Packers Daily Links: Raji Says "I'm in Pretty Good Shape"
The Packers defensive lineman also talks about the need to finish plays in 2013. That and more in today's Daily Links...
In an interview appearing at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji talked about his offseason conditioning. "I think I'm in pretty good shape," Raji is quoted as saying by Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I'm not going to say I was in tip-top shape coming back, but that's what the off-season's for. So everybody came back, and I know those reports got out there. I can't worry about that." Raji also addressed his inability to finish plays last season, saying it's something he needs to work on. Guys who are in excess of 330 lbs. will never put up big-time sack numbers, but for someone who plays on passing downs as often as Raji, he needs to have more than the zero he put up in 2012.
Tight end Matthew Mulligan made perhaps his first public comments since signing with the Packers in the offseason. In an interview appearing at PackersNews.com, Mulligan talked about his run-blocking ability. “That’s what they told me coming in is they need someone to fill that slot,” Mulligan is quoted as saying by reporter Wes Hodkiewicz. “But I’ll do whatever they want me to do. Things change. In the NFL ... you never know. Whatever they want me to do I’ll do it to the best of my ability. That’s what I do best – run-blocking. I haven’t caught a lot of passes in my career, but that’s not where I’ve made my hay. Run-blocking is what I can do and hopefully I can utilize that.” I anticipate Mulligan seeing a fair amount of playing time in 2013. He's not assured of a roster spot, but if the Packers want to really get the run game going this season, they'll need his help.
Kicker Mason Crosby tells Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com that he needs to focus on himself this season and not worry about the competition the Packers brought in. “It’s the same approach I take every offseason. I have to work on me,” Crosby is quoted as saying. “I have to work on the details that I have. I was excited about the competition. It’s not a bad thing to see a guy there kicking next to you every day, seeing what he does well." Crosby is taking the absolute correct approach, now he just has to show improvement over last season, which was poor to put it bluntly.
More on Mason Crosby comes from PackersNews.com.
Bill Austin, the offensive line coach under Vince Lombardi, has passed away. More on Austin comes from the Journal Sentinel, Packer Report, Press-Gazette and JSOnline.
The discussion on linebacker Desmond Bishop continues with items appearing at JSOnline and ESPN.com.
Articles on defensive lineman Jerel Worthy and safety Sean Richardson appear at Fox Sports Wisconsin.
The Packers official website and Fox 11 remind us that the annual Pro Shop tent sale happens on Saturday June 1.
Packers OTAs are broken down in a video at JSOnline.
The Packers centers are the subject of attention over at AllGreenBayPackers.com.
Items on the Packers draft class, Aaron Rodgers and B.J. Raji come from Acme Packing Company.
An article on the Packers' youth on defense appears at the team's official website.
Blog posts on Packers fans and causing fumbles come from Lombardi Ave.
Tight end Andrew Quarless receives some publicity at Fox 11.
More on the Packers offensive line comes from Packer Report.
Check out the controversy on party house rentals near Lambeau Field.
Video: In addition to coverage at the team's official website, Fox 11 has video on of the Packers donation of 700 trees to local communities...
Brian Carriveau is the author of "It's Just a Game: Big League Drama in Small Town America," and editor of Cheesehead TV's "Pro Football Draft Preview." To contact Brian, email [email protected].
Comments (18)
May 31, 2013 at 11:18 am
You can't teach size nor speed. Raji and Shields first; then Burnett. If they still are good for cap, then Jones, Finley and whatever. 2014 without T.Williams, Hawk, Pickett and Kuhn should open some doors.
May 31, 2013 at 11:41 am
I'd bet Pickett is back next year at a reduced rate.
May 31, 2013 at 12:00 pm
You could be right. But it would still open up $$.
Lars, yes I forgot Bulaga. Which "fat, out of shape, low-effort statues" do you want? Merling, Muir, Howard Green? At 26, Raji has a lot more to offer than most.
FWIW, aside from JaMarcus Russell and Albert Haynesworth, I don't call players out like that. Life has too many variables to throw that out there. I'd rather give benefit to an underachiever than to insult an overachiever.
May 31, 2013 at 11:44 am
Pretty good shape is relative with raji. "You can't teach size?" I guess not, nor can you teach having two dreadful seasons in a row or turning it on in time to cash in-in a contract year.
2010 Raji = 6.5 sacks and 33 hurries
2012 Raji - ZERO sacks and 26 total tackles.
There are plenty of fat, out of shape, low-effort statues in the league who could do the same for A LOT less than Raji's pulling down.
As for re-signing priorities in 2014:
1. James Jones
2. Burnett
3. Shields
4. Cobb and Bulaga and maybe Nelson a year early.
5. Neal
6. Raji
Brian Carriveau
May 31, 2013 at 11:54 am
So you're comfortable without even having a single defensive lineman over 310 lbs. on the roster at all next year? Raji may have to accept a franchise tag based upon how the 2013 season plays out, but I'd bet my bottom dollar he's a far bigger priority than six on a list.
May 31, 2013 at 12:20 pm
You clearly don't watch Packer games if you think Raji had a dreadful 2012. Stats or not...his play after the bye was possibly the best stretch of his career.
June 01, 2013 at 11:13 am
Nope
May 31, 2013 at 04:09 pm
I think you might have mistaken the 3-4 nose tackle with a 4-3 defensive tackle. It's not Raji's job to rack up huge stats. It's his job to absorb 2 lineman and free up ILB's to make plays. Also to collapse the pocket and flush the QB.
More like this:
1) Raji
2) Burnett
3) Shields
4) Jones
5) Neal
6) Bulaga / Nelson early
June 01, 2013 at 11:09 am
1. burnett
Raji - NOPE
Everybody else: TBD
June 01, 2013 at 11:16 am
When lars is right, he's right. (Until james jones drops 20 balls this year)
June 01, 2013 at 02:28 pm
Love your stats and agree completely. He did nothing last year and I think it was because he was totally out of shape.
May 31, 2013 at 06:16 pm
James jones seems popular these days. Why I can remember on these very pages. ......
June 01, 2013 at 02:30 pm
Raji had one good year in three. He may be a fan favorite but not a favorite of people who study the team. I recall the Giants night game when Eli Manning easlity stepped into a nicely formed pocket and passed effectively all night long without any pressure up the middle at all.
There still is a handful of players on this team that wouldn't make other teams or would only be back-ups. Raji is one of them.
June 01, 2013 at 07:27 pm
If Raji was a FA there would be a long list of teams hot for his services! Your basing your OPINION on a lack of stats, when stats are very misleading when it comes to 34 DL.
Your opinion shows your complete lack of understanding of the game and the 34 D.
June 01, 2013 at 08:57 pm
so he doesn't provide a pass rush, the OLmen he's supposedly "occupying" seem to be all over the linebackers, and the team's run D is horrible.
this whole "3/4 DT's don't need to have stats to be effective" thing sure is a great place to hide.
the guy is not a playmaker.
there are 100's of guys who could do what he does.
take him out of the game and you would hardly notice a difference in the D's performance.
problem is the Pack is going to be forced to pay him because after Pickett leaves there is absolutely no other player on the entire roster who could man the nose.
they're cornered... just like they were with Finley.
June 01, 2013 at 08:59 pm
they have more 4-3 DL players than 3-4.
Worthy
Daniels
Jones
Raji
Boyd
June 02, 2013 at 11:11 am
Worthy and Daniels were thought to be better fits in a 43 going into the draft, no doubt. Raji can play and excel in any system. He would be a hot commodity for a lot of teams in the NFL as a FA, both 34 and 43 teams. Jones seems like a much better fit as a 34 DE. He doesn't have the pure ability to turn the corner as a 43 DE. All his sacks came on inside rushes, not around the corner. Which is why he's viewed as a replacement for Jenkins. Nobody knows about Boyd yet. My guess is he'll be a PS guy this year and be asked to gain another 10lbs and be a NT w/ good movement ability.
At the same time, pass rush is now the priority for all teams and players that can get pressure on the QB have far more value than guys that are run stuffers. And getting pressure doesn't have to equal sacks. That's just a stat for guys that don't see the real value of moving the QB off the throwing spot. Especially for 34 DL.
June 01, 2013 at 11:21 pm
Looks like all of the idiots and trolls decided to crap themselves all over this thread.