P Jon Ryan Friday: 8 punts, 63.1 ydavg, 4.56 hang time

[HarveyWallbangers]

This has been mentioned before, but that dude is one really white mutha fucka. I'm going to call him Powder from now on.

[oregonpackfan]

Perhaps the Packers can finally get rid of the B.J. Sanders draft mistake.

Oregonpackfan

[red]

Perhaps the Packers can finally get rid of the B.J. Sanders draft mistake.

Oregonpackfan

maybe we can trade him to the texans for a 3rd rounder?

[Tarlam!]

Perhaps the Packers can finally get rid of the B.J. Sanders draft mistake.

Oregonpackfan

maybe we can trade him to the texans for a 3rd rounder?

Are you kidding? Nothing less than a second and two players!!! Shermy is buying!

[Guiness]

You're right Sham - we've got to see him at full speed. However, I think he's more seasoned than a college kid, because a couple of years in the CFL helps. With its wider field, it's harder to block rushers, so it's not like he'd have more time to get them off than in the NFL.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think in Winnipeg last year, he lined up further from the line of scrimmage than most punters, to give him that extra .2 seconds or so that it takes him to get through his delivery. I don't know if Davis can handle that, or if it would cause him to get run over.

You do make a good point though. I've mentioned before, the punter for my university team routinely smoked 70 yarders. He never went anywhere.

Ok though - can't we invite JW back for just ONE day so this guy can hoof him one in the nutz???

[woodbuck27]

Anybody know if he can kick off?

CFL future HOFer Troy Westwood handled both kickoff and FG duty for the Winnepeg Blue Bombers the two Seasons that Jon Ryan star'd with them as their punter (2004-05).

Jon Ryan was a star punter and also a slotback in College and is considered very athletic and intelligent. He's coachable and still has an upside as a punter. I won't be in the least surprised if he becomes a Packer considering BJ Sanders results with us.

Jon Ryan is flat out an exceptionally gifted punter and we are very fortunate to have the opportunity to test him and gain the benefit his talents.

[Scott Campbell]

Anybody know if he can kick off?

CFL future HOFer Troy Westwood handled both kickoff and FG duty for the Winnepeg Blue Bombers the two Seasons that Jon Ryan starred with them as their punter (2004-05).

Was that guy so long on kick offs that there never was any need to try Ryan? I'm wondering if Ryan can't do it, or if they just didn't need him to do it.

Cundiff isn't supposed to have very long kick offs.

[motife]

Here's the quote McCarthy had about the percussive sound of Ryan's punts :

“The balls have been coming off his foot,” said Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who said he missed Ryan’s punting exhibition because he was working with the quarterbacks. “You guys can probably hear it over on the sidelines.”

Not to mention downtown Ashwaubenon and south to De Pere.

“He’s got a very explosive leg,” McCarthy added.

For his part, Ryan remained low key about his stunning performance, noting that this was just one day of practice some three months before the season begins.

“He’s had some great days. I think today I had a fairly good day, but it's a long haul from here until the season starts,” said Ryan, who averaged a CFL-record 50.6 yards per punt last season with Winnipeg, which makes the Frozen Tundra seem like a day at the beach. “We’re going to have a lot of days and a lot of punting ahead of us. You’re not going to win the job in one day, that’s for sure.”

It’s hardly breaking news that Sander’s job is in jeopardy. He ranked 30th in the NFL in punting last season, getting progressively worse as the season grew progressively colder. And Mike Sherman, the man who so foolishly traded up to grab Sander in the third round in 2004, is no longer here to be Sander’s protective big brother.

The key for Ryan is to not just have one huge day, but a lot of solid days. He’s an NFL novice who hasn’t been challenged with an all-out punt-block charge. The world’s strongest leg doesn’t matter at all if the punt’s getting blocked into your face. Hang time, which isn’t the vital stat on the bigger fields of the CFL as it is in the NFL, will be a key. So will consistency; a pair of 45-yard punts is infinitely better than a 65-yarder and a 30-yarder, even though the latter’s average is greater.

“If I stay focused back there and don't try to kill it, that's when I usually get my good ones,” Ryan said. “I can hit them 55, 65 yards. I'll take it. It’s just one of those things I’ve been working on — the hang time — and it’s coming more naturally now.”

The Packers gave Ryan a paltry $35,000 bonus to challenge Sander. Ryan gladly took the money, no doubt seeing a golden opportunity while taking a quick scan of last year’s punting leaders.

“I think B.J.’s a great punter,” said Ryan with a surprisingly straight face after telling that whopper of a tall tale. “I’m not going to slight him whatsoever. But they expressed to me that they’re going to give me a fair shot and a fair look, and you know, that’s all you can ask for. If you can go into camp with another guy and play better than him, then they’re going to give you the spot, and I wanted to go into a situation like that.”

So far, Ryan’s on track to get that spot and boot Sander right out of town.


from the Packer Report

[woodbuck27]

Anybody know if he can kick off?

CFL future HOFer Troy Westwood handled both kickoff and FG duty for the Winnepeg Blue Bombers the two Seasons that Jon Ryan starred with them as their punter (2004-05).

Was that guy so long on kick offs that there never was any need to try Ryan? I'm wondering if Ryan can't do it, or if they just didn't need him to do it.

Cundiff isn't supposed to have very long kick offs.

Here is my take on it Scott.

Troy Westwood has been around since 1991 and a really talented kicker in the CFL. It's my guess because of his experience Westwood had dibs on the kickoff job as well as kicking FG's.

Jon Ryan was an excellent punter in College and also a top scorer on Offence as a slotback. He was drafted in the third round by the Blue bombers and was tagged to be the teams primary punter. He to my knowledge didn't get involved in kicking off as a PRO.

He has a very strong leg and certainly would be considered and tested for kickoffs by the Packers if he has the talent there. His present day load and concerns are punting and developing as a holder.

[Patler]

You're right Sham - we've got to see him at full speed. However, I think he's more seasoned than a college kid, because a couple of years in the CFL helps. With its wider field, it's harder to block rushers, so it's not like he'd have more time to get them off than in the NFL.

Actually, the article I referred to siad that "get off" times in the CFL are much longer than in the NFL. That was the basis for their main concern. Again, not that he won't be able to do it, but he might not be able to this year.

About the hang time/distance issue, they mentioned there are a number of punters now who could routinely kick 60 yarders if you wanted them to, but every kicker has to find their best balance between distance and hangtime so their coverage gets there at the proper time. For most kickers that is something under 50 yards.

I'll say this much, I would be much happier with him as a second punter than I was with Sander two years ago, simply because the upside is so much greater with him. As it is, he doesn't have to be great to beat out Sander, just being OK will do it. Then, hopefully, he will get better and better and be a long time answer to the punting revolving door we've had in GB.

[Patler]

I mentioned this last year when Longwell's kickoffs were discussed, and the possibility of using the punter. Hentrich has kicked off during his punting career too at times. NFL coaches maintain that the punting leg motion and kicking off are very different. Kicking off is more similar to place kicking. They believe that kicking off screws up the punters consistency, and can lead to injuries because of different muscle actions.

I'm not saying I agree or disagree, that is just the feeling among NFL coaches. They just don't like using punters to kick off.

[Guiness]

Get off times are slower in the CFL, eh? Odd, doesn't seem so, but I've never gotten out the stopwatch. Maybe I should.

I know that hang times are definitely lower. One reason for that is that you get a single point for punting the ball through the endzone (remember ours are 25yds deep) so I'd guess punters work on long, low drives to score those points. I saw another article that said 'because of the larger field, hang time is not as important'. That seems like a crock to me - I don't know why that would be the case.

On the other point - can't think of any punters that kick-off, myself.

[Noodle]

Like everyone else, I'm encouraged by this. Anyone know if they were kicking NFL K balls? If he was rocking K balls like that, wow!

As to the kick-off v. punting thing, have you ever seen top goal keepers in soccer? They take the goal kicks, using a kicking style identical to a kick-off, and they punt (or more commonly, drop kick), and those guys don't seem to have a problem with the transition, or with drilling the ball.

So I don't see why you wouldn't let him take a crack at it.

And I'm not so worried about his line drive kicking. That's a nice skill to have when the wind is blowing in your face on a cold December Sunday in Lambeau.

[up_packer_fan]

Perhaps the Packers can finally get rid of the B.J. Sanders draft mistake.

Oregonpackfan

maybe we can trade him to the texans for a 3rd rounder?

I would "settle" for the 4th and 5th we gave up to get him.

[jack's smirking revenge]

This has been mentioned before, but that dude is one really white mutha fucka. I'm going to call him Powder from now on.

That's funny stuff Harv. Powder it is.... Just can't play a game at Lambeau when a storm is nearby...

tyler