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THU., JUL 20, 2006 - 11:27 PM
Donald's driving, but who's riding with him?
JASON WILDE 608-252-6176
jwilde@madison.com
GREEN BAY - Wide receiver is not, Mike McCarthy will tell you, one of those positions where there are a group of candidates for a starting job only because, well, somebody has to start.
No, the Green Bay Packers new coach believes whoever lines up opposite Donald Driver - now the team's unquestioned go-to guy after the offseason trade of disgruntled ex-Pro Bowler Javon Walker and Driver's 2005 career highs in receptions (86) and yards (1,221) - will have earned the position.
Of course, there's also the possibility no one will stand out and somebody will have to start by default.
"I hope not. I hope someone jumps up," said McCarthy, who'll open his first training camp a week from today. "The thing about that group, there's going to be a lot of competition there. It's going to be a good group."
Maybe it will, but Driver, who became the Packers' lone consistent receiving threat last year after Walker's season-ending knee injury in the opener, is the only proven commodity.
"We're very pleased that Donald Driver is our lead guy," said general manager Ted Thompson, who gave Driver a four-year, $17•million contract extension in May. "He's a credit to this organization and we're very proud to have him."
After Driver, a pair of 2001 draft disappointments - Robert Ferguson and Rod Gardner - are the leading candidates to start on the other side. Ferguson, whom the Packers drafted in the second round that year, has suffered about every injury imaginable - he's played in all 16 games only once in five years - and caught 27 passes for 366 yards in 11 games last year.
He also was the target of criticism after he was the intended target on a number of quarterback Brett Favre's early-season interceptions.
"I really like Fergie. I think he's really a tough, tough guy," offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said.
"But at the moment of truth, when the ball's in the air and it's a 50-50 ball, it's got to be his. That's really the gist of our conversations that we've had together."
Added Thompson: "We're looking for him to really step forward."
The Packers picked up Gardner, the 15th overall pick in 2001, late last season after he was released by Carolina. Gardner had one 1,000-yard season with Washington (2002) but hasn't lived up to his draft status. He signed a one-year deal with the Packers in the offseason, then failed to attend the second minicamp and half of the organized team activity practices.
McCarthy and Jagodzinski clearly were annoyed by Gardner's half-hearted attendance, but because the workouts were technically voluntary - McCarthy called them "highly recommendable" - there was little the coaches could do.
Thompson called Gardner "an outstanding physically talented player, who has had some ups and downs in his career. We're looking forward to seeing how he does in this competitive environment."
Behind that tandem is another veteran, former Kansas City Chiefs receiver Marc Boerigter, another free agent who signed a one-year deal. Unlike Gardner, Boerigter didn't miss a single offseason workout but was inconsistent, making several fabulous catches but dropping a number of easy balls.The coaches were quite taken with rookie second-round pick Greg Jennings, who played at Western Michigan after being snubbed by Michigan. He impressed the staff with his route-running and quickness in and out of breaks.
"Plus, he's smart," McCarthy said. "Mentally, he's a sponge. And obviously that helps him."
After Jennings, fourth-round pick Corey Rodgers is more likely to contribute on special teams after playing in a run-oriented offense at Texas Christian, while Ruvell Martin, Vince Butler and Chad Lucas lead a crew of youngsters vying for the final roster spot if the team keeps six wideouts.
"There's no way of telling who the final guys are going to be just yet. We have a lot of young guys and a lot of new faces," Thompson said.
"You never know how it's going to wash out, but at the end of the day we think we're going to have a good group there."
Donald's driving, but who's riding with him?
JASON WILDE 608-252-6176
jwilde@madison.com
GREEN BAY - Wide receiver is not, Mike McCarthy will tell you, one of those positions where there are a group of candidates for a starting job only because, well, somebody has to start.
No, the Green Bay Packers new coach believes whoever lines up opposite Donald Driver - now the team's unquestioned go-to guy after the offseason trade of disgruntled ex-Pro Bowler Javon Walker and Driver's 2005 career highs in receptions (86) and yards (1,221) - will have earned the position.
Of course, there's also the possibility no one will stand out and somebody will have to start by default.
"I hope not. I hope someone jumps up," said McCarthy, who'll open his first training camp a week from today. "The thing about that group, there's going to be a lot of competition there. It's going to be a good group."
Maybe it will, but Driver, who became the Packers' lone consistent receiving threat last year after Walker's season-ending knee injury in the opener, is the only proven commodity.
"We're very pleased that Donald Driver is our lead guy," said general manager Ted Thompson, who gave Driver a four-year, $17•million contract extension in May. "He's a credit to this organization and we're very proud to have him."
After Driver, a pair of 2001 draft disappointments - Robert Ferguson and Rod Gardner - are the leading candidates to start on the other side. Ferguson, whom the Packers drafted in the second round that year, has suffered about every injury imaginable - he's played in all 16 games only once in five years - and caught 27 passes for 366 yards in 11 games last year.
He also was the target of criticism after he was the intended target on a number of quarterback Brett Favre's early-season interceptions.
"I really like Fergie. I think he's really a tough, tough guy," offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said.
"But at the moment of truth, when the ball's in the air and it's a 50-50 ball, it's got to be his. That's really the gist of our conversations that we've had together."
Added Thompson: "We're looking for him to really step forward."
The Packers picked up Gardner, the 15th overall pick in 2001, late last season after he was released by Carolina. Gardner had one 1,000-yard season with Washington (2002) but hasn't lived up to his draft status. He signed a one-year deal with the Packers in the offseason, then failed to attend the second minicamp and half of the organized team activity practices.
McCarthy and Jagodzinski clearly were annoyed by Gardner's half-hearted attendance, but because the workouts were technically voluntary - McCarthy called them "highly recommendable" - there was little the coaches could do.
Thompson called Gardner "an outstanding physically talented player, who has had some ups and downs in his career. We're looking forward to seeing how he does in this competitive environment."
Behind that tandem is another veteran, former Kansas City Chiefs receiver Marc Boerigter, another free agent who signed a one-year deal. Unlike Gardner, Boerigter didn't miss a single offseason workout but was inconsistent, making several fabulous catches but dropping a number of easy balls.The coaches were quite taken with rookie second-round pick Greg Jennings, who played at Western Michigan after being snubbed by Michigan. He impressed the staff with his route-running and quickness in and out of breaks.
"Plus, he's smart," McCarthy said. "Mentally, he's a sponge. And obviously that helps him."
After Jennings, fourth-round pick Corey Rodgers is more likely to contribute on special teams after playing in a run-oriented offense at Texas Christian, while Ruvell Martin, Vince Butler and Chad Lucas lead a crew of youngsters vying for the final roster spot if the team keeps six wideouts.
"There's no way of telling who the final guys are going to be just yet. We have a lot of young guys and a lot of new faces," Thompson said.
"You never know how it's going to wash out, but at the end of the day we think we're going to have a good group there."
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