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SATURDAY, May 20, 2006, 3:16 p.m.
Minicamp Report - Camp 2, Day 2
A year ago, former defensive coordinator Jim Bates brought a new and much faster tempo to the defensive line’s individual drills. No unit worked any harder in the early part of practice and it’s probably safe to say the Packers’ defensive linemen worked harder than ever before, at least since the Vince Lombardi era. In nearly every drill, players were pushed and prodded to practice fast. Essentially every agility drill, any sled or dummy work, or any other kind of teaching session also became a conditioning test. This year, over two minicamps, the pace hasn’t slackened under new defensive coordinator Bob Sanders and defensive line coaches Carl Hairston and Robert Nunn. But there is one big change this year: The players. All the defensive linemen are able to handle the conditioning. Over the previous three years, there was always a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the Packers’ D-line due to injuries. A year ago, 32-year old Grady Jackson spent the first month of camp on the physically unable to perform list, while 29-year old Cletidus Hunt missed most of the practices from Aug. 5 until he was cut on Sept. 3 with tendinitis in both knees and a sore shoulder. The year before, Jackson spent the early part of camp working on conditioning and Hunt spent all of camp working himself into shape. In 2003, 32 -year old defensive end Joe Johnson practiced on a restricted basis. In both 2003 and ’04, often injured defensive end Chukie Nwokorie, who was in his late 20s, also missed extended practice time. The D-line basically needed its own infirmary. This year, the average age of the 16 defensive linemen on the Packers’ roster is 24.9. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila is the graybeard at 28. The next oldest are Kenny Peterson and Kenderick Allen at 27. It’s safe to assume that it’s by design, not happenstance, that the Packers are younger and healthier in the defensive line than in many a year. KGB hasn’t participated in this camp, but he has been one of the best conditioned players on the team. Defensive tackle Jerome Nichols played in NFL Europe and isn’t in camp. Defensive tackle Tim McGill, who was added to the practice squad late last season, hasn’t practiced due to an unannounced injury. And defensive tackles Donnell Washington and Allen could get in better shape. In fact, Allen sat out both practices Saturday with what coach Mike McCarthy called an Achilles' problem. But, overall, probably the best thing that could be said about the defensive line at this point is that it’s a hard-working group and an area that may prove to be as competitive as any in training camp. That’s a far cry from last year when it was one of the thinnest groups and Washington was able to win a spot on the roster by default. But last season also showed that if a team doesn’t have a stud defensive lineman or two, the next best thing is to have a rotation of seven or eight grunts who try hard and swarm to the football. This year’s most celebrated addition was defensive tackle Ryan Pickett and he seems to be a perfect fit in terms of his work ethic. He doesn’t appear to be any better an athlete than Corey Williams, for example, even though Pickett was a former No. 1 draft pick and Williams a sixth-round choice. But Pickett is a hustler and someone willing to jump into drills even when it isn’t his turn. That wasn't something Grady Jackson would do. He was more than happy to be a bystander during practice. And that may best explain why the Packers apparently have no interest in bringing him back.
The Packers ran 13 plays in their final team drill Saturday morning and committed three penalties: Two defensive offsides by Peterson and Johnny Jolly; and a false start by free agent tackle Josh Bourke. In the afternoon, they again had back-to-back penalties during a team drill. When players commit penalties, they are being replaced in the lineup before the next play, a new twist in the McCarthy era.
Second-round draft pick Daryn Colledge had two good sets in the one-on-one pass blocking drill Saturday afternoon. Colledge went up against Williams and Washington.
Aaron Rodgers hit wide receiver Rod Gardner on a go pattern in the morning seven-on-seven, but Rodgers also overthrew Gardner on another deep ball. Gardner had missed both practices Friday. . . Williams batted down two of Rodgers' passes in the final team drills: One in the morning, one in the afternoon. . . William Henderson reported and practiced. . . Ahmad Carroll was back practicing after missing Friday afternoon. . . Free agent linebacker Byron Santiago is out with a back injury. . . Rookie wide receiver Greg Jennings said he should have caught a deep ball thrown by Rodgers Friday and that he would have been able to keep his feet in bounds. So count that one as a drop. But Rodgers missed Jennings on a go pattern in the first team drill Saturday afternoon. . . Tight end Donald Lee had a bad drop on a pass over the middle in seven-on-seven in the morning. Marc Boerigter had just as bad a drop in the same area of the field in the afternoon.
. . Due to inclement weather, the Packers practiced in the Don Hutson Center in the afternoon.
Minicamp Report - Camp 2, Day 2
A year ago, former defensive coordinator Jim Bates brought a new and much faster tempo to the defensive line’s individual drills. No unit worked any harder in the early part of practice and it’s probably safe to say the Packers’ defensive linemen worked harder than ever before, at least since the Vince Lombardi era. In nearly every drill, players were pushed and prodded to practice fast. Essentially every agility drill, any sled or dummy work, or any other kind of teaching session also became a conditioning test. This year, over two minicamps, the pace hasn’t slackened under new defensive coordinator Bob Sanders and defensive line coaches Carl Hairston and Robert Nunn. But there is one big change this year: The players. All the defensive linemen are able to handle the conditioning. Over the previous three years, there was always a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the Packers’ D-line due to injuries. A year ago, 32-year old Grady Jackson spent the first month of camp on the physically unable to perform list, while 29-year old Cletidus Hunt missed most of the practices from Aug. 5 until he was cut on Sept. 3 with tendinitis in both knees and a sore shoulder. The year before, Jackson spent the early part of camp working on conditioning and Hunt spent all of camp working himself into shape. In 2003, 32 -year old defensive end Joe Johnson practiced on a restricted basis. In both 2003 and ’04, often injured defensive end Chukie Nwokorie, who was in his late 20s, also missed extended practice time. The D-line basically needed its own infirmary. This year, the average age of the 16 defensive linemen on the Packers’ roster is 24.9. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila is the graybeard at 28. The next oldest are Kenny Peterson and Kenderick Allen at 27. It’s safe to assume that it’s by design, not happenstance, that the Packers are younger and healthier in the defensive line than in many a year. KGB hasn’t participated in this camp, but he has been one of the best conditioned players on the team. Defensive tackle Jerome Nichols played in NFL Europe and isn’t in camp. Defensive tackle Tim McGill, who was added to the practice squad late last season, hasn’t practiced due to an unannounced injury. And defensive tackles Donnell Washington and Allen could get in better shape. In fact, Allen sat out both practices Saturday with what coach Mike McCarthy called an Achilles' problem. But, overall, probably the best thing that could be said about the defensive line at this point is that it’s a hard-working group and an area that may prove to be as competitive as any in training camp. That’s a far cry from last year when it was one of the thinnest groups and Washington was able to win a spot on the roster by default. But last season also showed that if a team doesn’t have a stud defensive lineman or two, the next best thing is to have a rotation of seven or eight grunts who try hard and swarm to the football. This year’s most celebrated addition was defensive tackle Ryan Pickett and he seems to be a perfect fit in terms of his work ethic. He doesn’t appear to be any better an athlete than Corey Williams, for example, even though Pickett was a former No. 1 draft pick and Williams a sixth-round choice. But Pickett is a hustler and someone willing to jump into drills even when it isn’t his turn. That wasn't something Grady Jackson would do. He was more than happy to be a bystander during practice. And that may best explain why the Packers apparently have no interest in bringing him back.
The Packers ran 13 plays in their final team drill Saturday morning and committed three penalties: Two defensive offsides by Peterson and Johnny Jolly; and a false start by free agent tackle Josh Bourke. In the afternoon, they again had back-to-back penalties during a team drill. When players commit penalties, they are being replaced in the lineup before the next play, a new twist in the McCarthy era.
Second-round draft pick Daryn Colledge had two good sets in the one-on-one pass blocking drill Saturday afternoon. Colledge went up against Williams and Washington.
Aaron Rodgers hit wide receiver Rod Gardner on a go pattern in the morning seven-on-seven, but Rodgers also overthrew Gardner on another deep ball. Gardner had missed both practices Friday. . . Williams batted down two of Rodgers' passes in the final team drills: One in the morning, one in the afternoon. . . William Henderson reported and practiced. . . Ahmad Carroll was back practicing after missing Friday afternoon. . . Free agent linebacker Byron Santiago is out with a back injury. . . Rookie wide receiver Greg Jennings said he should have caught a deep ball thrown by Rodgers Friday and that he would have been able to keep his feet in bounds. So count that one as a drop. But Rodgers missed Jennings on a go pattern in the first team drill Saturday afternoon. . . Tight end Donald Lee had a bad drop on a pass over the middle in seven-on-seven in the morning. Marc Boerigter had just as bad a drop in the same area of the field in the afternoon.
. . Due to inclement weather, the Packers practiced in the Don Hutson Center in the afternoon.
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