Jermichael Finley

[Packman_26]

Aside from a drop tonight Finley looked like a showstopper. It's also easy to forget that he came out of college VERY early. When it was mentioned that he could still be catching passes from Colt McCoy, I got to thinking....
If he went back into the draft, where would he be taken this year? He is obviously very talented and has proven more than any college guy has, but he plays TE and its not all that often a TE gets taken very high.
Would he be a top 5 (Vernon Davis) type pick?

[channtheman]

His second TD catch was a thing of beauty. This guy is going to be special.

I don't know where he would be picked. Though if he lit up the college scene he probably could have been a first rounder and made a lot more money. Our gain.

[Kiwon]

His second TD catch was a thing of beauty. This guy is going to be special.

The guy throwing him the ball is making him look even better. Hopefully they will be playing together in the Pro Bowl in the near future.

[pbmax]

His last TD, where he scored while being tackled by Ray Lewis was on a broken play when Rodgers broke the pocket. Nice job by both.

[Spaulding]

Given he came out as a red shirt sophmore you'd have to figure he would only improve his game his junior and/or senior seasons barring injuries. Especially with Texas still on the national stage and Colt slinging it left and right.

Definitely a risk with high upside in the 3rd round when we grabbed him. I'd have to think that last year he'd be valued at least as much as Pettigrew who went 20th overall.

Given he's still not a complete tight end and teams almost never (VD being the exception) value TE's high in the first, I'd think latter half of the 1st round like Pettigrew or Olsen a few years back would be reasonable to assume.

Either way a steal at this point as he's a game changer which for any round is a win situation.

[Patler]

I have a lot of respect for Finley, not because of his performances on the field but for his professionalism in getting there.

I was kind of down on him last year. Effort seemed marginal, he looked to deflect criticism, he blamed others for his failures and lack of performance. He blamed the coaches for not using him correctly, he blamed Rodgers for throwing to his back shoulder. Remember the statement he made, "I don't do no fades." or whatever it was?

McAdoo probably deserves credit for getting through to him, but Finley as a very young guy deserves a lot of credit for really turning it around in one off-season. He does what is asked, he doesn't complain and I have no doubts about his effort. He realized what needed to be done to get his career going, and he has done it. He understands how he fits into the team.

A great turnaround in one year. He matured overnight. I commend him. I hope he keeps it up, because he has an awful lot of potential.

[mraynrand]

Remember the statement he made, "I don't do no fades." .

I thought Favre said that.

[pbmax]

I have a lot of respect for Finley, not because of his performances on the field but for his professionalism in getting there.

I was kind of down on him last year. Effort seemed marginal, he looked to deflect criticism, he blamed others for his failures and lack of performance. He blamed the coaches for not using him correctly, he blamed Rodgers for throwing to his back shoulder. Remember the statement he made, "I don't do no fades." or whatever it was?

McAdoo probably deserves credit for getting through to him, but Finley as a very young guy deserves a lot of credit for really turning it around in one off-season. He does what is asked, he doesn't complain and I have no doubts about his effort. He realized what needed to be done to get his career going, and he has done it. He understands how he fits into the team.

A great turnaround in one year. He matured overnight. I commend him. I hope he keeps it up, because he has an awful lot of potential.

Agree completely. He has clearly, like Rodgers before him, bought into the idea that he can be great if he commits to the position 100%. The effect is visible for both of them during and after the games.

[Waldo]

I have a lot of respect for Finley, not because of his performances on the field but for his professionalism in getting there.

I was kind of down on him last year. Effort seemed marginal, he looked to deflect criticism, he blamed others for his failures and lack of performance. He blamed the coaches for not using him correctly, he blamed Rodgers for throwing to his back shoulder. Remember the statement he made, "I don't do no fades." or whatever it was?

McAdoo probably deserves credit for getting through to him, but Finley as a very young guy deserves a lot of credit for really turning it around in one off-season. He does what is asked, he doesn't complain and I have no doubts about his effort. He realized what needed to be done to get his career going, and he has done it. He understands how he fits into the team.

A great turnaround in one year. He matured overnight. I commend him. I hope he keeps it up, because he has an awful lot of potential.

Agree completely. He has clearly, like Rodgers before him, bought into the idea that he can be great if he commits to the position 100%. The effect is visible for both of them during and after the games.

I think that Barnett really took him under his wing, if you follow them on Twitter they seem fairly close. Which is good, both have that kinda loud arrogance to them, but Barnett knows how to keep it contained and focused.

[KYPack]

Great thread, boys.

The other thing we are getting from Finley is a natural benefit. He came in the league a scrawny kid. He is now starting to fill out and looks like he will eventually be a physically dominant player. Finely is starting to learn how to block, he evidently had done little of that in college.

The good news on Finley comes at the time when Lee appears to be regressing. Lee looked like he'd be an all-pro kind of guy a couple years ago. Now, he seems to be sliding into JAG-land.

My only reservation with Finley is his ability to take the pounding that goes with being a 3 down TE. if he can build his body and learn to block consistently, we got ourselves a big thing at that position.

[Fritz]

I have a lot of respect for Finley, not because of his performances on the field but for his professionalism in getting there.

I was kind of down on him last year. Effort seemed marginal, he looked to deflect criticism, he blamed others for his failures and lack of performance. He blamed the coaches for not using him correctly, he blamed Rodgers for throwing to his back shoulder. Remember the statement he made, "I don't do no fades." or whatever it was?

McAdoo probably deserves credit for getting through to him, but Finley as a very young guy deserves a lot of credit for really turning it around in one off-season. He does what is asked, he doesn't complain and I have no doubts about his effort. He realized what needed to be done to get his career going, and he has done it. He understands how he fits into the team.

A great turnaround in one year. He matured overnight. I commend him. I hope he keeps it up, because he has an awful lot of potential.

Agree completely. He has clearly, like Rodgers before him, bought into the idea that he can be great if he commits to the position 100%. The effect is visible for both of them during and after the games.

I think that Barnett really took him under his wing, if you follow them on Twitter they seem fairly close. Which is good, both have that kinda loud arrogance to them, but Barnett knows how to keep it contained and focused.

About Barnett...he made a spectacular leg/ankle tackle late in the game on Ray Rice on a first down - and he quietly pointed with both hands up to the stands or over to the sideline. No big demonstrations from Barnett. Changing his style?

Finley - as for him, I agree with Patler. I called the guy "Jerkmichael" last year, but he really has seemed to have grown up. It's nice to see - he somehow seems to have recognized what it takes to be a professional, and is doing that and seeing results.

[Scott Campbell]

He's getting more and more targets, and delivering. I think he's going to eat into the other WR catches, but that should be a good thing.

[Little Whiskey]

I started Finley on my fantasy team this past week, w/ rodgers as my qb. needless to say i won the game!! its nice when two throws score you 24points.

[MichiganPackerFan]

I thought that was a great catch that he pulled away from the defender in the end zone.

[Smidgeon]

I thought that was a great catch that he pulled away from the defender in the end zone.

I loved that catch because it demonstrates the strides he's made as a receiver since last year. Last year he had three opportunities like that (that I can remember) and missed them all. He was thrown a jump ball and whiffed. This time he jumped and caught the ball with a defender draped all over him. Pretty impressive.