaron's one of those guys — but he also combines that with an intense film study of his opponent."