OTA Practice 6/4

[vince]

OTA No. 3: The blitz
Quick hits from the 1-hour, 50-minute workout inside The Don Hutson Center today ...

* DT Ryan Pickett missed practice; it was known he'd miss time at some point because of family obligations. Also missing were DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, who had knee surgery last week; CB Will Blackmon (foot); and the two Portland State rookies, CB Condrew Allen and C Brennen Carvalho.

* TE Joey Haynos sat out with a hamstring injury. Other players who still aren't practicing because of injuries but rehabbed were DTs Colin Cole, Daniel Muir and Johnny Jolly; FB John Kuhn; and OLs Tony Moll and Cameron Stephenson. RB Ryan Grant remains sidelined by his contract issue.

* Pickett's absence, combined with all the injuries, yielded a No. 1 defensive line of Aaron Kampman and Michael Montgomery at the ends and Cullen Jenkins and Alfred Malone inside.

* Malone, LBs A.J. Hawk and Abdul Hodge and DE Jason Hunter batted down passes during team drills.

* Montgomery elicited yells when he sent G Daryn into a backwards somersault during 1-on-1 pass rushing.

* MLB Nick Barnett returned to practice after skipping it last week.

* With starting CBs Charles Woodson and Al Harris on the field at the same time, Tramon Williams was the third CB in the nickel package.

* Orrin Thompson continues to work at LT while veteran Chad Clifton rests. Allen Barbre worked at LG with the first unit.

* TE Tory Humphrey, who made his OTA debut Tuesday, opened team (11-on-11) periods alongside starter Donald Lee in a two-tight set with the No. 1 offense.

* Junius Coston is getting a lot of work at center, including some today with the No. 1 offense. But he was yanked after an illegal snap during the blitz period. Rookie WR Jake Allen also had a false start and was pulled.

* S Nick Collins intercepted Rodgers over the middle during a team period. Rodgers was sandwiched on the play and ended up on the ground. It was tough to tell whether the contact affected the throw, but coach Mike McCarthy said it shouldn't have been made regardless.

* Rookie QB Matt Flynn started 0-for-4 passing during team drills before finally hitting Chris Francies, who slipped behind Jarrett Bush at the left sideline.

* Tramon Williams and rookie Jordy Nelson took the first reps as kick returners. A bunch of others rotated in, including Brandon Jackson, Vernand Morency, DeShawn Wynn, Brett Swain, Taj Smith and Kregg Lumpkin.

* It was a rather rough day for the rookie QBs. Not including the initial screens and deceptions period, Rodgers was 11-for-17 in team drills, while Brian Brohm was 4-for-9 and Flynn 2-for-7. Several times, Brohm waited so long to get rid of the ball he probably would have been sacked in a live environment. McCarthy noted the team was working a lot of jam, blitz and third-down stuff that challenged the quarterbacks and the protection.

* In 7-on-7 passing, Rodgers was 6-for-8, Brohm 4-for-6 and Flynn 2-for-3. Rookies Swain and Rod Harper had drops.

That's it for today in the blog, though stories will start being published online tonight. The final open OTA practice is next Thursday, June 12.

-- Tom Pelissero, tpelisse@greenbaypressgazette.com

One step closer to Barbre taking over at LG...

[Iron Mike]

Is it just me, or does anyone else start laughing when they read Kregg Lumpkin????

[motife]

Quick hits from Wednesday’s OTA
By Steve Lawrence
steve_lawrence_packers@yahoo.com
Posted Jun 4, 2008

Cornerback Al Harris practices, rookie tight end Jermichael Finley is injured, the team is standing behind running back Noah Herron after foiled robbery.

Cornerback Al Harris is practicing this week for this first time in this year’s organized team activities.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy was happy to see the 33-year-old in attendance and didn’t seem concerned that it took him to the third week of OTAs to make his debut.

“Al keeps him self in great shape. He’s a player we don’t get ourselves concerned with as far as getting out of shape,” McCarthy said after Thursday’s practice. “Just watching him work post-practice with (defensive backs coach) Lionel Washington, I don’t have any concerns.”

Nonetheless, McCarthy stressed the importance of these voluntary workouts.

“The offseason is very important,” McCarthy said. “We have a very distorted training camp schedule compared to ones in the past (with camp starting on a Monday instead of the usual Saturday). There’s an amount of work that needs to be done, and these OTAs are important and our minicamp in a couple of weeks is important. It’s important for Al be here because the practices are less that what we’ve done the last couple of years in training camp.”

Fellow starting corner Charles Woodson is practicing for a second straight week. Starting middle linebacker Nick Barnett, absent last week, was back.

Finley injured

Rookie tight end Jermichael Finley was injured during practice when he collided with linebacker Desmond Bishop and safety Aaron Rouse while airborne for a pass.

While he left the field under his own power, he watched the rest of practice with a wrap on his right calf. After practice, he was walking without much of a limp, and said he got the wind knocked out of him when his knee hit his chest when he landed.

“We’re looking at his shin and ankle” is all McCarthy would say.

Humphrey returns

While the Packers lost one tight end, they regained the services of Tory Humphrey, who missed all of last season after breaking a leg on the first day of training camp.

Humphrey returned to practice on Tuesday.

“It’s great to see him back,” McCarthy said. “It’s been a long road back for him. ... He’s a unique player that I was very high on last year.”

Standing behind Herron

McCarthy said the team is standing behind running back Noah Herron, who thwarted a would-be robbery at his suburban Green Bay home on May 30 by attacking one of the alleged intruders with a bed post.

“He handled it probably the best he could. It’s a tough time,” McCarthy said, refusing to go into detail because the incident is under investigation.

Practice updates

The Packers have released their minicamp schedule, with all three practices from June 17-19 starting at 10:15 a.m. inside the Don Hutson Center.

As has been the case for the OTAs, fans will be allowed to watch a portion of practice, but will be removed once 11-on-11 drills begin because of space and safety concerns.

Also on Tuesday, the Packers announced that the final OTA open to reporters and the public will be on Thursday, June 12, instead of Wednesday, June 11. That practice will start at 11:15 a.m.

Steve Lawrence is a frequent contributor to PackerReport.com. E-mail him at steve_lawrence_packers@yahoo.com

[motife]

Only the strong will survive at left guard
steve_lawrence_packers@yahoo.com
Posted Jun 2, 2008

The battle between Daryn Colledge and Allen Barbre started in the weight room and will be a focal point of training camp.

Their on-the-field battle began with the start of organized team activities a couple of weeks ago, and will heat up when training camp starts on July 28.
But the battle to be the starting left guard has been brewing since shortly after the Packers lost in the NFC championship game.

Both incumbent starter Daryn Colledge and the promising Allen Barbre, a fourth-round pick last year, have made impressive gains in the weight room this offseason. Both have gained about 5 points since last season, and that extra weight certainly didn’t come from supersizing at the drive-thru and loitering at the buffet.

Last season, Colledge too often was overpowered by bigger defensive tackles, and there are a lot of those in the NFC North. It’s clear he has put in the time to prevent that from happening in 2008.

One peek at Barbre, and it’s easy to think of Mike Wahle.

Wahle arrived in Green Bay as a former tight end at Navy. After a few years in Green Bay, he had molded his body into a muscular but not bulky powerhouse. Barbre has done the same this offseason, reportedly cutting 10 pounds of fat while gaining 16 pounds of muscle.

Combine his remarkable strength gains with his athleticism — in addition to starting at offensive tackle at Division II Missouri Southern, he was a gunner on the punt team — and that’s why he’s probably ahead of Colledge by a nose at this early stage.

“I understand the scheme better, I’ve been here a little bit, (so) stronger, faster,” the soft-spoken Barbre said on Thursday. “Working on my technique and keep improving every time.”

Strength obviously won’t be the determining factor in the battle. Including the postseason, Colledge has 30 NFL starts to his credit. He’s a former second-round pick the Packers still think highly of, and he doesn’t have to take much of a back seat to Barbre in terms of athleticism.

Offensive line play often is about mind-set. Colledge has responded when pushed in the past, so maybe a camp-long battle will help him elevate his game permanently.

Or maybe Barbre, who has more of a fire beneath his public demeanor, will seize the position for the next decade.

Whatever, a little competition is never a bad thing, especially for a team like the Packers, who focus on improvement from within rather than improvement through free agency.

“It’s good for our team. It’s a great opportunity to battle,” Barbre said. “Whatever happens, happens. It’s going to make our team better.”

[motife]

Cullen Jenkins' ability to play both defensive end and tackle, much like Kampman's, helps his stock among the Packers. It's not as high as Kampman, who made the Pro Bowl the last two seasons, but it's right up there.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy summed it up best the other day when a reporter asked him if Jenkins is an end first, then a tackle.

"Depends on what down it is," quipped the coach.

How true.

Jenkins, who made the team as an undrafted free agent in 2004, was dogged by the media and fans last season because his numbers were down. In his first full season as a starting defensive end, Jenkins only had one sack and finished with 49 tackles in 16 games with 15 starts. Not what you would expect from a guy who signed a $15.5 million contract during the offseason last year. Truth is, Jenkins played with nagging ankle and knee injuries, which may have affected his production. How much? Who knows, but the injuries probably had something to do with his numbers.

Despite a subpar year last year, Jenkins will be more valuable to the Packers this year than ever before. He should be worth every penny of the four-year extension he signed last year.

With Corey Williams in Cleveland and Justin Harrell, Johnny Jolly and Gbaja-Biamila coming off surgeries in the last six months, look for the Packers to utilize Jenkins at defensive end and defensive tackle often in training camp. When the regular season begins, he'll probably be used on nearly every snap, unless Jolly or Harrell or Colin Cole make big steps in improvement.

Though Jenkins has played mainly at tackle during offseason practices, it doesn't mean he is finished as a starter at defensive end, according to McCarthy.

"Our D-line as a whole has excellent flexibility," McCarthy said. "Cullen is one of those players with the ability to play inside or outside based on situations. It's definitely been a strength of his. But it's not a matter of he's going to go in there and stay in there. He'll play inside and outside."

Jenkins has proved to be effective against the run on early downs, so it makes sense that the Packers plan to continue with him as the starter opposite Kampman. Using Jenkins in the middle also makes sense because he is a little quicker and flat-out better, at this time, than all of the linemen playing next to Pickett.

[texaspackerbacker]

Is it just me, or does anyone else start laughing when they read Kregg Lumpkin????

Yeah. I never saw Craig spelled like that.

[motife]

Rookie DE Jeremy Thompson 6'4" 272 and DE Jason Hunter



LB Brandon Chillar



LB Brady Poppinga



S Atari Bigby



TE Donald Lee



Mike McCarthy, James Campne, Daryn Colledge, Brian Brohm, Brandon Jackson



Rookie WR Jordy Nelson



Rookie G Josh Sitton



WR Greg Jennings



G Josh Sitton



LB Nick Barnett



WR Greg Jennings



Mark Tauscher, Jason Spitz, Allan Barbre



Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers



Defense has dominated both days



QB Matt Flynn, OT Breno Giacomini, Mark Tauscher



Tony Moll, James Campen, Chad Clifton



CB Tramon Williams, #3 CB



Jordy Nelson

[motife]

Brandon Chillar



Al Harris



Charles Woodson and Al Harris, Plaxico Burress stoppers



Brothers DE Jeremy Thompson and OT Orrin Thompson



Vernand Morency and Brandon Jackson



Donald Driver



TE's Donald Lee and Tory Humphrey with Aaron Rodgers and Tony Moll



Ryan Grant, Mike McCarthy, Edgar Bennett, Deshawn Wynn, and Noah Herron



Aaron Rodgers

[RashanGary]

Brady Poppinga looks to be in great shape. Tramon Williams also looks to be in fantastic shape. He looks very strong and lean. Perfect for a CB. Really, nobody looks to be in poor shape this year. For all of the talk of improving from within, the Packers seem to be taking it very seriously. I can't wait to see Nelson really grow into his body and Giacomini looks very athletic and has a big frame. There is some real potential as he fills out. I love Sitton's size. It's nice to have a big lineman finially.

Jennings also looks to be in the best shape of his career.

[motife]

McCarthy on Aaron Rouse :

(What kind of strides have you seen from Aaron Rouse?)
Aaron Rouse is having an excellent offseason. I'll tell you, he is very instinctive. He is getting his hands on the ball. You can see the comfort level of Aaron as a second-year player. It's kind of been the pattern around here for our young players, and I like that. It tells that the players are taking advantage of the program and the teaching. He is coming on. He is going to be someone that has a chance to maybe have an impact this year. I'm really pleased with him. I can't say enough about the way he has picked it up and his production is something that stood out in his limited opportunities last year as a rookie, and he really has picked up on that.

(How much of an opportunity will he get to work with the first unit?)
There is competition throughout and that's another position. I think Atari Bigby is really coming on strong. Nick Collins is as talented of a player that we have in our back end of the defensive perimeter. Charlie Peprah is another young man that just continues to improve, so that's an excellent group. You'll see Jarrett Bush at some point start working back there too. There is a lot of talent back there. The competition has definitely picked up, so time will answer that question.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Sitton has a huge melon.

ARod always has a shit eating grin.

I expect big things from Jason Hunter. Great athlete, and he's getting bigger. He's the type of no name with athletic ability that has surprised with the Packers (Driver, KGB, Grant, Lee, Bigby, Tramon Williams).

[PackFan#1]

Sign Ryan Grant to a contract extension already! Grant is not only a real deal on the field, he's also a handsome stud who sells jerseys. Chicks are all dying to buy his pink #25.

[RashanGary]

Giacomini does not look 300 lbs. He could probably weight 330 and still look fit.

[DonHutson]

TE's Donald Lee and Tory Humphrey with Aaron Rodgers and Tony Moll

Is it just me, or does Tory Humphrey look like he just found Jesus?

[Guiness]

Giacomini does not look 300 lbs. He could probably weight 330 and still look fit.

He's 300? He sure doesn't look it. Legs aren't huge, no big gut. How tall is he?