Cory's Corner: Perfect Timing For Reggie Gilbert
All of a sudden, Gilbert comes to camp wearing a Superman cape and after two preseason games, the undrafted free agent has 5 tackles and 2½ sacks.
The Packers should be thanking Reggie Gilbert each and every day.
Coming into this season, Clay Matthews and Nick Perry have missed a combined 12 games over the last two seasons. The 31-year-old Matthews has lost a step and has had nagging hamstring injuries and oh yeah, got hit in the face with a line drive in a charity softball game this summer. Perry, 28, just got cleared from the PUP list after undergoing offseason ankle surgery and also suffered a broken hand, which is why Perry was forced to play with a club.
Matthews and Perry make up 11.36 percent of the Packers cap hit for this season. Both players are supposed to be defensive stalwarts, but does each guy really scare any defensive coordinator anymore? Matthews hasn’t tallied double-digit sacks since 2014 and Perry has only done it once — when he was in a contract year in 2016.
All of a sudden, Gilbert comes to camp wearing a Superman cape and after two preseason games, the undrafted free agent has 5 tackles and 2½ sacks. Gilbert has shown a burst that the edge rusher position hasn’t had in Green Bay in awhile. He comes at an opportune time because according to Pro Football Focus, Perry was No. 52 in the league in hurries last year for edge rusher — yet Perry was No. 1 for the Packers.
“I can’t say enough about Reggie,” said Packers coach Mike McCarthy. “I just love his path, his story, just the way he's grown in this program. He's a fine young football player, very versatile too.”
With rules limiting defensive backs, it is critical for the front seven to move opposing quarterbacks off their spot. Even it doesn’t cause a sack, forcing a quarterback to do something they don’t want to do can lead to an incompletion or even a turnover.
And that’s why Gilbert is so important. Even with Kevin King, Jaire Alexander or Josh Jackson expected to be the next shutdown corner in Green Bay for the foreseeable future, a pass rush is still very important.
Now, obviously, Gilbert has only raised eyebrows in camp and two preseason games. This is a guy that hasn’t made the opening day 53-man roster the last two seasons. But now Gilbert is playing with a chip on his shoulder and he’s out to prove that he belongs in this league.
That couldn’t have worked out better for Green Bay. I would be very surprised if Matthews and Perry played all 16 regular season games and another presence was needed when it was apparent what the ceiling of Kyler Fackrell and Vince Biegel were.
Gilbert may not make Lambeau Field chant “Reg-gie, Reg-gie” after making a critical third down sack to preserve victory that a certain No. 92 used to do. But he will force defensive coordinators to take notice of his energy, which is very infectious on the defensive side of the ball.
New defensive coordinator Mike Pettine needed a pass rushing specialist and he’s now got one from one of the most unlikely guys.
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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn
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Comments (63)
NickPerry
August 21, 2018 at 06:30 am
James Harrison was an UDFA and it took him several attempts before he was put on the 53 man roster. He was cut 3 times by the Steelers, Ravens, and played in NFL Europe before finally staying on in Pittsburgh.
Now I'm not saying Gilbert is the next James Harrison but who knows how this turns out. The kid works his ass off, has a good burst as Cory mentioned, and IMO has shown he's the best OLB in GB not named Matthews or Perry.
My guess is he makes this team and contributes about 5.5 sacks on the season and shows he keeps getting better.
RCPackerFan
August 21, 2018 at 07:07 am
I still don't get how Gilbert was cut last year and put on the PS. Gilbert showed last preseason he belonged on the 53.
Maybe though Gilbert spending most of the season on the PS will make him a better player. Perhaps it made him focus more and develop more of his game. Also might have put more of a chip on his shoulder.
Like James Harrison and others, a lot of players took different paths to make it. Hopefully Gilbert will be that guy for us.
KenEllis
August 21, 2018 at 04:59 pm
"I still don't get how Gilbert was cut last year and put on the PS."
Seriously, you don't RC?
Let me introduce you to a guy named Ted who drafted Kyler Fackrell in the 3rd round in 2016.
I don't care if Reggie looked like an All-Pro and Kyler looked like he could not win a single 1 on 1 battle all camp, there ain't now way Ted Thompson was going to deny his 3rd round draft pick a chance to develop by giving UDFA Gilbert a chance to outshine him.
Some of the comments from the coaches, Bak, and Bulaga about how Reggie is doing the same thing he did last camp and how it was a mistake to not have added him to the roster last year indicate to me that Ted ws more interested in giving Fackrell (and Biegel once he got off the PUP) all the opportunities in the world than in giving Reggie his shot.
Savage57
August 21, 2018 at 06:35 am
The team should go ahead and give this guy the jersey number 92.5 to remind him of his two great Packers' namesakes he can aspire to live up to.
GBPDAN1
August 21, 2018 at 07:28 am
"Pro Football Focus, Perry was No. 52 in the league in hurries last year for edge rusher — yet Perry was No. 1 for the Packers."
#52 in the league last year! There are 32 teams in the league, so 64 starting edge rushers including 4-3 DEs. Our #1 was number 52 in the frickin league!
We had one of the worst pass rushes last year. We didn't even produce one sack while the other teams were in the redzone against us!! The only player we added to help this was a non productive player the last 2 years- Wilkerson. I isolated on Wilkerson in the preseason game. It was a small sample size, but I didn't see much of a pass rush out of him.
Actually, I didn't see to much of a pass rush from Gilbert until the 2nd half of the 2nd quarter, which is when I believe the Steelers had their back up Tackle in.
I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer here nor do I want too. I truly hope Wilkerson and Gilbert are the real deal. I do know that Gilbert will be better than Ted's other choices of Fackrell ,Biegel and Odom, which is encouraging. And speaking of Ted's products at OLB, if Perry is #52 , what ranking was Clay? I can Guarantee you for the bottom of the rankings that Perry and Matthews hold, they are in the top part of the rankings in salary.
Maybe Gilbert will be better than what Clay has been lately at OLB? Hell, maybe he'll produce more than Perry this year?
This is Ted's work. Ted was terrible at building a D the last 8 years. I'm so glad he's no longer GM!!! I have faith that BG will eventually get us a Top D soon.
I hope Pettine can get the most out of our edge rushers and that they stay healthy
TarynsEyes
August 21, 2018 at 07:12 am
3...2..1.....now we get to hear from the Perry supporters and how resigning him was a good move and how he 'sets' the edge like no other and how he gets sacks against the worst OL's on the schedule....then disappears.
If Gilbert is the goods, then either Matthews or Perry need to be unseated as the starter. If not, do not cry over what you don't get on the field.
Bearmeat
August 21, 2018 at 08:33 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk
TarynsEyes
August 21, 2018 at 08:52 am
I'll never be ' Frozen ' out of any discussion of Perry that attempts to make his play appear ' cold as ice ' good.
Demon
August 21, 2018 at 09:15 am
A players draft status , salary, or longevity with the team should never come into consideration when deciding who plays or starts. Unfortunatly making those decisions is not one of MM's strong suits.
I remember watching Desmond Bishop terrorize preseason, only to watch the team trot out A.J Hawk every week during the season. You know you're in trouble when the coach has to make an excuse why someone is playing. " A. J gets everyone lined up for us" thats not exactly setting the bar very high.
Even if Gilbert looks like the second coming of Lawrence Taylor, I still expect MM to send out CM3 and Perry every week they are healthy.
RCPackerFan
August 21, 2018 at 07:21 am
I wouldn't put to much stock into what you are seeing in the preseason. Packers are playing very basic/vanilla stuff right now on defense. They are running no schemes to try and get a pass rush.
Also this time of year a lot of veterans try to work on different things. Try new moves and things. And we don't know what schemes are called or what the players are being asked to do on each play.
Like the old saying. You can't get to high or to low in what happens in the preseason.
Archie
August 21, 2018 at 08:30 am
Very true. Especially with a new defensive coordinator and so many young players. My guess is we won't know what we have on defense until sometime in the 2nd quarter. No, not the 2nd quarter of game 1, the 2nd quarter of the season. Till then, I will remain hopeful but clear-eyed. If all or most of the question marks turn to exclamation points, happy days will be here. But not counting chickens till Halloween.
dobber
August 21, 2018 at 04:06 pm
"No, not the 2nd quarter of game 1, the 2nd quarter of the season. "
I think this is very likely to be true.
...and the wolves will start to howl and call for Pettine's head week 1 if the Bears put up 24 points on the Packers defense.
thebeast431
August 21, 2018 at 07:29 am
Not only was Nick Perry injured last year, he only played in 12 games. You can't base his usefulness on an injury plagued season where he didn't even play in 75% of the games.
Thats like saying Aaron Rodgers only had 16 TDs last year, dump the bum.
TarynsEyes
August 21, 2018 at 08:28 am
" Not only was Nick Perry injured last year, he only played in 12 games. "
He's ' constantly ' injured and ' appeared ' in 12 games last season as he ' was ' obviously missing via ' lack of performance ' in the majority of those games.
Getting 3 sacks in one game in the opening quarter and then doing nothing for 4 games is not the level of play anyone can/should accept as actual success.
Bearmeat
August 21, 2018 at 08:35 am
You are absolutely right. Edge is the single worst position on our team, at the 2nd most important spot to a football team.
Things will have to work out perfectly for us to even have a top 16 pass rush this year. Even with Gilbert, we just don't have the personnel.
Enter someone like Mack. We just need better players at EDGE.
TarynsEyes
August 21, 2018 at 08:54 am
" You are absolutely right."
Yes, I know, : )
Bearmeat
August 21, 2018 at 09:08 am
About Perry? I was actually referring to the original post, but yeah, you were right about him going back to before he was drafted. I give credit where it's due.
What annoys me is that you take every single opportunity you can to remind people that you were right about one thing. Once. And conveniently forget the many other times you've been W-R-O-N-G.
It's called being a hypocrite. And it doesn't wear well. If you just admitted that you weren't prescient about everything once in awhile, and while you are at it, cleaned up the syntax so your posts were more readable, more people would listen to you.
CJBauckham
August 21, 2018 at 09:15 am
Anyone remember who the biggest fan of Fackrell was pre him ever playing a down for us? I do. :)
Bearmeat
August 21, 2018 at 09:21 am
Meeee tooooo. And I've never seen the official "I was wrong" post. She says she did it once upon a time, but refuses to provide linky.
I'm somehow unsurprised. ;)
TarynsEyes
August 21, 2018 at 12:00 pm
I have stated I was wrong on Fackrell and my NOT ever mentioning him offers proof of that. Unlike the many who always mention and attempt to glorify Perry via excuses.
My horse is dead.
The Perry horse feeders just refuse to accept that demise, even when watching him play week after week when not injured.
TarynsEyes
August 21, 2018 at 12:02 pm
Yes I do and the Packers scouts must have felt the same when selecting him in the 3rd rd.
I was against Perry before drafting him and have been since..I do believe I was much more right with Perry than wrong with Fackrell....6 years and a lot of cash and zero tangible returns.
porupack
August 21, 2018 at 11:25 am
Bearmeat, I like many of your analytical posts...but spending any post on who is hypocritical, or wrong, or syntax, or whatever...really? no one else cares who is the most prescient expert between you both; as you say, 'doesn't wear well' on the cheese.
We' all outsmart GB coaches most of the time on Monday morning, along with some occasional absurd opinions, reminding nobody why we aren't HCs; I specialize in the latter myself, but have fun on this site for distraction, and reserve the right to change my opinion having benefit from CHTV enlightenment. And fine with me if that makes me hypocrite.
Nice when folks can just enjoy diversity of opinion...
Since'61
August 21, 2018 at 09:13 am
Bearmeat - Great job with the new icon! Thanks, Since '61
Bearmeat
August 21, 2018 at 09:27 am
Thanks, 61! hahaha!
Unfortunately, CHTV won't let me post another link in this string of comments, but if you google "Darren Rovell Twitter" and scroll down his pics, you'll find the best troll of any Vikings fan ever. :)
JerseyAl
August 21, 2018 at 11:38 am
this one? https://twitter.com/darrenrovell?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%...
Bearmeat
August 21, 2018 at 04:05 pm
Correct. Check out August 20. LOL!
GBPDAN1
August 21, 2018 at 12:44 pm
.
GBPDAN1
August 21, 2018 at 12:49 pm
This is what I was getting at, Bearmeat. Our Outside pass rushers (OLBs) have been disappointing. We were ranked towards the bottom of the league last year. I really hope Gilbert helps this problem, but as I mentioned, he started coming on in the Pittsburgh game once Jake Rodgers entered the game at Tackle. I'm not saying Gilbert isn't going to be good, as I think he will help, but is this the piece that will make or OLB woes go away? The OLB position is the prime position in a 3-4 D. Getting pressure on the QB and setting the edges are imperative. We are paying choice money for our starters at the position, we need return on investment.
And Thebeast431, yes, Perry missed 4 games (of course) but the ratings were base on his sample size as in how he graded out on every snap he did play. They didn't compare sacks, pressures, etc. of Perry against others based on a 16 game season. It was based on the percentage of playing time when available. So your comparison with Rodgers was not accurate.
PCPackerfan, I know its only preseason and I'm hoping things get better in the regular season. I know Pettine will try to create other ways to create pressure. But, what I'm saying is it would be great if we didn't have to get creative to produce pressure. If we had great OLBs, we could get pressure with 4 and drop 7 in coverage which is the best formula for success on D. Teams that can do this are top D teams.
porupack
August 21, 2018 at 08:58 am
GPDan;
Good post as usual. Yes, you make some good points regarding the low annual output of our top OLBs;, but I think other posters comment below that an injury plagued year drops his rank well below his talent.
Regarding his 'injury proneness'; all players are injury prone. Past injuries aren't always a predictor of future injuries (depends on the type). It seems to me, the hand issue is mysterious, but mitigatable certainly seems better than a chronic hamstring or groin problem.
(Statistics can be a quirky tool because you could argue his early years of injury could indicate a reverting to the mean this year, and using averages, he is likely to have a below average injury year. Or (more plausible) as a player hits prime years with some maturity, they take care of themselves better, depend more on saavy and less on brute). One could say, Perry and staff might have Perry more prepared to prevent injuries this year than 2 years ago.
Otherwise, I believe all of us share the same frustration on OLB impact you posted. Much of it was poor returns on last 6 drafts. To keep some optimism, Cory well points out the potential for Gilbert to atone for a long string of poor OLB picks.
I think other reasons for optimism:
1) with Gilbert in rotation, the top 3 can have changeups, rest, and different attacking schemes.
2) With a strong #3 Gilbert, it could conserve Matthews/Perry and see reduction of injuries with some spells of rest.
3) Pettine and fresh eyes and mind
4) Athletic young CBs interspersed with experienced vets (could make even Fackerall serviceable).
5) Future 2019; two 1st round picks in a strong OLB class.
Gute did well to focus on 3 position groups considering the low number of top OLB talent in 2018 draft.
Its still preseason Debbie-downer, so keep chin up :-)
GBPDAN1
August 21, 2018 at 07:44 pm
I'm hoping for the best, PoruPack. I was just posting comments based on observations. I do have my chin up regarding our offense as I believe they will be very productive (injuries excluded) .
I believe our D will be improved due to the infusion of talent at CB and with Pettine running the show. I do think we are lacking superior talent at OLB.
I do believe BG will eventually fix this. He's dealing with Ted's mess and had to many holes to fill for one off season. We will be good this year, but I believe we'll be great next year.
RCPackerFan
August 21, 2018 at 06:47 am
Finding Gilbert was huge as he basically has taken over for Fackrell. While the Fackrell pick clearly was a miss getting Gilbert as an UDFA really helped offset that pick.
I will give Biegel more time to develop, after all this is his first training camp, and preseason he has played in.
The other player that has disappointed has been Odom.
I would like to see more from Donnerson the next 2 games.
I think we will see them bringing in someone to the position. But luckily right now we have Gilbert!
Bearmeat
August 21, 2018 at 09:09 am
You're grasping at straws, Mr. Sparkle Pony Man.
Our Edge position is poor. Just admit it. It'll be cathartic. :)
RCPackerFan
August 21, 2018 at 01:07 pm
lol. not sure really how.
I mean did you even read my post?
http://i.qkme.me/35mk4d.jpg
Bearmeat
August 21, 2018 at 04:08 pm
nice meme. lol. I certainly did read your post. Gilbert makes up for Fackrell - in theory. Let's see if he can do it against top 10 OTs. He hasn't yet, and I'm not holding my breath. Hopeful, but not expecting it.
And regarding the other names on your list: They were all day three picks and/or UDFA's. The odds of those players becoming regular contributors is unbelievably low. You do know that, right? Look, it's more likely than not that Perry and CM3 will be out 4 games each, and ineffective from being banged up for another 4. And it's more likely than not that none of the backups steps up. No premium draft capital + the starters history suggests it.
Packer Dave
August 21, 2018 at 07:30 am
Clay should be moved inside for 75% of his snaps. We harp on this to no end. A sack is a sack - he'd be more effective shooting gaps in the line. Is it some point of pride for him to line up on the edge?
Could Looney man an elephant spot?
Gilbert, Biegel and Donnerson are my favorites to fill out OLB.
Archie
August 21, 2018 at 08:48 am
OLBs get paid the big bucks. That said, for 52 to stay in GB past this year he will have to settle for less money and at least 75% of his snaps inside.
Assuming Mack doesn't get traded to GB and GB keeps both its R1 picks next spring, I'd vote one OLB pass rusher and one WR w deep speed. After that, an OT. Safety may be high on the list too.
TarynsEyes
August 21, 2018 at 08:58 am
" IT IS TIME ! ".....to accept and hold the door open for Matthews to leave after this season or perhaps sooner...if we can get Oakland to take him or Perry or both with a draft pick(s) for Mack.
Andrew Lloyd Peth
August 21, 2018 at 10:09 am
We're loaded with deep speed receivers now, so I'd draft OLB and O-Tackle with next year's 1st rounders, ideally.
thebeast431
August 21, 2018 at 07:34 am
Not to call you out. But claiming Nick Perry last double digit sack was in 2016 is just bad optics. It was just 2 seasons ago. His last season 2017, was injury plagued and still had 7 sacks in less then 12 games, most with a club.
Thats like saying Aaron Rodgers last 20 TD season was in 2016. Get my point.
egbertsouse
August 21, 2018 at 08:02 am
Yeah, your point seems to be that Perry is injured all the time so he is really better than his stats indicate. That would be a ringing endorsement of his value....... if Perry wasn’t injured all the time.
porupack
August 21, 2018 at 09:17 am
Egbts:
Except he wasn't injured all the time, and no evidence that he will, until he is, which means until then, he is talented and should be good, and we have more reason to be optimistic than pessimistic until clear 2018 trends can be seen, (as Archie above well states) about October. Then....we can all get cranky.
4thand1
August 21, 2018 at 08:03 am
Perry has to stay healthy, simple no excuses , and produce. The dumbest move would be to try and stash Gilbert on the practice squad again, he'd be gone the same day like T Hill. Gilbert has to be on the final 53, the Fackrell experiment is over. Pitt was actually putting a TE to help block Gilbert, he was getting double teamed, something teams used to do with Clay.
JonathanSpader
August 21, 2018 at 08:14 am
Have you seen Hill's latest preseason game against the Cardinals?
4thand1
August 21, 2018 at 02:39 pm
So Jonathan are you saying it's ok to not sign Gilbert because of not keeping Hill? We kept Callahan instead. Also Hundley is a great pre season QB. So Hill had a bad game, he sure wasn't bad last year for the Packers. The Packers need to lock up Gilbert IMO or someone else will.
Archie
August 21, 2018 at 08:57 am
I watched T Hill play the other night. Struggled for most of first half. Got hot on final drive only to hold on to the ball too long, get sacked, fumbled and lost possession. The kid has talent but did somebody say he was 29? He's still too green to be a starter but a year or two down the road, maybe. GB would have been a perfect place for him to stay last year but, alas, MM/TT have a rather horrible record on QB talent, outside of Rodgers, who MM passed on in the draft for Alex Smith. See Brohm, Hundley et. al.
Kizer made a big step forward last week. If he can repeat that, game over for Hundley in GB. The question is what do with the other gut who seems worthy of keeping. I doubt he would make it to the practice squad. So T Hill situation all over again. NFL should smarten up and let teams keep a 3rd QB w/o letting him count against the 53. W/o a good QB, the NFL product suffers. Same in baseball. No pitching = lousy baseball.
Handsback
August 21, 2018 at 08:03 am
Let him play against the other team's first string and see if he can maintain that pressure. I liked what he did last year and hasn't regressed so he he could be a real playmaker or even average would be good at this point.
PAPackerbacker
August 21, 2018 at 09:14 am
If Gilbert is playing this well on a vanilla defense just think how good he will be when the regular season starts. We may just see Gilbert taking over the starting job as the season progresses. He has earned his opportunity by working very hard and performing very well. If placed on the practice squad this year he will be gone in a short time. There are players more deserving to be placed on the practice squad, or cut all together Let's hope he can stay healthy and get double digit sacks as well. His skills and hard work ethic are a welcome relief with so many injuries at the position. And has earned him a spot on the 53 man roster, maybe even as a starter.
PackfanNY
August 21, 2018 at 09:22 am
I hope they get Matthews, Perry and Gilbert on the field in obvious passing downs. Not a great pass rush but better than the alternative. I listened to the Pack a Day podcast and Justin Mosqueda mentioned that Gilbert although he will never be elite plays with "heavy hands". I have never heard that term before but it does describe Gilbert. I don't think he is the quickest closer but I do think he generates pressure with his pursuit of the play.
Since'61
August 21, 2018 at 09:34 am
Gilbert proves that the NFL is a young man's game. He has a good burst as the author points out and he usually creates some disruption of the offense on nearly every play. However, this is still preseason and it remains to be seen if he will do that consistently once the regular season begins.
That said he needs to be ahead of everyone else on the depth chart at edge with the possible exceptions of Perry and Mathews (Yikes!!!). Matthews is proof that there are only so many hits any player's body can take. Maybe, just maybe, Perry won't be allowed to take entire games off now that Pettine is the DC.
In any case we need to be better at Edge and if Gilbert makes us better then he needs to play, even if it means taking snaps from Perry and/or Matthews.
If we're lucky Perry, Matthews, Fackrell and Beigel will have great games in Oakland this week and we can fool the Raiders into taking the 4 of them for Mack. We can even throw in Hundley by telling them he can be traded for a #2 or #3 draft pick in 2019. Probably not, but that's my version of Fantasy Football. Thanks, Since '61
Thegreatreynoldo
August 21, 2018 at 09:39 am
IDK, I just listened to Andy Herman and Justis Mosqueda on their podcast agree that Gilbert is a nice find with a fine motor, very heavy hands, and a relentless nature, but that he has clear athletic limitations. I don't see much bend and I only see a decent first step. He is pretty good with inside moves using his heavy hands.
I think Gilbert probably can be a nice rotational OLB to take the snaps that had gone to Fackrell or might have gone to the undistinguished Biegel, who looks like Fackrell without the muscle. I agree that he is an agreeable find. Given what we had, I suppose godsend isn't too far off. I don't expect Gilbert to do what Peppers did for us in 2014 or 2015, but 4 to 6 sacks and some hurries would be a reasonable hope, and anything more would be most welcome.
CoryJennerjohn
August 21, 2018 at 10:48 am
I disagree. The weight of his hands aren’t going to keep him from getting 8 sacks this year. He is quick enough around the edge and with a dominant DL, Gilbert should flourish.
Quarterback pressure is invaluable in this league and that’s what will keep him on the field.
JerseyAl
August 21, 2018 at 11:41 am
"heavy hands" is actually a good thing. It means he can move blockers with hand jolts and such.
Thegreatreynoldo
August 21, 2018 at 09:34 pm
Yes, Perry has heavy hands as well, and can jolt OTs. Gilbert should be able to help us this year. I agree with you that Gilbert should have made the initial 53 last year. Better coverage should really help players like Perry and Gilbert.
PatrickGB
August 21, 2018 at 09:48 am
Beigel doesn’t look good. It’s great that Reggie can play in spots and in relief. One day may even be a starter. Beigel won’t. Perhaps it time to have him move over to MLB and take Ryan’s role there next year?
Andrew Lloyd Peth
August 21, 2018 at 10:18 am
Gilbert is a great example why we shouldn't give up too quickly on developmental prospects. It took him a while, but now he's a solid backup.
I'm all for bringing in the occasional FA, but when possible I prefer developing our young guys. This is why I was chuckling when some people panicked and called for signing Dez Bryant. People, have some patience.
This week, I'm anxious to see how our young safety group looks. While the panic over them is justified, I think our safety cupboard is far from bare.
CoryJennerjohn
August 21, 2018 at 10:43 am
I agree. The free agent pick-ups are always sexier, but Gilbert in my opinion has looked better than Nick Perry on his best day. Is that a lot to say? Yeah. But Gilbert just has a knack of getting to the QB.
billybobton
August 21, 2018 at 01:00 pm
I was unaware Perry qualified as a free agent in green bay, great find!
PackfanNY
August 21, 2018 at 10:33 am
I hate to say it, but did you ever see that insurance commercial where the announcer says "if you weren't there your check would disappear" and with a whoosh the check does disappear into dust. Well Biegel and Fackrell seem to disappear and get vaporized by bigger offensive lineman. Maybe that's why Gilbert seems somewhat "better" than he really is.
Bure9620
August 21, 2018 at 10:47 am
I have been quite high on Gilbert for sometime, he has now transformed his body. He has a motor, multiple moves, good strength, good arm length, I think he a big year.
Cartwright
August 21, 2018 at 11:13 am
After reading the article all I can say is Khalil who? If Gilbert can produce and Perry can stay healthy that should equal one Big Mack right? or is it just a quarter pounder with fries. Where I live Big Macks are on sale 2 for 5$, is it that way in Green Bay? If so, maybe it's an omen.
Colin_C
August 21, 2018 at 11:21 am
I've been a big fan of Gilbert since last season, so I'm pumped that he's finally getting the recognition. His athleticism was a question mark for me as to how far he could really go, but the more I watch, the better he looks. Clay offered up some high praise yesterday saying there's only a few people who possess the athleticism, bend, and hand use that he has. Reggie's obviously not an athletic marvel in spandex, but I'm starting to think he's a guy who's much faster with pads on in game action. More akin to Bosa than Clowney in how he wins his battles. I won't be surprised if by the playoffs, Gilbert is starting.
4thand10
August 21, 2018 at 11:38 am
I was just kinda shocked....last preseason he was getting sacks and pressure, end of the year regular season he was getting pressure. I kept asking myself....why are they not putting this dude on the 53?
I hope they are not THAT hung up on draft status.
AgrippaLII
August 21, 2018 at 10:52 pm
There is a potential shut down corner on this roster ?