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Posted July 27, 2007
Position-by-position: Who will fill safety gap?
By Pete Dougherty
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com
The Green Bay Packers have had a safety problem for about five years now.
During that time, one of their starting safeties has been a liability, whether it was Marques Anderson, Antuan Edwards or Mark Roman from 2002-05, or free agent Marquand Manuel last season.
The Packers yet again will try to solve that problem this season by upgrading the strong safety opposite Nick Collins, whom they hope will blossom into a top player in 2007.
They haven't written off the 28-year-old Manuel, who had groin and calf injuries last year, but they have at least two young players who have a decent shot at beating him out for the starting job: third-year pro Marviel Underwood and third-round draft pick Aaron Rouse.
"It came as a surprise to me that (Manuel) is moving better now than at any time I've been around him," said defensive backs coach Kurt Schottenheimer of Manuel's play at offseason practices. "Coming off the injury in the Super Bowl (with Seattle) affected his groin, and later on, favoring that he pulled a calf muscle and missed a lot of time. So I'm excited about that part. But there's a couple young kids that are very, very talented, so there will be competition."
General Manager Ted Thompson signed Manuel early in free agency in '06 to a five-year deal that included $2 million in bonuses because he knew him from his time as head of Seattle's personnel and thought the former backup would be the solid quarterback the team had lacked for several years at strong safety.
But Manuel's calf injuries sidelined from the offseason through the first three weeks of training camp, and he never performed as Thompson projected.
Though Manuel tried to be the leader of the secondary, he was at fault for several blown assignments early in the season that cost big plays, and though he was a good tackler near the line of scrimmage, had his problems playing in space all season.
There's a decent chance Underwood, a fourth-round draft pick in 2005, would have displaced him sometime during the season, but after a good start in training camp, Underwood blew out his knee in the preseason opener at San Diego and missed the rest of the year. He didn't take part in any offseason practices while recovering from knee-reconstruction surgery, but should be ready for the start of camp.
Like most players coming off serious injury, he probably will take part in only one practice on the days when the team practices twice. The Packers won't know until a few weeks into training camp whether the third-year pro is close enough to full strength to win the job.
"I know he's doing everything he possibly can to get himself ready to go," said Bob Sanders, the Packers' defensive coordinator.
Rouse, in the meantime, is an unusually big safety (6-4, 223) with a reputation as a big hitter. Thompson picked him late in the third round, No. 89 overall, projecting he at least could challenge for a starting job as a rookie and immediately improve special-teams coverage.
Rouse did nothing in the offseason to suggest he can't pick up the defense in his first season, and the Packers also like his ability to match up with top-tier tight ends because of his size. But to win the starting job, Rouse will have to play big when the pads go on.
"We're looking for a guy that's 6-4 and 230 pounds to hit like a guy that's 6-4 and 230," Schottenheimer said. "So we'll let that play out and find that out on the field."
The Packers also are looking for Collins' talent to show up on game day more than it did in his first two years as a starter. The second-round pick from 2005 is their fastest defensive back, and his ability to run and tackle never was more evident than last year against New Orleans, when he played a key role in holding Reggie Bush to only 5 yards rushing in six carries and 68 yards receiving in eight receptions.
Collins finished fifth on the team in tackles (102) last season and had three interceptions, 16 passes defended and two fumbles forced. All were improvements over his rookie year (96 tackles, one interception, nine passes defended and one forced fumble), but the Packers are desperate for difference-making players, and Collins' physical talent puts him among their best hopes to become one.
"He's special," Schottenheimer said. "He's got a great feel for the system and what his responsibilities are. And later on (last) year he started to become more instinctive, where he can go get involved in a play. He was playing cautiously, so to speak, as it related to coverages."
Second-year pro Atari Bigby, who was promoted from the practice squad after nine games last season, showed good range in the offseason and could be a long-shot candidate to push for a starting job. Second-year pro Tyrone Culver probably is the team's smartest safety, and second-year pro Charlie Peprah, picked up after final cuts, also has a shot at one of the four roster spots at safety.
Another of the important battles in training camp will be for No. 3 cornerback, where incumbent Patrick Dendy, free agent Frank Walker and second-year pro Will Blackmon will contend. The nickel back usually is on the field for about half of the defense's snaps a game.
Dendy has a slight edge after offseason practices, but there are questions about whether the 190-pounder is physical enough to hold the job in camp.
"Pat Dendy has made as much improvement from the end of the season to now as anybody that we have," Schottenheimer said. "He's done an excellent job, playing with a lot more confidence. He's doing things that winning performers have to do to play at a winning level."
Walker (5-11, 196), a fifth-year pro who was a backup for the New York Giants last season, was the Packers' only free-agent signing this year. Blackmon missed most of his rookie season last year because of a slow-healing broken foot sustained in the offseason and then a rib injury four weeks after his return that landed him on injured reserve.
The Packers are sound, if aging, at starting cornerback, where 31-year-old Al Harris and 30-year-old Charles Woodson return for their second year in tandem. Harris, a pro's pro, usually covers the opponent's best receiver each week and had as good a season as ever in '06 (three interceptions, 20 passes defensed).
Early last season, Woodson looked like a possible free-agent bust after Thompson paid him $10.5 million in first-year pay. But he picked up his play as the season went on and finished tied for third in the NFL in interceptions with eight.
I'm rooting for Rouse, 6'4", 223 lbs, hits hard, I hope he can play.
Position-by-position: Who will fill safety gap?
By Pete Dougherty
pdougher@greenbaypressgazette.com
The Green Bay Packers have had a safety problem for about five years now.
During that time, one of their starting safeties has been a liability, whether it was Marques Anderson, Antuan Edwards or Mark Roman from 2002-05, or free agent Marquand Manuel last season.
The Packers yet again will try to solve that problem this season by upgrading the strong safety opposite Nick Collins, whom they hope will blossom into a top player in 2007.
They haven't written off the 28-year-old Manuel, who had groin and calf injuries last year, but they have at least two young players who have a decent shot at beating him out for the starting job: third-year pro Marviel Underwood and third-round draft pick Aaron Rouse.
"It came as a surprise to me that (Manuel) is moving better now than at any time I've been around him," said defensive backs coach Kurt Schottenheimer of Manuel's play at offseason practices. "Coming off the injury in the Super Bowl (with Seattle) affected his groin, and later on, favoring that he pulled a calf muscle and missed a lot of time. So I'm excited about that part. But there's a couple young kids that are very, very talented, so there will be competition."
General Manager Ted Thompson signed Manuel early in free agency in '06 to a five-year deal that included $2 million in bonuses because he knew him from his time as head of Seattle's personnel and thought the former backup would be the solid quarterback the team had lacked for several years at strong safety.
But Manuel's calf injuries sidelined from the offseason through the first three weeks of training camp, and he never performed as Thompson projected.
Though Manuel tried to be the leader of the secondary, he was at fault for several blown assignments early in the season that cost big plays, and though he was a good tackler near the line of scrimmage, had his problems playing in space all season.
There's a decent chance Underwood, a fourth-round draft pick in 2005, would have displaced him sometime during the season, but after a good start in training camp, Underwood blew out his knee in the preseason opener at San Diego and missed the rest of the year. He didn't take part in any offseason practices while recovering from knee-reconstruction surgery, but should be ready for the start of camp.
Like most players coming off serious injury, he probably will take part in only one practice on the days when the team practices twice. The Packers won't know until a few weeks into training camp whether the third-year pro is close enough to full strength to win the job.
"I know he's doing everything he possibly can to get himself ready to go," said Bob Sanders, the Packers' defensive coordinator.
Rouse, in the meantime, is an unusually big safety (6-4, 223) with a reputation as a big hitter. Thompson picked him late in the third round, No. 89 overall, projecting he at least could challenge for a starting job as a rookie and immediately improve special-teams coverage.
Rouse did nothing in the offseason to suggest he can't pick up the defense in his first season, and the Packers also like his ability to match up with top-tier tight ends because of his size. But to win the starting job, Rouse will have to play big when the pads go on.
"We're looking for a guy that's 6-4 and 230 pounds to hit like a guy that's 6-4 and 230," Schottenheimer said. "So we'll let that play out and find that out on the field."
The Packers also are looking for Collins' talent to show up on game day more than it did in his first two years as a starter. The second-round pick from 2005 is their fastest defensive back, and his ability to run and tackle never was more evident than last year against New Orleans, when he played a key role in holding Reggie Bush to only 5 yards rushing in six carries and 68 yards receiving in eight receptions.
Collins finished fifth on the team in tackles (102) last season and had three interceptions, 16 passes defended and two fumbles forced. All were improvements over his rookie year (96 tackles, one interception, nine passes defended and one forced fumble), but the Packers are desperate for difference-making players, and Collins' physical talent puts him among their best hopes to become one.
"He's special," Schottenheimer said. "He's got a great feel for the system and what his responsibilities are. And later on (last) year he started to become more instinctive, where he can go get involved in a play. He was playing cautiously, so to speak, as it related to coverages."
Second-year pro Atari Bigby, who was promoted from the practice squad after nine games last season, showed good range in the offseason and could be a long-shot candidate to push for a starting job. Second-year pro Tyrone Culver probably is the team's smartest safety, and second-year pro Charlie Peprah, picked up after final cuts, also has a shot at one of the four roster spots at safety.
Another of the important battles in training camp will be for No. 3 cornerback, where incumbent Patrick Dendy, free agent Frank Walker and second-year pro Will Blackmon will contend. The nickel back usually is on the field for about half of the defense's snaps a game.
Dendy has a slight edge after offseason practices, but there are questions about whether the 190-pounder is physical enough to hold the job in camp.
"Pat Dendy has made as much improvement from the end of the season to now as anybody that we have," Schottenheimer said. "He's done an excellent job, playing with a lot more confidence. He's doing things that winning performers have to do to play at a winning level."
Walker (5-11, 196), a fifth-year pro who was a backup for the New York Giants last season, was the Packers' only free-agent signing this year. Blackmon missed most of his rookie season last year because of a slow-healing broken foot sustained in the offseason and then a rib injury four weeks after his return that landed him on injured reserve.
The Packers are sound, if aging, at starting cornerback, where 31-year-old Al Harris and 30-year-old Charles Woodson return for their second year in tandem. Harris, a pro's pro, usually covers the opponent's best receiver each week and had as good a season as ever in '06 (three interceptions, 20 passes defensed).
Early last season, Woodson looked like a possible free-agent bust after Thompson paid him $10.5 million in first-year pay. But he picked up his play as the season went on and finished tied for third in the NFL in interceptions with eight.
I'm rooting for Rouse, 6'4", 223 lbs, hits hard, I hope he can play.
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