Joemailman
05-14-2006, 05:50 PM
Safety zone
Manuel hopes to find a perfect fit with Packers
By LORI NICKEL
lnickel@journalsentinel.com
Posted: May 13, 2006
At Florida he got mixed messages. In Cincinnati he got dumped. In Seattle he was a backup.
Marquand Manuel can't mask his disappointment after the Seahawks lost to the Steelers in the Super Bowl.
Even though the four-year safety loved it in Seattle last season when he filled in for injured Ken Hamlin, he knew he had to make a change when Packers general manager Ted Thompson called.
"It was either stay in Seattle where it's always rainy or come to Green Bay where it's always cold," Manuel said. "It was either come here or go back to being a guy you've never heard of, again.
"This was my opportunity. This guy really believes in me. It's been a roller-coaster ride the last 10 years. When are you going to get your break?"
Right now, with the rebuilding Packers, a 4-12 team in dire need of enforcements at several positions. Manuel could be the perfect man for the job.
"He's really smart, he's a great locker room guy, real football guy, real character guy," Thompson said. "Those were all qualities we were looking for."
The last time the 6-foot, 209-pound Manuel was on a football field was Feb. 5, when the Seahawks faced Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. With Seattle leading, 3-0, in the second quarter, Manuel pulled his groin muscle while tackling the Steelers' Hines Ward on an 18-yard gain on a reverse. The play sent Manuel flying out of bounds.
Manuel tried to recover by riding the stationary bike, but a return was out of the question.
"That was the most devastating thing in my life. To get to the pinnacle. . . ." Manuel said. "You know, God does different things for different reasons. I can't question it. But did I when I was riding the bike? I did."
Seattle had to go with third-string safety Eric Pruitt, a practice squad player. The Steelers went after Pruitt and he gave up a Super Bowl-record 75-yard touchdown run to Willie Parker. Pittsburgh went on to a 21-10 victory.
"It was hard to watch. I hate that I put him in that position and there wasn't anything I could do about it," Manuel said. "It was a routine tackle; I've done it a thousand times."
On Packers' wish list
Soon after the Super Bowl, Thompson had Manuel very high on his very small free-agent wish list, and a five-year, $10 million deal was done with the Packers on the first day of the free-agency period.
"I told them when I got to Seattle, I don't even want to go to free agency, I love it here," Manuel said. "The only thing I asked is that you take care of me, that I get the chance to be the guy. The salary was never an issue. I am a lunch pail worker. Take care of me, a sixth-round draft pick, pay me what the average guy is getting, and I'll be fine.
"Coaching and management said different things, 'Well, we'll see what we can do (about extending a contract).' To say that after everything that went on?
"I was tired of being Ken Hamlin's replacement. I didn't care about the fame, but I was always going to be looked at as a sixth-round draft pick."
In Green Bay, Manuel feels wanted, needed and respected, and he hasn't even practiced a snap yet - he is still cautiously rehabilitating that groin pull. Manuel sat out all of the first minicamp last weekend.
"Charles Woodson, I'm not like them big-time guys," Manuel said. "I'm just a guy that's going to come in and make the football team better. Going to do all the dirty work, do a lot of things that other people don't do. Probably won't get a lot of fame for it. But I want to come in and make the team better."
It's a role that's been ingrained in Manuel since childhood.
Family matters
Manuel's parents, Marge "Mary" Manuel and John Eaford, have 18 children, 22 grandchildren (including Manuel's infant daughter) and one great-grandchild. It's a blended family; Mary and John each had kids before they married one another, and then they had more kids together.
For about 20 years, Eaford was a warehouse manager for a Miami, Fla., company that distributed products such as paper cups and paper plates. Mary was a stay-at-home mom for the most part. Clipping coupons, the couple made sure their kids always had dinner and plenty left for seconds, and nice clothes, even if some were hand-me-downs from older siblings. The children now range from age 39 to 14, so there were usually no more than nine at a time living in their three-bedroom home. The Manuel-Eaford family has at least one birthday to celebrate every month of the year.
"I wouldn't change anything," Manuel said. "That taught me how to be a people person."
One sister is graduating from the University of South Florida, one brother worked for a print shop for 15 years, another brother drives a city bus, another sister is training to be a nurse.
It was oldest brother John who was Manuel's football role model, as Eaford and Manuel attended John's high school games. John, a Parade All-American, went on to play linebacker at Florida State beginning in 1984 until he was hit by another car in an accident that left him in a temporary coma, but John would teach Manuel many of the fundamentals of tackling.
Brains and brawn
While Manuel had exceptional football talent, he was also bright, and it was clear from the start where the family's priorities were. When Manuel was 9 years old, he skipped school with some friends to play a neighborhood football game, and his mom happened to spot him on her way to the store.
"They didn't have child abuse back then," Manuel said with a huge grin.
A high honor-roll student at Miami Senior High, Manuel played with six future National Football League players - Andre Johnson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2003 draft with Houston; running back Sedrick Irvin (formerly of Miami and Detroit); defensive back Blue Adams (Tampa Bay); receiver Roscoe Parrish (Buffalo); guard / tackle Jamaal Jackson (Philadelphia); and Packers safety Atari Bigby, who is playing in NFL Europe. Miami Senior was 10-0 one year and ranked 14th in the country.
Manuel played defensive back and receiver, but he stood out for his maturity and leadership.
"I had a rule: If you fight during that week that we're playing a game, you're suspended," said Nigel Dunn, an 18-year coaching veteran in Miami and Manuel's coach at the time. "I remember one of his teammates who was jealous of him, wanted to fight him. Marquand grabbed him and said, 'Look, I don't want to fight you.' Marquand would have beaten this kid. When Marquand let him go, he punched Marquand in the mouth. Most kids would have forgot all about, 'I'm a captain' and all that stuff.
"He grabbed the kid and said, 'Look, I don't want to fight you and I am not going to get suspended because of you.' To me that was so big. I will always remember that."
Ups, downs at Florida
At the University of Florida, Manuel excelled his first two seasons, starting every game at strong safety as a sophomore in 1999. That year was his best: 118 tackles, three interceptions, a forced fumble, two sacks and four passes defended.
Then his numbers dropped his junior and senior years, as did his playing time, even though he remained a starter. Manuel moved around some and even played some at linebacker, but as a senior he played about one-third less snaps than usual.
"But he always kept his head up," Dunn said. "He got screwed the last two years, we all knew it, the people of Miami knew it, and he knew it. He always kept his head above it when he wasn't playing. It showed a lot of class."
Manuel was still listed by The Sporting News as one of top seven safeties in the nation. And academically, he was a star. Manuel earned his criminology degree in less than three years, taking as many as 20 credit hours a semester and doing both summer-school sessions.
"At Florida, it's a very selective major. They only take students based totally on their GPA," said Tony Meacham, an academic counselor at Florida for 10 years. Manuel maintained a 3.5 average all while playing Southeastern Conference football.
"It could be engineers, in this case criminology, it's like the same level of commitment," Meacham said. "You can't decide you're going to be an average student. You kind of have to commit to being a B, B-plus student in everything you do."
After realizing law school wasn't for him, Manuel started studying for his master's degree in counselor education, specializing in mental health. He was drafted in 2002 by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round.
His debut with the Bengals seemed promising. He started eight games and had 41 tackles and two passes defended. But then Manuel started just the opener in 2003 and never again after that. His playing time diminished.
"That next year I came back," Manuel said. "And they had signed Kim Herring to a deal, a big deal, re-signed Rodgers Beckett, re-signed Kevin Kaesviharn, and got Madieu Williams, a second-round draft pick. So, count it. You keep four safeties. After you do the math, and I was behind another rookie draft pick, I was sixth on the depth chart."
Thompson snaps up Manuel
Manuel was placed on waivers before the 2004 season and Thompson, in his final year as general manager with Seattle, snapped up Manuel right away.
"We were a little bit surprised that he was on waivers," Thompson said. "We had scouted him in college pretty thoroughly. We were kind of excited when we got him."
That year Manuel's contributions were on special teams and later the nickel defense.
In 2005, however, when Hamlin was lost for the season after he suffered head injuries from a fight outside a Seattle nightclub, Manuel took over midseason at free safety, starting the final 13 games up to the Super Bowl. He was tied for third among Seahawks defenders with 67 tackles, and had two passes defended and one fumble recovery.
"(Seattle defensive coordinator) Ray Rhodes says this all the time: Thank (Cincinnati coach) Marvin Lewis for cutting you, because you wouldn't be the player that you are now," Manuel said.
In Green Bay, Manuel is reunited with defensive coordinator Bob Sanders, who was on the Gators staff during Manuel's time at Florida. Manuel likes Sanders' scheme and spent the weekend of the first minicamp sometimes in the corner of the field with the better viewpoint of watching the plays and defenses develop.
He's not sure if he'll be ready for the next minicamp, which runs Friday through next Sunday, but he is sure he'll be ready to play by training camp in July.
"It's a great story," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said of Manuel at the Super Bowl. "He is one of 18 children. He has had to battle for his place his whole life. He appreciates everything. He works hard for everything. He doesn't expect anything to be given to him, and I can't say enough about the young guy."
There seems to be a trend regarding the type of players Thompson is going after. He is looking for blue collar guys with leadership abilities. Manuel, Kampman, Driver and Hawk all fit into this category. It may provide some insight as to why Thompson was willing to extend Driver's contract, but not Walker's. Thompson may have been unwilling to pay huge bucks for a guy who, although a great athlete, came up short in some other areas.
I think Thompson also feels Manuel offers more in this area than Mark Roman who, as we have seen, asked to be released when Thompson provided him with some competition. If Manuel can stay healthy, I think he may turn out to be a more significant addition than a lot of people are thinking right now.
Manuel hopes to find a perfect fit with Packers
By LORI NICKEL
lnickel@journalsentinel.com
Posted: May 13, 2006
At Florida he got mixed messages. In Cincinnati he got dumped. In Seattle he was a backup.
Marquand Manuel can't mask his disappointment after the Seahawks lost to the Steelers in the Super Bowl.
Even though the four-year safety loved it in Seattle last season when he filled in for injured Ken Hamlin, he knew he had to make a change when Packers general manager Ted Thompson called.
"It was either stay in Seattle where it's always rainy or come to Green Bay where it's always cold," Manuel said. "It was either come here or go back to being a guy you've never heard of, again.
"This was my opportunity. This guy really believes in me. It's been a roller-coaster ride the last 10 years. When are you going to get your break?"
Right now, with the rebuilding Packers, a 4-12 team in dire need of enforcements at several positions. Manuel could be the perfect man for the job.
"He's really smart, he's a great locker room guy, real football guy, real character guy," Thompson said. "Those were all qualities we were looking for."
The last time the 6-foot, 209-pound Manuel was on a football field was Feb. 5, when the Seahawks faced Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. With Seattle leading, 3-0, in the second quarter, Manuel pulled his groin muscle while tackling the Steelers' Hines Ward on an 18-yard gain on a reverse. The play sent Manuel flying out of bounds.
Manuel tried to recover by riding the stationary bike, but a return was out of the question.
"That was the most devastating thing in my life. To get to the pinnacle. . . ." Manuel said. "You know, God does different things for different reasons. I can't question it. But did I when I was riding the bike? I did."
Seattle had to go with third-string safety Eric Pruitt, a practice squad player. The Steelers went after Pruitt and he gave up a Super Bowl-record 75-yard touchdown run to Willie Parker. Pittsburgh went on to a 21-10 victory.
"It was hard to watch. I hate that I put him in that position and there wasn't anything I could do about it," Manuel said. "It was a routine tackle; I've done it a thousand times."
On Packers' wish list
Soon after the Super Bowl, Thompson had Manuel very high on his very small free-agent wish list, and a five-year, $10 million deal was done with the Packers on the first day of the free-agency period.
"I told them when I got to Seattle, I don't even want to go to free agency, I love it here," Manuel said. "The only thing I asked is that you take care of me, that I get the chance to be the guy. The salary was never an issue. I am a lunch pail worker. Take care of me, a sixth-round draft pick, pay me what the average guy is getting, and I'll be fine.
"Coaching and management said different things, 'Well, we'll see what we can do (about extending a contract).' To say that after everything that went on?
"I was tired of being Ken Hamlin's replacement. I didn't care about the fame, but I was always going to be looked at as a sixth-round draft pick."
In Green Bay, Manuel feels wanted, needed and respected, and he hasn't even practiced a snap yet - he is still cautiously rehabilitating that groin pull. Manuel sat out all of the first minicamp last weekend.
"Charles Woodson, I'm not like them big-time guys," Manuel said. "I'm just a guy that's going to come in and make the football team better. Going to do all the dirty work, do a lot of things that other people don't do. Probably won't get a lot of fame for it. But I want to come in and make the team better."
It's a role that's been ingrained in Manuel since childhood.
Family matters
Manuel's parents, Marge "Mary" Manuel and John Eaford, have 18 children, 22 grandchildren (including Manuel's infant daughter) and one great-grandchild. It's a blended family; Mary and John each had kids before they married one another, and then they had more kids together.
For about 20 years, Eaford was a warehouse manager for a Miami, Fla., company that distributed products such as paper cups and paper plates. Mary was a stay-at-home mom for the most part. Clipping coupons, the couple made sure their kids always had dinner and plenty left for seconds, and nice clothes, even if some were hand-me-downs from older siblings. The children now range from age 39 to 14, so there were usually no more than nine at a time living in their three-bedroom home. The Manuel-Eaford family has at least one birthday to celebrate every month of the year.
"I wouldn't change anything," Manuel said. "That taught me how to be a people person."
One sister is graduating from the University of South Florida, one brother worked for a print shop for 15 years, another brother drives a city bus, another sister is training to be a nurse.
It was oldest brother John who was Manuel's football role model, as Eaford and Manuel attended John's high school games. John, a Parade All-American, went on to play linebacker at Florida State beginning in 1984 until he was hit by another car in an accident that left him in a temporary coma, but John would teach Manuel many of the fundamentals of tackling.
Brains and brawn
While Manuel had exceptional football talent, he was also bright, and it was clear from the start where the family's priorities were. When Manuel was 9 years old, he skipped school with some friends to play a neighborhood football game, and his mom happened to spot him on her way to the store.
"They didn't have child abuse back then," Manuel said with a huge grin.
A high honor-roll student at Miami Senior High, Manuel played with six future National Football League players - Andre Johnson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2003 draft with Houston; running back Sedrick Irvin (formerly of Miami and Detroit); defensive back Blue Adams (Tampa Bay); receiver Roscoe Parrish (Buffalo); guard / tackle Jamaal Jackson (Philadelphia); and Packers safety Atari Bigby, who is playing in NFL Europe. Miami Senior was 10-0 one year and ranked 14th in the country.
Manuel played defensive back and receiver, but he stood out for his maturity and leadership.
"I had a rule: If you fight during that week that we're playing a game, you're suspended," said Nigel Dunn, an 18-year coaching veteran in Miami and Manuel's coach at the time. "I remember one of his teammates who was jealous of him, wanted to fight him. Marquand grabbed him and said, 'Look, I don't want to fight you.' Marquand would have beaten this kid. When Marquand let him go, he punched Marquand in the mouth. Most kids would have forgot all about, 'I'm a captain' and all that stuff.
"He grabbed the kid and said, 'Look, I don't want to fight you and I am not going to get suspended because of you.' To me that was so big. I will always remember that."
Ups, downs at Florida
At the University of Florida, Manuel excelled his first two seasons, starting every game at strong safety as a sophomore in 1999. That year was his best: 118 tackles, three interceptions, a forced fumble, two sacks and four passes defended.
Then his numbers dropped his junior and senior years, as did his playing time, even though he remained a starter. Manuel moved around some and even played some at linebacker, but as a senior he played about one-third less snaps than usual.
"But he always kept his head up," Dunn said. "He got screwed the last two years, we all knew it, the people of Miami knew it, and he knew it. He always kept his head above it when he wasn't playing. It showed a lot of class."
Manuel was still listed by The Sporting News as one of top seven safeties in the nation. And academically, he was a star. Manuel earned his criminology degree in less than three years, taking as many as 20 credit hours a semester and doing both summer-school sessions.
"At Florida, it's a very selective major. They only take students based totally on their GPA," said Tony Meacham, an academic counselor at Florida for 10 years. Manuel maintained a 3.5 average all while playing Southeastern Conference football.
"It could be engineers, in this case criminology, it's like the same level of commitment," Meacham said. "You can't decide you're going to be an average student. You kind of have to commit to being a B, B-plus student in everything you do."
After realizing law school wasn't for him, Manuel started studying for his master's degree in counselor education, specializing in mental health. He was drafted in 2002 by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round.
His debut with the Bengals seemed promising. He started eight games and had 41 tackles and two passes defended. But then Manuel started just the opener in 2003 and never again after that. His playing time diminished.
"That next year I came back," Manuel said. "And they had signed Kim Herring to a deal, a big deal, re-signed Rodgers Beckett, re-signed Kevin Kaesviharn, and got Madieu Williams, a second-round draft pick. So, count it. You keep four safeties. After you do the math, and I was behind another rookie draft pick, I was sixth on the depth chart."
Thompson snaps up Manuel
Manuel was placed on waivers before the 2004 season and Thompson, in his final year as general manager with Seattle, snapped up Manuel right away.
"We were a little bit surprised that he was on waivers," Thompson said. "We had scouted him in college pretty thoroughly. We were kind of excited when we got him."
That year Manuel's contributions were on special teams and later the nickel defense.
In 2005, however, when Hamlin was lost for the season after he suffered head injuries from a fight outside a Seattle nightclub, Manuel took over midseason at free safety, starting the final 13 games up to the Super Bowl. He was tied for third among Seahawks defenders with 67 tackles, and had two passes defended and one fumble recovery.
"(Seattle defensive coordinator) Ray Rhodes says this all the time: Thank (Cincinnati coach) Marvin Lewis for cutting you, because you wouldn't be the player that you are now," Manuel said.
In Green Bay, Manuel is reunited with defensive coordinator Bob Sanders, who was on the Gators staff during Manuel's time at Florida. Manuel likes Sanders' scheme and spent the weekend of the first minicamp sometimes in the corner of the field with the better viewpoint of watching the plays and defenses develop.
He's not sure if he'll be ready for the next minicamp, which runs Friday through next Sunday, but he is sure he'll be ready to play by training camp in July.
"It's a great story," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said of Manuel at the Super Bowl. "He is one of 18 children. He has had to battle for his place his whole life. He appreciates everything. He works hard for everything. He doesn't expect anything to be given to him, and I can't say enough about the young guy."
There seems to be a trend regarding the type of players Thompson is going after. He is looking for blue collar guys with leadership abilities. Manuel, Kampman, Driver and Hawk all fit into this category. It may provide some insight as to why Thompson was willing to extend Driver's contract, but not Walker's. Thompson may have been unwilling to pay huge bucks for a guy who, although a great athlete, came up short in some other areas.
I think Thompson also feels Manuel offers more in this area than Mark Roman who, as we have seen, asked to be released when Thompson provided him with some competition. If Manuel can stay healthy, I think he may turn out to be a more significant addition than a lot of people are thinking right now.