Partial
08-22-2007, 12:08 AM
From Bob McGinn (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=650481)
Tony Moll will be celebrating his 24th birthday Thursday but it won't be in the uniform of the Green Bay Packers.
nstead, Moll will be in sweat clothes along the sideline, more than just a little concerned about a so-called "stinger" injury that has bedeviled him since the start of training camp.
"I've been getting them pretty much since the first day of camp," Moll said Tuesday. "It sends a shock down my arm. Anything with nerves is pretty scary."
Moll kept practicing until Aug. 6, when he suffered two shocks within a short time during a workout in pads. He sat out the rest of that week and the Pittsburgh game, returned three days last week, was withheld from the Seattle game and is out again this week.
It has been Moll's first experience with a "stinger," a common term for brachial plexus trauma in the neck.
"I've never had one before," he said. "That's why they're taking a lot of precaution with it. It's just something that's going to take some time to get back. They're saying, hopefully, next week."
Moll entered camp as the No. 3 tackle and sixth-best offensive lineman. Not only is he worried about his health but also about making the team.
"I feel I've done enough to hopefully secure a spot," he said. "But the door is always open."
Junius Coston, a fifth-round draft choice one year before Moll arrived in the same round in 2006, wasn't nearly as good as Moll a year ago but is having his finest camp. Coston is an inch shorter than Moll but probably even more athletic.
"Coston's definitely getting better," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "He's playing physical."
Roster move
Presently, there are about 2,700 players in training camps around the league. Needing a fullback for the final two exhibition games, the Packers came upon Erryn Cobb and signed him Tuesday.
Cobb, 6 feet 1 inch and 241 pounds, completed five years at Northwestern last fall but wasn't signed. He has played linebacker, fullback and tight end. In all in college, he caught five passes for 62 yards and rushed three times for 10.
Tackle battle
With six defensive tackles in camp, five expected to make the team and four figured to be active on Sundays, top pick Justin Harrell isn't guaranteed of being in uniform come opening day.
"I'm not sure of that," co-defensive line coach Carl Hairston said. "Hopefully, he'll come around. He's a good kid and he's a coachable kid. When you've got that mixture you've got a chance to get better."
Hairston didn't disagree with one scout who said Harrell took too many downs off against Seattle.
"It's his conditioning," Hairston said. "I'm hoping by September he will be where he needs to be as far as conditioning. Once he gets the stamina where he wants it then he can do what he did at Tennessee."
Among the veteran tackles, Hairston said, Johnny Jolly has been the most consistent pass rusher and Ryan Pickett has been the stoutest against the run.
Moment to shine
Rookie defensive end Larry Birdine had four tackles, a sack, two quarterback hits and a forced fumble Saturday night against Seattle.
That earned him the right to play some with the No. 1 defense Thursday against Jacksonville.
Birdine came to camp unprepared for the fast pace of training camp and couldn't keep up with the rest of the defensive line early on. But over the last week or so, he has caught up some and the former Oklahoma Sooner is opening some eyes with his aggressive play.
He will receive snaps with the No. 1 unit this week to find out whether he's for real. The coaches like what they see but the high-energy Birdine gets exhausted too quickly and must show he has more staying power.
"He's got a legitimate shot," defensive tackles coach Robert Nunn said of Birdine making the team. "He's definitely on track. "
No leader
Rookie Mason Crosby doesn't see himself as the front-runner in his kicking competition with Dave Rayner.
"I can't say that right now," Crosby said. "He's a great kicker. We're making each other better."
Crosby said he had been hitting the ball as well if not better than he did at Colorado.
"I've just simplified everything," he said. "My footwork, my swing. I try not to over-swing. I'm hitting the ball well but I feel like I can get more power."
Close contest
The competition for the No. 3 tight end job between rookie Clark Harris and Zac Alcorn remains tight. Philbin said Harris had shown some improvement after a slow start.
Alcorn was at least partially responsible for Paul Thompson's second interception against Seattle because of a shaky route. Three plays earlier, Alcorn fell down making a 21-yard catch on a seam route.
Tony Moll will be celebrating his 24th birthday Thursday but it won't be in the uniform of the Green Bay Packers.
nstead, Moll will be in sweat clothes along the sideline, more than just a little concerned about a so-called "stinger" injury that has bedeviled him since the start of training camp.
"I've been getting them pretty much since the first day of camp," Moll said Tuesday. "It sends a shock down my arm. Anything with nerves is pretty scary."
Moll kept practicing until Aug. 6, when he suffered two shocks within a short time during a workout in pads. He sat out the rest of that week and the Pittsburgh game, returned three days last week, was withheld from the Seattle game and is out again this week.
It has been Moll's first experience with a "stinger," a common term for brachial plexus trauma in the neck.
"I've never had one before," he said. "That's why they're taking a lot of precaution with it. It's just something that's going to take some time to get back. They're saying, hopefully, next week."
Moll entered camp as the No. 3 tackle and sixth-best offensive lineman. Not only is he worried about his health but also about making the team.
"I feel I've done enough to hopefully secure a spot," he said. "But the door is always open."
Junius Coston, a fifth-round draft choice one year before Moll arrived in the same round in 2006, wasn't nearly as good as Moll a year ago but is having his finest camp. Coston is an inch shorter than Moll but probably even more athletic.
"Coston's definitely getting better," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "He's playing physical."
Roster move
Presently, there are about 2,700 players in training camps around the league. Needing a fullback for the final two exhibition games, the Packers came upon Erryn Cobb and signed him Tuesday.
Cobb, 6 feet 1 inch and 241 pounds, completed five years at Northwestern last fall but wasn't signed. He has played linebacker, fullback and tight end. In all in college, he caught five passes for 62 yards and rushed three times for 10.
Tackle battle
With six defensive tackles in camp, five expected to make the team and four figured to be active on Sundays, top pick Justin Harrell isn't guaranteed of being in uniform come opening day.
"I'm not sure of that," co-defensive line coach Carl Hairston said. "Hopefully, he'll come around. He's a good kid and he's a coachable kid. When you've got that mixture you've got a chance to get better."
Hairston didn't disagree with one scout who said Harrell took too many downs off against Seattle.
"It's his conditioning," Hairston said. "I'm hoping by September he will be where he needs to be as far as conditioning. Once he gets the stamina where he wants it then he can do what he did at Tennessee."
Among the veteran tackles, Hairston said, Johnny Jolly has been the most consistent pass rusher and Ryan Pickett has been the stoutest against the run.
Moment to shine
Rookie defensive end Larry Birdine had four tackles, a sack, two quarterback hits and a forced fumble Saturday night against Seattle.
That earned him the right to play some with the No. 1 defense Thursday against Jacksonville.
Birdine came to camp unprepared for the fast pace of training camp and couldn't keep up with the rest of the defensive line early on. But over the last week or so, he has caught up some and the former Oklahoma Sooner is opening some eyes with his aggressive play.
He will receive snaps with the No. 1 unit this week to find out whether he's for real. The coaches like what they see but the high-energy Birdine gets exhausted too quickly and must show he has more staying power.
"He's got a legitimate shot," defensive tackles coach Robert Nunn said of Birdine making the team. "He's definitely on track. "
No leader
Rookie Mason Crosby doesn't see himself as the front-runner in his kicking competition with Dave Rayner.
"I can't say that right now," Crosby said. "He's a great kicker. We're making each other better."
Crosby said he had been hitting the ball as well if not better than he did at Colorado.
"I've just simplified everything," he said. "My footwork, my swing. I try not to over-swing. I'm hitting the ball well but I feel like I can get more power."
Close contest
The competition for the No. 3 tight end job between rookie Clark Harris and Zac Alcorn remains tight. Philbin said Harris had shown some improvement after a slow start.
Alcorn was at least partially responsible for Paul Thompson's second interception against Seattle because of a shaky route. Three plays earlier, Alcorn fell down making a 21-yard catch on a seam route.