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Thompson's '05 draft might offer little help
Posted: July 20, 2006
Rick Braun
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Green Bay - With the beginning of training camp just a little more than a week away the Green Bay Packers sit on a precipice.
Which way will they go in 2006?
Will general manager Ted Thompson's two years of acquisitions pan out?
Will new coach Mike McCarthy end up being an inspired choice or just another in a long list of coaches who didn't quite cut the mustard in the National Football League?
If McCarthy doesn't succeed, will it be because of his failings or the failings of the players Thompson gave him?
Safeties Nick Collins (36) and Marviel Underwood were two of 11 players drafted by Green Bay's GM Ted Thompson in 2005. Collins is a starter.
Or, as Packer fans have to be hoping, will the Packers become one of the pleasant surprises of the league in 2006?
Those questions will all eventually be answered, but there is so much more at stake than just what happens in the 2006 season.
While Thompson certainly appears cool on the outside, he has to feel a certain amount of weight on his shoulders.
He's had two drafts, two free-agent seasons and now has his own coach in place. Yes, he might still have a bit of a credit limit left on his "Sherman Card" - that's the bit of slack he can be cut after inheriting a roster that wasn't exactly stocked with impact players after former GM and coach Mike Sherman's four-season stint as the man in charge of all things Packer.
But if the Packers are to surprise in 2006, at least a few players from Thompson's 2005 draft must step up and make an impact.
Two players are gone from that class: Injured wide receiver Terrence Murphy and late-pick wide receiver Craig Bragg.
In the case of Murphy, it was simply bad fortune as a neck injury and the discovery of a narrowing of the spinal column forced the Packers to waive a promising prospect.
In the case of Bragg, well, not every draft pick makes it.
But what might be cause for concern is what do the Packers expect out of the rest of that 2005 class this season?
Right now they don't expect anything out of first-round pick Aaron Rodgers - at least they hope they don't have to expect anything. If Rodgers is needed, that means legendary quarterback Brett Favre has been injured. And Rodgers didn't have the kind of summer that made jaws drop in the May and June minicamps.
Safety Nick Collins started all 16 games a year ago and is expected to continue his development. With a year under his belt, he could turn into a big-play safety, and sooner rather than later.
But out of the rest of that class, is there really anyone expected to do big things in 2006? Right now the answer appears to be "No."
In order, the remaining picks were: Murphy in the second round; safety Marviel Underwood in the fourth round; linebacker Brady Poppinga in the fourth round; guard Junius Coston in the fifth round; cornerback Mike Hawkins in the fifth round; defensive end Mike Montgomery in the sixth round; Bragg; linebacker Kurt Campbell in the seventh round; and offensive lineman Will Whitticker in the seventh round.
Just guessing here, but there doesn't appear to be any quick breakouts in the list.
Underwood isn't expected to step up and win a starting spot as he remains behind Collins and free-agent prize Marquand Manuel and is no lock to beat out Mark Roman.
Poppinga is coming off an anterior cruciate ligament injury and already will be 27 just two weeks into the season because he did the Mormon mission thing while at Brigham Young. With the drafting of A.J. Hawk and Abdul Hodge, Poppinga will have his hands full just to win a roster spot.
Coston didn't play a down last season and now has to beat out three more linemen picked in this year's draft. If he doesn't develop quickly, he might be gone.
Hawkins had the "raw" excuse last year. He won't get that slack this season, but he does have great athletic skills. Nonetheless, he'll have to put them on display right away.
Montgomery has promise, but he won't be beating out Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila or Aaron Kampman in this training camp.
Campbell missed all of last season with a knee injury, and now there's a glut at linebacker. If he wins a spot, it will be against huge odds.
And Whitticker is penciled in as having to win a backup spot at tackle after having started all of last season at guard.
So for now, there doesn't appear to be an awful lot of immediate help coming from the 2005 draft.
Just guessing here, but by the end of training camp, the 11-player draft class of 2005 will be down to a class of five or six players, tops. And as of right now, only Collins looks like a starter.
It's still early to rate the class of 2005, but one can bet Thompson will be feeling some pressure as he charts its progress in training camp.
Posted: July 20, 2006
Rick Braun
Green Bay - With the beginning of training camp just a little more than a week away the Green Bay Packers sit on a precipice.
Which way will they go in 2006?
Will general manager Ted Thompson's two years of acquisitions pan out?
Will new coach Mike McCarthy end up being an inspired choice or just another in a long list of coaches who didn't quite cut the mustard in the National Football League?
If McCarthy doesn't succeed, will it be because of his failings or the failings of the players Thompson gave him?
Safeties Nick Collins (36) and Marviel Underwood were two of 11 players drafted by Green Bay's GM Ted Thompson in 2005. Collins is a starter.
Or, as Packer fans have to be hoping, will the Packers become one of the pleasant surprises of the league in 2006?
Those questions will all eventually be answered, but there is so much more at stake than just what happens in the 2006 season.
While Thompson certainly appears cool on the outside, he has to feel a certain amount of weight on his shoulders.
He's had two drafts, two free-agent seasons and now has his own coach in place. Yes, he might still have a bit of a credit limit left on his "Sherman Card" - that's the bit of slack he can be cut after inheriting a roster that wasn't exactly stocked with impact players after former GM and coach Mike Sherman's four-season stint as the man in charge of all things Packer.
But if the Packers are to surprise in 2006, at least a few players from Thompson's 2005 draft must step up and make an impact.
Two players are gone from that class: Injured wide receiver Terrence Murphy and late-pick wide receiver Craig Bragg.
In the case of Murphy, it was simply bad fortune as a neck injury and the discovery of a narrowing of the spinal column forced the Packers to waive a promising prospect.
In the case of Bragg, well, not every draft pick makes it.
But what might be cause for concern is what do the Packers expect out of the rest of that 2005 class this season?
Right now they don't expect anything out of first-round pick Aaron Rodgers - at least they hope they don't have to expect anything. If Rodgers is needed, that means legendary quarterback Brett Favre has been injured. And Rodgers didn't have the kind of summer that made jaws drop in the May and June minicamps.
Safety Nick Collins started all 16 games a year ago and is expected to continue his development. With a year under his belt, he could turn into a big-play safety, and sooner rather than later.
But out of the rest of that class, is there really anyone expected to do big things in 2006? Right now the answer appears to be "No."
In order, the remaining picks were: Murphy in the second round; safety Marviel Underwood in the fourth round; linebacker Brady Poppinga in the fourth round; guard Junius Coston in the fifth round; cornerback Mike Hawkins in the fifth round; defensive end Mike Montgomery in the sixth round; Bragg; linebacker Kurt Campbell in the seventh round; and offensive lineman Will Whitticker in the seventh round.
Just guessing here, but there doesn't appear to be any quick breakouts in the list.
Underwood isn't expected to step up and win a starting spot as he remains behind Collins and free-agent prize Marquand Manuel and is no lock to beat out Mark Roman.
Poppinga is coming off an anterior cruciate ligament injury and already will be 27 just two weeks into the season because he did the Mormon mission thing while at Brigham Young. With the drafting of A.J. Hawk and Abdul Hodge, Poppinga will have his hands full just to win a roster spot.
Coston didn't play a down last season and now has to beat out three more linemen picked in this year's draft. If he doesn't develop quickly, he might be gone.
Hawkins had the "raw" excuse last year. He won't get that slack this season, but he does have great athletic skills. Nonetheless, he'll have to put them on display right away.
Montgomery has promise, but he won't be beating out Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila or Aaron Kampman in this training camp.
Campbell missed all of last season with a knee injury, and now there's a glut at linebacker. If he wins a spot, it will be against huge odds.
And Whitticker is penciled in as having to win a backup spot at tackle after having started all of last season at guard.
So for now, there doesn't appear to be an awful lot of immediate help coming from the 2005 draft.
Just guessing here, but by the end of training camp, the 11-player draft class of 2005 will be down to a class of five or six players, tops. And as of right now, only Collins looks like a starter.
It's still early to rate the class of 2005, but one can bet Thompson will be feeling some pressure as he charts its progress in training camp.
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