HarveyWallbangers
08-28-2007, 09:35 PM
If McGinn is right with this story and Atari Bigby plays decently, we could have a very good defense this year.
Green Bay hoping to corner the market
By BOB McGINN
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers have a problem at cornerback, a problem they never envisioned having when training camp opened almost five weeks ago.
At the time, position coach Lionel Washington was a bit nervous, hoping that even one of the five backup cornerbacks on the roster would emerge as a serviceable fifth defensive back in the nickel package.
Today, Washington doesn't apologize even if he does come across as a tad greedy. Next to defensive line, cornerback appears to be the deepest unit on the roster and multiple nickel candidates have surfaced.
Promising Jarrett Bush can lock up the nickel job Thursday night in Tennessee, if he hasn't done so already.
Gifted Will Blackmon has the team all but made, both as a backup cornerback and dual return man.
And former Giant Frank Walker, incumbent Patrick Dendy and free agent Tramon Williams all have demonstrated redeeming qualities at cornerback and on special teams in their pitched battle for the fifth and probably last berth at the position.
"They've all played well," Washington said. "Nobody is out of it. As far as the third corner goes, nothing is settled."
Coach Mike McCarthy's decision to withhold starters Al Harris and Charles Woodson against the Titans means Bush and Blackmon will start and the others will play even more than usual.
Bush, according to Washington, has had a "great" camp. He has ideal size (6 feet 0½ inch, 199 pounds), athleticism to cover tightly in the Packers' bump-and-run coverage scheme and a burst to close. Against Seattle, he even looked like a budding ball hawk.
"I have slight worries," said Bush, remembering how he was waived by the Panthers last Sept. 2 and claimed by Green Bay. "I thought I made the team in Carolina."
Bush was on the field for merely 15 snaps from scrimmage as a rookie. Still, that was four more than Blackmon, whose first season was ruined by foot and rib injuries. Although Blackmon (6-0½, 202) still exhibits some flaws in coverage, he runs fast, reacts quickly and is willing in run support.
"He has made tremendous improvement," Washington said. "He's worked his butt off."
Trying to separate Walker, Dendy and Williams could be an all-day chore for McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson. The Packers plan to announce some early cuts Friday and the balance on Saturday before the 5 p.m. deadline, but barring developments in Tennessee the debate on the No. 5 cornerback could get intense.
Walker (5-11, 196), Dendy (6-0, 190) and Williams (5-11, 188) all have made steady progress. Dendy had two interceptions Monday and another Tuesday in his bid at least to hold his roster berth. His lost the nickel job, which he held for the last 12 games in 2006, to Bush 10 days ago.
"This is definitely a big game," Dendy said. "When you get a chance to make plays you've got to come through and make them."
Dendy, 25, said his consistency, intelligence and play-making ability were the main reasons why the Packers should retain him. His speed is marginal.
"Dendy is the guy people always want to count out but he always shows up in the end," Washington said. "I'm passionate about Dendy because he's a hard worker. He is one smart football player."
Walker, the Giants' sixth-round draft choice out of Tuskegee in 2003, had to start seven games as a rookie. His physical skills enabled him to stick on the roster from 2004-'06 but his playing time dwindled.
Thompson gave Walker a one-year, $1.24 million contract in mid-March as an unrestricted free agent. Having played mostly off coverage in the Giants' zone scheme, he gave up too much cushion, gambled too much in the Packers' press scheme and was awful in the intra-squad scrimmage.
"Now he's adjusting to how we play here," Washington said. "He's aggressive, fast and can redirect receivers. You watch him in the last couple games, he shut guys down. He's also come up and made some strong tackles."
Walker, 26, dropped three potential interceptions Monday.
"I only pulled in five (interceptions) in camp," Walker said. "I wish I could have pulled in a whole lot more. For the most part, I gave them a good showing out here. I can play."
Williams, 24, walked on at Louisiana Tech, where he wound up starting 1½ seasons. Last summer, as a rookie free agent, he was let go on the last cut by Houston.
"Same thing, huh?" Williams said. "But this time around I got a whole lot better feeling than I had in Houston. I'm a younger guy and I performed as well if not better than the other guys. That's something to look at."
Williams plays faster than his 40-yard clocking of 4.58 seconds would suggest. He has tackled much better than he did in college and is starting to refine his rather raw techniques.
"He's a tremendous athlete, one of the best on the team," Washington said. "He has the long arms you look for and can keep receivers off him. The physical part is not something we worry about."
It's also hard to separate the three on special teams. Dendy has experience and savvy. Walker, said coach Mike Stock, "has a big heart and is very, very tough." And Williams "also has been a contact player," Stock said.
The only thing for sure is the Packers are looking better at cornerback than they were a month ago.
Green Bay hoping to corner the market
By BOB McGINN
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers have a problem at cornerback, a problem they never envisioned having when training camp opened almost five weeks ago.
At the time, position coach Lionel Washington was a bit nervous, hoping that even one of the five backup cornerbacks on the roster would emerge as a serviceable fifth defensive back in the nickel package.
Today, Washington doesn't apologize even if he does come across as a tad greedy. Next to defensive line, cornerback appears to be the deepest unit on the roster and multiple nickel candidates have surfaced.
Promising Jarrett Bush can lock up the nickel job Thursday night in Tennessee, if he hasn't done so already.
Gifted Will Blackmon has the team all but made, both as a backup cornerback and dual return man.
And former Giant Frank Walker, incumbent Patrick Dendy and free agent Tramon Williams all have demonstrated redeeming qualities at cornerback and on special teams in their pitched battle for the fifth and probably last berth at the position.
"They've all played well," Washington said. "Nobody is out of it. As far as the third corner goes, nothing is settled."
Coach Mike McCarthy's decision to withhold starters Al Harris and Charles Woodson against the Titans means Bush and Blackmon will start and the others will play even more than usual.
Bush, according to Washington, has had a "great" camp. He has ideal size (6 feet 0½ inch, 199 pounds), athleticism to cover tightly in the Packers' bump-and-run coverage scheme and a burst to close. Against Seattle, he even looked like a budding ball hawk.
"I have slight worries," said Bush, remembering how he was waived by the Panthers last Sept. 2 and claimed by Green Bay. "I thought I made the team in Carolina."
Bush was on the field for merely 15 snaps from scrimmage as a rookie. Still, that was four more than Blackmon, whose first season was ruined by foot and rib injuries. Although Blackmon (6-0½, 202) still exhibits some flaws in coverage, he runs fast, reacts quickly and is willing in run support.
"He has made tremendous improvement," Washington said. "He's worked his butt off."
Trying to separate Walker, Dendy and Williams could be an all-day chore for McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson. The Packers plan to announce some early cuts Friday and the balance on Saturday before the 5 p.m. deadline, but barring developments in Tennessee the debate on the No. 5 cornerback could get intense.
Walker (5-11, 196), Dendy (6-0, 190) and Williams (5-11, 188) all have made steady progress. Dendy had two interceptions Monday and another Tuesday in his bid at least to hold his roster berth. His lost the nickel job, which he held for the last 12 games in 2006, to Bush 10 days ago.
"This is definitely a big game," Dendy said. "When you get a chance to make plays you've got to come through and make them."
Dendy, 25, said his consistency, intelligence and play-making ability were the main reasons why the Packers should retain him. His speed is marginal.
"Dendy is the guy people always want to count out but he always shows up in the end," Washington said. "I'm passionate about Dendy because he's a hard worker. He is one smart football player."
Walker, the Giants' sixth-round draft choice out of Tuskegee in 2003, had to start seven games as a rookie. His physical skills enabled him to stick on the roster from 2004-'06 but his playing time dwindled.
Thompson gave Walker a one-year, $1.24 million contract in mid-March as an unrestricted free agent. Having played mostly off coverage in the Giants' zone scheme, he gave up too much cushion, gambled too much in the Packers' press scheme and was awful in the intra-squad scrimmage.
"Now he's adjusting to how we play here," Washington said. "He's aggressive, fast and can redirect receivers. You watch him in the last couple games, he shut guys down. He's also come up and made some strong tackles."
Walker, 26, dropped three potential interceptions Monday.
"I only pulled in five (interceptions) in camp," Walker said. "I wish I could have pulled in a whole lot more. For the most part, I gave them a good showing out here. I can play."
Williams, 24, walked on at Louisiana Tech, where he wound up starting 1½ seasons. Last summer, as a rookie free agent, he was let go on the last cut by Houston.
"Same thing, huh?" Williams said. "But this time around I got a whole lot better feeling than I had in Houston. I'm a younger guy and I performed as well if not better than the other guys. That's something to look at."
Williams plays faster than his 40-yard clocking of 4.58 seconds would suggest. He has tackled much better than he did in college and is starting to refine his rather raw techniques.
"He's a tremendous athlete, one of the best on the team," Washington said. "He has the long arms you look for and can keep receivers off him. The physical part is not something we worry about."
It's also hard to separate the three on special teams. Dendy has experience and savvy. Walker, said coach Mike Stock, "has a big heart and is very, very tough." And Williams "also has been a contact player," Stock said.
The only thing for sure is the Packers are looking better at cornerback than they were a month ago.