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I can't see booing any player--unless the player is slacking. This just isn't right. I saw these types at some of the training camps when I used to get out to Green Bay, and I hate it. It's classless, and it's unlike most Packer fans. Let's fact it. It isn't going to help the kid improve. In fact, it will probably contribute to a continued loss in confidence. Give the kid a chance.
Rodgers dropping the ball on punt returns
By Rob Demovsky
The way Cory Rodgers caught the ball in practice on Thursday, there's no way coach Mike McCarthy can feel comfortable putting the rookie on the field as a punt returner.
Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers' fourth-round draft pick who ranked eighth in the nation in punt return average (15.3 yards per return) last year as a junior at Texas Christian University, lined up to receive 13 punts in the non-pads, morning practice. He mishandled four of them. Two he dropped. One he juggled and one other he caught but fell in the process. Even some of the ones he caught, he looked shaky doing so.
It was a continuation of what has been nearly two weeks worth of adventurous return opportunities  not a good sign for a player who was drafted to compete with cornerback Charles Woodson for the punt return job.
The Packers saw nothing in Rodgers' college films to suggest he might have trouble catching the ball.
Working behind Robert Ferguson as the 'X,' or split end, Rodgers has not had an inordinate number of drops.
"If we were worried about it, I don't think we would have picked him," McCarthy said between practices. "He's young. Part of it, I'm not making excuses for the guy, but I can't tell you how many  those juniors  it just takes time with those guys. It's frustrating, but you have to be patient. Juniors are tough."
McCarthy apparently has more patience than the fans who lined up along Oneida Street to watch Thursday morning's practice.
"They were over there booing him," McCarthy said. "He's getting booed out at practice. That's not good. But that's all good for him. That's all part of playing in this league, because if he can't do it out here, there's no way he's going to do it up in that building (Lambeau Field)."
McCarthy almost certainly will go with Woodson as his No. 1 punt returner. He reiterated he's not opposed to using a starting position player on special teams.
Rodgers will continue working behind Woodson, who was held out of the morning practice. Rodgers split the punt return reps with second-year free agent Jerron Wishom, who caught the ball far more cleanly than did Rodgers.
"He'll get the hang of it," Wishom said. "He probably had to just adjust, because in college, the punters aren't as good as the ones in the NFL."
Rodgers said he's struggling because special teams coach Mike Stock has asked him to change the way he catches punts. At TCU, he said the coaching staff didn't mind if he caught punts at the side of his body or over his shoulder. Stock wants Rodgers to catch it with his shoulders square to the ball, so in case the ball comes loose, it's in front of him and more easily can be recovered.
"It's one of the hardest jobs in football, and people don't realize that," Rodgers said. "With me, I'm just trying to get more comfortable with the way my coach wants me to do it. Once I do that, I'll be fine."
With every mishandled punt, the pressure mounts. He said he's trying to not let it mess with his psyche, and in an effort to iron out the problems, he has been showing up before practice and catching 100 punts each day.
What makes matters worse for Rodgers is how easily Woodson makes it look.
"Woodson is such a great athlete, and it comes naturally to him," Rodgers said. "He's so relaxed back there. I'm back there and a million things are going through my head."
Rodgers dropping the ball on punt returns
By Rob Demovsky
The way Cory Rodgers caught the ball in practice on Thursday, there's no way coach Mike McCarthy can feel comfortable putting the rookie on the field as a punt returner.
Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers' fourth-round draft pick who ranked eighth in the nation in punt return average (15.3 yards per return) last year as a junior at Texas Christian University, lined up to receive 13 punts in the non-pads, morning practice. He mishandled four of them. Two he dropped. One he juggled and one other he caught but fell in the process. Even some of the ones he caught, he looked shaky doing so.
It was a continuation of what has been nearly two weeks worth of adventurous return opportunities  not a good sign for a player who was drafted to compete with cornerback Charles Woodson for the punt return job.
The Packers saw nothing in Rodgers' college films to suggest he might have trouble catching the ball.
Working behind Robert Ferguson as the 'X,' or split end, Rodgers has not had an inordinate number of drops.
"If we were worried about it, I don't think we would have picked him," McCarthy said between practices. "He's young. Part of it, I'm not making excuses for the guy, but I can't tell you how many  those juniors  it just takes time with those guys. It's frustrating, but you have to be patient. Juniors are tough."
McCarthy apparently has more patience than the fans who lined up along Oneida Street to watch Thursday morning's practice.
"They were over there booing him," McCarthy said. "He's getting booed out at practice. That's not good. But that's all good for him. That's all part of playing in this league, because if he can't do it out here, there's no way he's going to do it up in that building (Lambeau Field)."
McCarthy almost certainly will go with Woodson as his No. 1 punt returner. He reiterated he's not opposed to using a starting position player on special teams.
Rodgers will continue working behind Woodson, who was held out of the morning practice. Rodgers split the punt return reps with second-year free agent Jerron Wishom, who caught the ball far more cleanly than did Rodgers.
"He'll get the hang of it," Wishom said. "He probably had to just adjust, because in college, the punters aren't as good as the ones in the NFL."
Rodgers said he's struggling because special teams coach Mike Stock has asked him to change the way he catches punts. At TCU, he said the coaching staff didn't mind if he caught punts at the side of his body or over his shoulder. Stock wants Rodgers to catch it with his shoulders square to the ball, so in case the ball comes loose, it's in front of him and more easily can be recovered.
"It's one of the hardest jobs in football, and people don't realize that," Rodgers said. "With me, I'm just trying to get more comfortable with the way my coach wants me to do it. Once I do that, I'll be fine."
With every mishandled punt, the pressure mounts. He said he's trying to not let it mess with his psyche, and in an effort to iron out the problems, he has been showing up before practice and catching 100 punts each day.
What makes matters worse for Rodgers is how easily Woodson makes it look.
"Woodson is such a great athlete, and it comes naturally to him," Rodgers said. "He's so relaxed back there. I'm back there and a million things are going through my head."
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