Quick Takes from Week 1 of Packers OTAs
From the cornerback situation with Casey Hayward and Sam Shields to J.C. Tretter's injury, Brian Carriveau digs in with his opinions from Packers OTAs.
The Green Bay Packers held their first practice of the 2013 season open to the public and the media on Tuesday. Here's some of the developments and knee-jerk reaction to what went down on Clark Hinkle Field...
No Shields means Casey Hayward is the starting CB wide, opposite Tramon Williams in team's base defense.
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) May 21, 2013
Quick take: Sam Shields is a restricted free agent that still has not signed the tender offered to him by the Packers. If there's honest negotiations toward a multi-year contract, then Shields may be justified in holding out for the best deal. But if he has relegated himself to playing on a one-year deal and hitting free agency again next season, Shields isn't doing himself any favors by staying away from practice. Casey Hayward is getting a fantastic opportunity, receiving reps as the starter at cornerback with Shields not taking part and Davon House still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
More detail on the injury to J.C. Tretter. Injured while sliding (like a baseball player) during FR drill: jsonline.com/blogs/sports/2…
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) May 21, 2013
Quick take: I've seen offensive line coach James Campen run this drill before. He rolls a football as if it were a fumble, and then the offensive linemen slide feet first to recover it. First of all, sliding feet first seems like a terrible way to recover a fumble to me. Exhibit A is Leon Lett. Maybe the purpose is to protect their head, but taking actually taking time to practice sliding seems to be over-thinking it. Rarely is there enough time to make a premeditated decision to make a feet-first slide. Just fall on the football, preferably with your hands, the fastest way possible. Now that someone has been injured, it seems even worse.
Alex Green opens as starting RB during team drill, then drops or fumbles ball on swing pass.
— Mike Vandermause (@MikeVandermause) May 21, 2013
Quick take: Green reportedly dropped a swing pass later in practice as well. It's great that the coaching staff is not giving Eddie Lacy a sense of entitlement by making him the starting running back right away, but it probably won't be long until he surpasses Green. I've said since the NFL Draft ended that Green and James Starks are probably fighting for one roster spot between the two of them. If Green isn't careful, he won't only lose his default starting spot, he might lose a job altogether.
Brad Jones and Finley exchange shoves and punches after whistle.
— Mike Vandermause (@MikeVandermause) May 21, 2013
Datone Jones in the middle of a scrum. Looked like he was getting into it with Bulaga.
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) May 21, 2013
Quick take: These aren't fringe players on the bubble fighting for their roster lives; these are established veterans and first round draft picks getting into a little scuffle at practice on Tuesday. As long as the fighting doesn't get out of control, and there was no indication that it did, there's nothing wrong with a little chippiness at this time of year. It shows the players are eager to prove themselves and put last year behind them.
Coleman and Harrell have had some errant throws today.
— Mike Vandermause (@MikeVandermause) May 21, 2013
Harrell and Coleman are both getting a lot of action today at QB. A lot of overthrows so far with both.
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) May 21, 2013
Quick take: It would be premature to get down on either Harrell or Coleman after one day of practice. But the Packers clearly need a more reliable backup than they had a year ago. Mike McCarthy has indicated he wants to cut back on some of Aaron Rodgers' reps in the May and June timeframe, so OTAs are the perfect time for Harrell and Coleman to see increased action and establish themselves. One or both needs to take the reins and show some marked improvement.
Comments (24)
May 21, 2013 at 09:27 pm
sure wish House was healthy.
he could use the reps.
kinda feel like he's gonna be one of those guys who has all the potential in the world... but just never puts it all together.
May 22, 2013 at 12:32 am
Definitely agree that he could use the reps. But he's still very young.
May 21, 2013 at 09:47 pm
yep their chipie good too see them start to get warmed up for the real punches and foot stomps i see a more physical team this year have to if ya want too win .
May 21, 2013 at 10:05 pm
Another interesting note was Mike Neal getting reps at OLB. Obviously he won't be there full time, but that would add a new wrinkle to the various packages that Capers could run.
I am hoping House can come back soon too, and hope its not an all offseason thing... He needs the reps. But apart of this makes me wonder if that is why they drafted Micah Hyde. Maybe they knew House's injury was worse then thought, and drafted him for insurance?
Green is going to be hard pressed to make the roster. I feel he will make it especially beings he was a 3rd round pick, however the competition at the position means he is going to have to step up.
Also. I love the chippiness and the attitude. Perhaps players are tired of hearing how 'soft' they are and are ready to prove something? Works for me. :)
May 22, 2013 at 07:01 am
house has a history with ankle injuries, and they have a tendency to take that edge off from anybodys performance. he has some great talent, but he has been nursing this thing for a while now, and i am concerned if the pack will ever get a nearly full season out of him. but, if they do, i think he could be a gamer.
May 21, 2013 at 11:24 pm
Alex green may be the best back on the roster and if healthy will be making the roster.
May 21, 2013 at 11:32 pm
Sam Shields came in with poor attitude last year and played poorly for the 1st 1/2 of the season if you include pre-season. Granted he played very well the 2nd half and is an exceptional talent. I like him but would be weary of giving him or raji long-term deals. House & Tramon on the outside, Hayward in the slot. Bounce back year for Tramon, Hayward will have success in the slot, & House will have the finest year of any CB in the NFC North.
May 22, 2013 at 09:40 am
That statement regarding Shields is not accurate.
May 22, 2013 at 03:31 pm
Neither is the one about Alex Green.
May 21, 2013 at 11:56 pm
& While I'm at it. The TE from Ohio State suprises & impresses. Mulligan or whoever he is does what he was brought in to do. Taylor continues to show up not only on special teams but also on in the offense. Bostick catches on and flashes his abilities, shows more than promise. DJ has the best hands of any of em with a knack of getting open. We'll see about Andrew quarless but he was pretty good.
Finley traded by week 1 of the regular season for not a whole hell of a lot. Probably to help beef up a by then depleted offensive line.
Don Barclay, a productive packer right tackle for years to come.
May 22, 2013 at 12:03 am
wait, one more. Datone Jones, not only defensive rookie of the year, but straight up rookie of the year. A perfect compliment to Nick Perry and Don Capers.
May 22, 2013 at 04:43 am
What's the deal with House having offseason surgery? If the injury was that bad, why didn't he just have it last preseason?
May 22, 2013 at 06:05 am
Tried treatments to avoid surgery. But didnt work. Hope hes back soon was a beast last preseason until got hurt
May 22, 2013 at 06:52 am
Brad and Datone bringin some attitude, how hideous and embarrassing.
May 22, 2013 at 06:54 am
Brian--good read!
May 22, 2013 at 09:29 am
I'm not a football coach, but hook sliding does seem like a better approach than jumping on a loose ball. You are keeping your body in front of the ball in case it starts to reverse its roll, you can deflect it with your momentum. Jumping directly on it, could go anywhere. Kinda like keeping square to a ground ball in baseball to keep your chest in front of it should it take an odd hop. Leon Lett is simply an idiot, and maybe if he had practiced the technique a little more he could have executed it and scored a TD. This guy breaks an ankle, then he was not doing it right either. This is a non-contact drill right?
May 22, 2013 at 10:02 am
I agree that sliding, and collecting the ball with your body, is better than trying to pounce on it. I can only imagine that his cleat got caught and he rolled it bad enough to break something. Too bad for him as this will probably end his career before it even started.
May 22, 2013 at 10:08 am
"Too bad for him as this will probably end his career before it even started."
Ha. That's unlikely.
May 22, 2013 at 10:32 am
Worst case is that they put him on the PUP and if he can't make it move him to IR. They'll keep him around to see if he can play.
May 22, 2013 at 06:58 pm
the sheilds thing the way i see it is he is not worth more that 2.5 mil to 3 mil a year if he wants more than that i say let him sit out . after a year out of the nfl he can see what his view on his value is worth. if we didnt give jennings 8 mil a year i dont know why sheilds think he is so special. if im not mistaken hayward had the most int on the team not sheilds
May 23, 2013 at 01:55 am
and if I am Sam Shields, or his agent, I say, "qb's don't throw in the direction of guys who are shutdown."
May 23, 2013 at 08:17 pm
His agent can say that all he wants, but he's not shown he can be a shutdown corner yet. So even his agent would be laughing at him. Fast, yes, talent yes, big talent I'm not so sure and neither are the packers. Hence the Micah Hyde draft who seems to compare a lot to Casey Hayward with a little bit of house thrown in.
May 27, 2013 at 09:14 pm
I think Hyde is nothing more than a Bush replacement on ST and little better CB. I can't see him competing for playing time for like... Well EVER!
May 27, 2013 at 12:35 pm
I agree about the Shields issue. Do not understand what's in the heads of these guys but have to believe its the agents running the show.
I understand the agents want to get paid either by a new contract -first choice because they get their money now, or via free agency down the road.
Just like a car salesman, the car he doesn't sell today puts no food on the table.
Holding out is an expression of attention getting. Sometimes it works.