quote:

Originally posted by packerboi:
Backs itching for reps

Crowded situation cutting into chances

By LORI NICKEL
lnickel@journalsentinel.com
Posted: June 4, 2008
Green Bay - Snaps are at a premium, which is strange, given Ryan Grant's absence. While he awaits a new contract and sits out these off-season practices, it would seem there would be plenty of opportunities for the other running backs to get in.

Well, not exactly. The Green Bay Packers predetermine the number of repetitions designated for the quarterbacks and receivers before each practice as well as the running backs. With two rookie quarterbacks to back up a brand new leader, Aaron Rodgers, of course the passing game garners great attention.

With the carries left over for the backs, there's a logjam of guys all trying to get on the field to prove one thing or another.

Noah Herron wants to avenge a ruined 2007 season. Brandon Jackson hopes to back up his burst with experience. Ryan Powdrell needs to put two years on the bench in the rear view mirror. DeShawn Wynn seeks consistency. Kregg Lumpkin aims to be the next undrafted free agent to splash.

With nine other backs on the team - five running backs and four fullbacks, there's sometimes a handful of carries for each during a two-hour practice to make a move.

"From a rep standpoint, it can be a little difficult with a large group," said running backs coach Edgar Bennett recently. "Certainly trying to get your top guys ready and prepared to run, it can be a little bit of a strain from that standpoint but at the same time, you also have great depth.

SNIP-

Second-year running Jackson puts on the afterburners, especially down the sidelines, in some runs in practice. He looks more like the guy who put up 113 yards against Detroit than the green rookie in September who struggled when the Packers were desperate for a starter to carry the running game.

"Brandon Jackson is an explosive runner," said Bennett. "This kid has all the tools necessary for being a successful running back at this level and I think at the end of last year, you started to see what this kid was capable of doing. Explosive. Breaks tackles.

"Everything we thought he was. I see the kid getting stronger every day in the weight room, doing a phenomenal job in the classroom. He's an attention-to-detail kind of guy, he's maturing, he's growing up, and I think you'll be able to see that on the field this year."

Rodgers added that no running back has improved more in catching the ball than Jackson. Rodgers and coach Mike McCarthy also credited Jackson for improvement in picking blitzes in practice.

more...

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=758755

I wonder if part of the reason Grants contract hasn't gotten done sooner from GB's standpoint is that they know that Jax is capable of being a #1 back. Not that I believe that Grant doesn't deserve a raise because he certainly does, but unlike last year, a much improved B-Jax is going to provide good competition for significant playing time.

If Bennett is correct in his assessment, Grant and Jax have the makings for quite an impressive 1-2 punch at RB. Not since Bennett/Levens's have we seen that.

Rodger's weapons just keep getting better on offense.

quote:

Originally posted by Change of Possession:
I don't think I've ever seen a Packers RB look any worse than he did in pre-season.

quote:

Originally posted by Change of Possession:
Shoot, I was a kid when the Favre era started.

quote:

Originally posted by Hungry5:

quote:

Originally posted by Change of Possession:
I don't think I've ever seen a Packers RB look any worse than he did in pre-season.

quote:

Originally posted by Change of Possession:
Shoot, I was a kid when the Favre era started.

You should have seen some of the stiffs in the 70's and 80's.

quote:

Originally posted by RochNyFan:
Logjam?? Najeh Davenport never had that problem.

quote:

Originally posted by phaedrus:

quote:

Originally posted by RochNyFan:
Logjam?? Najeh Davenport never had that problem.

quote:

Originally posted by Change of Possession:

quote:

Originally posted by packerboi:
Backs itching for reps

Crowded situation cutting into chances

By LORI NICKEL
lnickel@journalsentinel.com
Posted: June 4, 2008
Green Bay - Snaps are at a premium, which is strange, given Ryan Grant's absence. While he awaits a new contract and sits out these off-season practices, it would seem there would be plenty of opportunities for the other running backs to get in.

Well, not exactly. The Green Bay Packers predetermine the number of repetitions designated for the quarterbacks and receivers before each practice as well as the running backs. With two rookie quarterbacks to back up a brand new leader, Aaron Rodgers, of course the passing game garners great attention.

With the carries left over for the backs, there's a logjam of guys all trying to get on the field to prove one thing or another.

Noah Herron wants to avenge a ruined 2007 season. Brandon Jackson hopes to back up his burst with experience. Ryan Powdrell needs to put two years on the bench in the rear view mirror. DeShawn Wynn seeks consistency. Kregg Lumpkin aims to be the next undrafted free agent to splash.

With nine other backs on the team - five running backs and four fullbacks, there's sometimes a handful of carries for each during a two-hour practice to make a move.

"From a rep standpoint, it can be a little difficult with a large group," said running backs coach Edgar Bennett recently. "Certainly trying to get your top guys ready and prepared to run, it can be a little bit of a strain from that standpoint but at the same time, you also have great depth.

SNIP-

Second-year running Jackson puts on the afterburners, especially down the sidelines, in some runs in practice. He looks more like the guy who put up 113 yards against Detroit than the green rookie in September who struggled when the Packers were desperate for a starter to carry the running game.

"Brandon Jackson is an explosive runner," said Bennett. "This kid has all the tools necessary for being a successful running back at this level and I think at the end of last year, you started to see what this kid was capable of doing. Explosive. Breaks tackles.

"Everything we thought he was. I see the kid getting stronger every day in the weight room, doing a phenomenal job in the classroom. He's an attention-to-detail kind of guy, he's maturing, he's growing up, and I think you'll be able to see that on the field this year."

Rodgers added that no running back has improved more in catching the ball than Jackson. Rodgers and coach Mike McCarthy also credited Jackson for improvement in picking blitzes in practice.

more...

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=758755

I wonder if part of the reason Grants contract hasn't gotten done sooner from GB's standpoint is that they know that Jax is capable of being a #1 back. Not that I believe that Grant doesn't deserve a raise because he certainly does, but unlike last year, a much improved B-Jax is going to provide good competition for significant playing time.

If Bennett is correct in his assessment, Grant and Jax have the makings for quite an impressive 1-2 punch at RB. Not since Bennett/Levens's have we seen that.

Rodger's weapons just keep getting better on offense.

I don't think I've ever seen a Packers RB look any worse than he did in pre-season. Based on performance, he should've been let go. For his sake, he's lucky he was a high pick.

He did look good later in the season. It's hard for me to believe a RB who is uninjured can be non-explosive and then be explosive all of a sudden. I've never seen a back go down easier than him early on.

I expect him to be what he was at the end of last season. The line should be better once Colledge is sat allowing for more holes in the running game.

quote:

Originally posted by Bad Moon Rison:
Can we please never mention Davenport or his disgusting college antics ever again? He's no longer Packer and he's also a dirt bag.

quote:

Originally posted by Attack of the Pack:

quote:

Originally posted by Bad Moon Rison:
Can we please never mention Davenport or his disgusting college antics ever again? He's no longer Packer and he's also a dirt bag.

What?? You don't find 7th-grade jokes used to repeatedly embarrass someone amusing? What's wrong with you man?

quote:

Originally posted by Change of Possession:


I don't think I've ever seen a Packers RB look any worse than he did in pre-season. Based on performance, he should've been let go. For his sake, he's lucky he was a high pick.

quote:

He did look good later in the season. It's hard for me to believe a RB who is uninjured can be non-explosive and then be explosive all of a sudden. I've never seen a back go down easier than him early on.

quote:

Originally posted by Henry:

quote:

Originally posted by Change of Possession:


I don't think I've ever seen a Packers RB look any worse than he did in pre-season. Based on performance, he should've been let go. For his sake, he's lucky he was a high pick.

I'd like to say this is one of the stupidest things I've read here but then I've been privy to your other delusional machinations. Cut? Jackson's issue is he's young and probably should've stayed in school another year. The only important thing for a very young kid coming into the pros early is he's definitely showing growth. Ahmad Carroll did the exact opposite, he imploded. It's obvious the kid has excellent physical skills and he's starting to make it work for him on a pro level. I also think that says a lot about Mike "Pad Level" McCarthy, Edgar Bennett and TT in actually being able to see "potential", a word that makes me queasy after the Sherman era, in a player who has a good shot at realizing that potential.

quote:

He did look good later in the season. It's hard for me to believe a RB who is uninjured can be non-explosive and then be explosive all of a sudden. I've never seen a back go down easier than him early on.

For someone who has allegedly work in sports media you sure seem rather myopic about the sports world. Could it possibly be the learning curve for Jackson was rather steep considering his youth? Could it be that no runner looked good in the first half of the season?

Don't bother going into hyper spin about "what you meant" and "it's my honest opinion", I know your motivations better than you do.

quote:

Originally posted by Hungry5:

quote:

Originally posted by Change of Possession:
I don't think I've ever seen a Packers RB look any worse than he did in pre-season.

quote:

Originally posted by Change of Possession:
Shoot, I was a kid when the Favre era started.

You should have seen some of the stiffs in the 70's and 80's.

quote:

Originally posted by CJS:
Seriously though CoP, WORST PACKERS RB YOU'VE EVER SEEN? Really? REALLY?? There isn't much believable about your claim as former sports media other than the "former" part.

quote:

Originally posted by Henry:

quote:

Originally posted by Change of Possession:


I don't think I've ever seen a Packers RB look any worse than he did in pre-season. Based on performance, he should've been let go. For his sake, he's lucky he was a high pick.

I'd like to say this is one of the stupidest things I've read here but then I've been privy to your other delusional machinations. Cut? Jackson's issue is he's young and probably should've stayed in school another year. The only important thing for a very young kid coming into the pros early is he's definitely showing growth. Ahmad Carroll did the exact opposite, he imploded. It's obvious the kid has excellent physical skills and he's starting to make it work for him on a pro level. I also think that says a lot about Mike "Pad Level" McCarthy, Edgar Bennett and TT in actually being able to see "potential", a word that makes me queasy after the Sherman era, in a player who has a good shot at realizing that potential.

quote:

He did look good later in the season. It's hard for me to believe a RB who is uninjured can be non-explosive and then be explosive all of a sudden. I've never seen a back go down easier than him early on.

For someone who has allegedly work in sports media you sure seem rather myopic about the sports world. Could it possibly be the learning curve for Jackson was rather steep considering his youth? Could it be that no runner looked good in the first half of the season?

Don't bother going into hyper spin about "what you meant" and "it's my honest opinion", I know your motivations better than you do.

quote:

Originally posted by Boris:

quote:

Originally posted by CJS:
Seriously though CoP, WORST PACKERS RB YOU'VE EVER SEEN? Really? REALLY?? There isn't much believable about your claim as former sports media other than the "former" part.

I guess that Hall of Famer Barty Smith looked really good!