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Ferguson comes to the crossroads
Oft-injured receiver battling for a job
By LORI NICKEL
lnickel@journalsentinel.com
Posted: May 19, 2007
Green Bay - Robert Ferguson is beyond frustrated. He knows a lot of people have low expectations of him.
He suspects that memories of brilliant catches are the only threads holding him to his NFL career in Green Bay.
And he's sure his body simply cannot fail him again.
Despite all that, Ferguson was relatively upbeat Saturday in the locker room considering he has finished the last three seasons on the sidelines with an injury.
While it certainly works out to Ferguson's advantage that the Green Bay Packers do not have the services of Randy Moss or Koren Robinson, the six-year veteran signed through the 2008 season is unquestionably at a major crossroads.
Once again, he is not on the Don Hutson practice field for much other than light drill work during the Packers minicamp, which began Friday and concludes today, because everyone is being cautious about his recovery from a serious foot injury last season.
"This is definitely a pivotal point in my career," Ferguson said. "I'd be näive not to say that. Everything that's happened the last three or four years with those drafted wideouts, it points toward somebody getting replaced. Who that is, you know, I feel like it's me.
"I feel like my back is against the wall. And I feel great. I haven't played a full year in three years so I'm as fresh as ever. I feel like a free-agent rookie coming in here, just eager to learn, ready to get on the field."
That has pretty much been the story of Ferguson's NFL career: injuries and anticipation of what he might do.
Ferguson injured his foot against Philadelphia Oct. 2, tried to come back a week later and aggravated it. His season was shelved when he was put on injured reserve Oct. 23.
It was just the latest injury for the 6-1, now 220-pound receiver: knee in 2005; head and neck in 2004 from a devastating clothesline tackle; knee, ankle, Achilles tendon and concussion in 2003; back, hamstring and quadriceps in 2001. The only season he has played all 16 games was in 2002.
Having been down the hall to the trainer's room so many times before, last season was his breaking point mentally. Ferguson had to get away from the game. So he left Green Bay and went home to Houston, where he threw himself into father mode, pored over game film and football playbooks, put on 15 pounds of muscle and plotted his comeback.
It's the only thing that has kept him going, that and the fact that general manager Ted Thompson has given him a longer-than-usual plank on which to walk.
"There's a lot of people surprised I'm sticking around?" Ferguson said with a laugh. "Well, I'm obviously doing something right. I'm not out there just for my looks. So I just continue to do what I've been doing, just working hard, and hopefully I'll stick around for a little longer.
"No one expects me to go out and be a No. 1 wideout. I'd love to see everyone be like, 'Wow, he proved them wrong.' That's why I'm busting my butt."
In six years, Ferguson has played in just 60 games (starting 26). In that same span, Donald Driver has played in 92 games. But last year was Ferguson's lowest production since his rookie year - five receptions in four games.
"I haven't even touched my potential," said Ferguson. "I showed flashes of it in '03, when we went to the playoffs and (I) had the big game in the playoffs, but I really haven't shown much since then. So I haven't even tapped into my potential as far as what I can do."
Ferguson was referring to the NFC game at Philadelphia, when he caught touchdown passes of 40 and 17 yards, giving Green Bay an early 14-0 lead in a game it would eventually lose.
There's not much else the coaches can say about Ferguson until they get to see him play. He says he's 80% healed and hoping to participate in the June minicamp.
"You've got to appreciate No. 1 that he's a veteran," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "And he's been here for the (individual workouts), so that shows a lot about him character-wise. We've been real pleased about that. I'm sure he's a little frustrated. We're anxious to get him out on the field and let him compete."
Aware that he can't change his past, Ferguson changed his number from 89 to 87. It's about the number '7'. He wore No. 7 in junior college. The year is 2007. His daughter will be 7 years old this year. Seven is supposed to be a lucky number.
"Yeah, it is. Hey, I need some," Ferguson said. "I've definitely had my share of bad luck, so I'm due for some good luck."
I can't see him making it unless the Packers keep 6 WR's. His special teams play gives him an outside chance.
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