Partial
08-22-2007, 12:06 AM
From Bob McGinn (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=650433)
Abdul Hodge was a third-round draft choice. Rory Johnson has the most talent. And Desmond Bishop has been on the field every single day.
Veteran Tracy White, the Green Bay Packers' best special-teams player a year ago, appears to have nailed down one of what is expected to be three backup berths at linebacker on the 53-man roster.
After that, it's probably too close to call among Hodge, Johnson, Bishop and versatile Spencer Havner.
Hodge continues to work behind both Nick Barnett and Bishop at middle linebacker. However, in the nickel defense, it has been Hodge and White as the No. 2 set.
Johnson is No. 3 on the weak side behind A.J. Hawk and White. Havner has maintained the No. 2 spot on the strong side behind Brady Poppinga.
Reggie McKenzie, the team's director of pro personnel, is confident there will be three backup linebackers worth keeping on the final cut Sept. 2.
Based on his off-season performance, the Packers figured that Johnson might turn out to be the best of the bunch. A third-year junior, he left Mississippi after one season and then wasn't even drafted mainly because of two positive drug tests.
Johnson accepted a $2,500 signing bonus from the Packers, just glad for a chance. Then he suffered an abdominal strain in the first practice and had to sit out a week.
The coaches didn't play Johnson from scrimmage in Pittsburgh until 5 minutes remained. He immediately made a big-time play, shedding a block and bursting outside for a punishing tackle.
Against Seattle, Johnson played one series in the second quarter and three in the third quarter, didn't make a tackle and failed to impress.
"I was disappointed from the standpoint of his lack of effort and competitive spirit," linebackers coach Winston Moss said Tuesday. "He was non-impactful. So I think this is a very, very important game for him."
Defensive coordinator Bob Sanders is mindful of Johnson's top speed and athleticism. He admitted that the Packers needed to see more before making final judgment.
"Potential means absolutely nothing to me," Moss said. "Potential means you haven't done it yet. He's got to at least show me he's worth waiting for to give him time to develop. If he doesn't show me that, then he's in trouble."
Bishop must make his own amends. Seattle's Maurice Morris was able to zip 15 yards up the gut for a touchdown because Moss said Bishop took on a lead block with the wrong shoulder, creating a gap. Still, Bishop remained ahead of Hodge in the base defense this week.
"We want to see if Bishop can handle that role and be the backup," Moss said. "But I have not seen a clear-cut person emerge as the No. 2."
Hodge's reactions were a bit off in Pittsburgh, partially the result of missing the entire off-season with patellar tendinitis in both knees. Hodge said he developed the tendinitis shortly before the combine in February 2006 and it has dogged him since.
"Are some days really bad? I would say at the beginning of camp it was," Hodge said. "But now it's pretty much getting better. It will eventually go away. I just got to keep with the treatment and rehabbing and doing a bunch of exercises."
Hodge made six tackles against Seattle, including three or four in which he pursued almost to the sideline. Moss described the tackles as mostly routine.
"If that linebacker in that defense can't make those plays, somebody else is going to have to," he said. "I think I have a good feeling of what Abdul is. He's very, very prideful.
"When a guy has to play through a rehab process it's somewhat of a mental distraction. To some degree it has to affect his performance on the field. To what degree? I really don't know."
For his part, Hodge indicated that he had paid no heed to Bishop or any other linebacker.
"I've been a good player all my life, man," he said. "What has changed? I felt good about my chances starting camp."
Havner started from 2002-'05 at UCLA, the first two outside and the last two inside. McKenzie raves about his elusiveness as a pass rusher. He's rangy and instinctive, just not all that physical.
"He's fighting the good fight," Moss said. "Steady, athletic, trying to get it done."
Abdul Hodge was a third-round draft choice. Rory Johnson has the most talent. And Desmond Bishop has been on the field every single day.
Veteran Tracy White, the Green Bay Packers' best special-teams player a year ago, appears to have nailed down one of what is expected to be three backup berths at linebacker on the 53-man roster.
After that, it's probably too close to call among Hodge, Johnson, Bishop and versatile Spencer Havner.
Hodge continues to work behind both Nick Barnett and Bishop at middle linebacker. However, in the nickel defense, it has been Hodge and White as the No. 2 set.
Johnson is No. 3 on the weak side behind A.J. Hawk and White. Havner has maintained the No. 2 spot on the strong side behind Brady Poppinga.
Reggie McKenzie, the team's director of pro personnel, is confident there will be three backup linebackers worth keeping on the final cut Sept. 2.
Based on his off-season performance, the Packers figured that Johnson might turn out to be the best of the bunch. A third-year junior, he left Mississippi after one season and then wasn't even drafted mainly because of two positive drug tests.
Johnson accepted a $2,500 signing bonus from the Packers, just glad for a chance. Then he suffered an abdominal strain in the first practice and had to sit out a week.
The coaches didn't play Johnson from scrimmage in Pittsburgh until 5 minutes remained. He immediately made a big-time play, shedding a block and bursting outside for a punishing tackle.
Against Seattle, Johnson played one series in the second quarter and three in the third quarter, didn't make a tackle and failed to impress.
"I was disappointed from the standpoint of his lack of effort and competitive spirit," linebackers coach Winston Moss said Tuesday. "He was non-impactful. So I think this is a very, very important game for him."
Defensive coordinator Bob Sanders is mindful of Johnson's top speed and athleticism. He admitted that the Packers needed to see more before making final judgment.
"Potential means absolutely nothing to me," Moss said. "Potential means you haven't done it yet. He's got to at least show me he's worth waiting for to give him time to develop. If he doesn't show me that, then he's in trouble."
Bishop must make his own amends. Seattle's Maurice Morris was able to zip 15 yards up the gut for a touchdown because Moss said Bishop took on a lead block with the wrong shoulder, creating a gap. Still, Bishop remained ahead of Hodge in the base defense this week.
"We want to see if Bishop can handle that role and be the backup," Moss said. "But I have not seen a clear-cut person emerge as the No. 2."
Hodge's reactions were a bit off in Pittsburgh, partially the result of missing the entire off-season with patellar tendinitis in both knees. Hodge said he developed the tendinitis shortly before the combine in February 2006 and it has dogged him since.
"Are some days really bad? I would say at the beginning of camp it was," Hodge said. "But now it's pretty much getting better. It will eventually go away. I just got to keep with the treatment and rehabbing and doing a bunch of exercises."
Hodge made six tackles against Seattle, including three or four in which he pursued almost to the sideline. Moss described the tackles as mostly routine.
"If that linebacker in that defense can't make those plays, somebody else is going to have to," he said. "I think I have a good feeling of what Abdul is. He's very, very prideful.
"When a guy has to play through a rehab process it's somewhat of a mental distraction. To some degree it has to affect his performance on the field. To what degree? I really don't know."
For his part, Hodge indicated that he had paid no heed to Bishop or any other linebacker.
"I've been a good player all my life, man," he said. "What has changed? I felt good about my chances starting camp."
Havner started from 2002-'05 at UCLA, the first two outside and the last two inside. McKenzie raves about his elusiveness as a pass rusher. He's rangy and instinctive, just not all that physical.
"He's fighting the good fight," Moss said. "Steady, athletic, trying to get it done."