The Lass Word: Packers Give Opportunity to a "Knucklehead"
It's a low risk, high reward proposition.
By KenLass
You read everything you can find about Green Bay Packers undrafted free agent Brenton Cox, and you are left scratching your head. At times it seems you are reading about two completely different people.
On the one hand, you see the bad stuff. How he was kicked off the team at the University of Georgia after being charged with marijuana possession. How he was subsequently kicked off the University of Florida team after appearing to punch a Georgia running back when the ball carrier had scored a touchdown. How Florida coach Billy Napier said the dismissal was the result of a “cumulative” amount of incidents involving coaches and rules.
It’s easy to quickly conclude the guy is a ne’er-do-well. A malcontent. A trouble maker. The kind of influence that is toxic to your locker room. It certainly scared off all 32 teams in the NFL, who collectively decided to avoid the talented edge rusher like the plague during the draft last April.
But then you scan his bio from the University of Florida athletic department. You learn that he is a three time member of the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll. That’s right, I said the Academic honor roll. You also learn that last summer, before the 2022 football season even began, despite all of his issues, Cox had already earned his bachelor’s degree in educational sciences from Florida. He was still in good enough graces with the Florida program that coach Napier allowed him to perform with the Gators’ other pro prospects on the school’s NFL workout day.
Does that sound like a malcontent to you? Sounds to me like a guy who, when he wants to, can focus on a goal and work hard to achieve it. He’s obviously smart. And he has shown he can be motivated to accomplish an objective.
And I haven’t even mentioned his football ability, which is considerable. Everybody wanted him out of high school in Stockbridge, Georgia. He was a solid five star recruit. He was second team all Southeastern Conference as a redshirt sophomore. Last fall in Gainesville he was on his way to national acclaim through eight games. He had already rolled up 35 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks and a pass defensed.
But after the alleged punching incident against his former school, Napier had had enough. "Obviously he's done a lot of good things for the University of Florida, and we wish him nothing but the best," Napier said. "Sometimes you have to make decisions in the best interests of the team. Certainly, Brenton, we're going to do everything we can do to help him with his transition, but as simple as that. I think we've decided to move on.”
Packers’ pass rush coach Jason Rebrovich studied Cox, his activity on the field, and off of it. “There’s a lot of guys who have trials and tribulations in college” Rebrovich told the beat writers. Then he made his “knucklehead” reference, which is fast becoming legend amongst Packer fans. “I called the young man” he said. “I want to know who I’m going to get on a daily basis. Am I going to get this knucklehead that’s gone through this stuff? Or am I getting a guy who wants to become a pro, and have the opportunity to be a star in this league?”
Apparently, Rebrovich got the answer he was looking for, because Green Bay signed the 23 year old, and Cox performed well enough in spring workouts to be mentioned by Matt LaFleur as being among the newcomers making “splash” plays. With just a nine thousand dollar guaranteed signing bonus, Green Bay's commitment to Cox is easily severed if it doesn't work out.
The NFL has a long history of taking in players with a troubled past. Ray Lewis was once charged in a double murder case. There is now a statue of him out front of the stadium in Baltimore. (Lewis eventually accepted a plea deal to a lesser charge of obstructing justice.) Joe Mixon, while playing at Oklahoma, was arrested and charged with punching a woman in the face, breaking four facial bones. He was drafted in the second round by the Bengals. Just last April the Philadelphia Eagles made defensive lineman Jalen Carter the ninth pick in the first round of the draft, despite his being charged for his alleged involvement in a car crash that killed two people.
In the NFL, it’s just win baby. If you can play, you’ll get a chance.
I’ve read where Cox is a long shot to make the Packers’ roster. That Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Kingsley Enagbare and rookie Lukas Van Ness are all ahead of him, with Justin Hollins and Jonathan Garvin also in the mix. To that I say, just look at the tape. Watch the explosion, the sure tackling, the way he has learned to dip his shoulder under the blocker to get around him, the way he never gives up on the play. This guy is good. If you try to sneak him on to the practice squad, he will be gone in a heartbeat. He’s better than Enagbare, Hollins and Garvin right now. More than one scout had him as a top 50 draft prospect if you judge him purely on football talent.
Will he behave and focus on his opportunity? That remains to be seen. But if he does, the real knuckleheads will be the 31 other teams that didn’t sign him.
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Ken Lass is a former Green Bay television sports anchor and 43 year media veteran, a lifelong Packers fan, and a shareholder.
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Comments (66)
PackEyedOptimist
July 03, 2023 at 06:31 am
His tape shows a round 2-3 player with high energy, the kind of player his opponent hates to deal with for a full game.
Can he behave?
Guys with a penchant for playing fast-and-loose with rules VERY rarely can maintain discipline over a long haul. There are outliers, but rarely. It will be ESPECIALLY difficult if he isn’t a starter.
That means the Packers need to have a very comprehensive plan for keeping him in line, since he’s worth the effort if you succeed.
I wish them luck, and hope nothing REALLY embarrassing or negative comes from it.
If he does pull through, having Cox and Enagbare as second-string would be amazing, as both have starter-quality skills.
croatpackfan
July 03, 2023 at 06:42 am
Thank you Ken to rise up that issue. For me, it looks like strange that a person with diploma at educational science is troublesome person. Who knows why he was caught with marijuana. There may be several, naive reasons. Also, there is no report why he was involved in that fight with his team mate. I do not want to find excuse for his actions, just my experience telling me that many things we do or did in our lives have reasonable explanations. Saying that I do not want to justify any action, just want to say that every person has to be kept accountable for acts that were performed or done. Punishment should take in consideration what was the complete story behind that act. Selfishness is surely not excuse or should be treated as positive, but negative reason behind act.
Brendon Cox, as everyone has flaws. He should work to overcome those flaws and become better persons.
From purely football point of view, I'm glad Packers signed Cox to their 90 men roster. And, I'm pretty sure that he will be on final roster at the beginning of the season. He has some things to work on to himself to be true force for Packers, but which rookie does not have to do that.
Ferrari-Driver
July 04, 2023 at 01:17 am
"Brendon Cox, as everyone has flaws. He should work to overcome those flaws and become better persons."
Perhaps it's true to say that everyone has flaws, but all flaws are not equal. The flaws possessed by Bart Starr pale compared to those of Darren Sharper, a former Packer player now in prison. The question remains, will the flaws possessed by Brendon Cox prevent him from being a productive Green Bay Packers player?
croatpackfan
July 04, 2023 at 05:59 am
I agree. As I wrote - everyone has flaws, I did not wrote everyone has same flaw. And yes, different flaws are with different consequences. If your main flaw is selfishness to epic proportion, but your talent to play football is huge, football team will give you 150 mill $ for 3 years of playing and accept all your wishes in player aquisition part. When you show the team that you are in decline with capability and talent, than you'll be traded because your flaw is much harder to swallow than your experience can contribute to the team's goal.
Ferrari-Driver
July 04, 2023 at 10:58 am
My comment is not intended to denigrate or disagree with your excellent post, but merely to add additional thought. You do a good job here at the Packers Cheesehead website and I often read your comments with interest and I learn things.
ReaganRulz
July 03, 2023 at 06:44 am
Appreciate you pointing out his commitment to graduating, etc. His highlights are impressive especially against talented SEC teams. I’m always a little skeptical of these cuz they’re cherry picked, but his stats don’t lie. The Green Bay low-key community and environment should help with his transition to stay on the right track.
SicSemperTyrannis
July 03, 2023 at 11:19 pm
Yet another coaching skill that's entirely different from the rest! I wonder if they have a team therapist / counselor?
Guam
July 03, 2023 at 06:49 am
I wish the young man all the best and hope he can grow up and put his troubles behind him, but I am not counting on him to help the Packers. His commitment to his education is very positive, but it takes a special level of knucklehead to get booted off two SEC football teams, particularly as a five star recruit. College coaches retain their jobs by winning and for two coaches to give up on a five star recruit who performs well on the field is an outlier of epic proportion. I suspect Cox is a problem waiting to happen - I just hope it doesn't reflect too badly on the Packers when it happens.
Leatherhead
July 03, 2023 at 07:05 am
Ditto. I also think there are enough guys in front of him ....Gary, Smith, Van Ness, Enagbare, Garvin.....that he's going to have a hard time geting on the field.
WestCoastPackerBacker
July 03, 2023 at 10:55 am
If this guy has top 50 talent, then Enagbare and Garvin will be no match for him once the pads come on and they see where the real talent lies. With Gary out for an unknowns amount of time, Cox has a chance to show he belongs in the NFL, both with talent and with attitude.
Guam
July 03, 2023 at 04:48 pm
LH: I figured I would get a bunch of down votes because of my negative view of Cox, but with his track record, it is hard to be optimistic that he can fix himself enough to be useful this year. You don't wear out your welcome at two different universities without having some significant issues. I hope he makes the grade, but I view it as a long shot.
I also agree that OLB is loaded. I think people are under valuing Enagbare as he played well done the stretch last year as a rookie and could easily make a jump this year. I am less impressed with Garvin, but like Hollins a lot. Gary, Smith, Enagbare, Hollins, Garvin and Van Ness are going to be a tough group to crack.
Handsback
July 03, 2023 at 07:10 am
I'm not any kind of therapist, but the kid sounds like he has some real emotional, and or anger issues. If he makes the team the Packers would be smart to assign a therapist to him full time. Two reasons, steady play and allow him to be a better person in the long run.
I know many don't believe it will help, but have seen the Cowboys do it with very good results.
Just MHO
WestCoastPackerBacker
July 03, 2023 at 10:58 am
Well I'm not counting the weed possession against him. Last week, Travis Kelce said he thought 50-80% of NFL players use weed and it's legal throughout much of the country. And if there are anger issues, this is exactly the time of life to get a handle on them. Maybe losing his chance to be drafted into the NFL will be a big enough lesson for him to get his head on straight. Would be great to see another UDFA succeed, like Sam Shields did, with great talent but a pot bust on their record.
SicSemperTyrannis
July 03, 2023 at 11:23 pm
Opportunity like the NFL is a once in a lifetime thing, Kapernick shows that. Hopefully he realizes that and turns into a pro.
stockholder
July 03, 2023 at 07:14 am
" He’s better than Enagbare, Hollins and Garvin right now".
Ok; Seriously- What have you been smoking?
I get were looking for the next Gary. Etc.
But many of the Next generation Stars.
Can't pass a NFL drug test.
The real knuckleheads can't stay straight.
Anger management is what he may need.
But the red flag is still getting caught.
Thegreatreynoldo
July 03, 2023 at 07:53 am
I can envision Cox being better than Garvin, and perhaps Hollins. Enagbare is pretty good.
Leatherhead
July 03, 2023 at 09:13 am
Enagbare is pretty good, but don't sell Garvin short. He was inactive for some games, but in his 14 active games last year he played around 20 defensive snaps and about 10 special teams snaps. In 2021, he did his job and didn't fall for a fake punt on 4th down and thwarted it. That impressed the resins right out of my lungs, because I cannot remember another instance of a fake punt against us that did not work, so I'll admit some bias . He's already played in 38 NFL games and will turn ...24...in a few weeks.
Here's the deal with Cox: We should offer him a year on the PS to get his stuff together. Provide counseling and assistance and mentorship and all that. If he's working hard, you can always activate him for a game or two as a reward. It's a minimum financial investment. If it works, we've fixed a life and improved the team.
If he CHOOSES to accept an offer elsewhere, for more money or immediate playing time, then wish him well.
I like Gary, PSmith, Enagbare, Van Ness, and Garvin as our gameday group at OLB. But I suppose we should wait until training camp at least starts. I know this Packer front office is pretty conservative on personnel matters and they don't promote guys based on a couple of days in shorts.
After those 5, I'd suppose we'd keep two more on the practice squad. And of course, this assumes everybody is healthy and ready to go. I've heard nothing definitive about Gary's availability other than he'll be ready when he's ready. I'm assuming that since the opener is still over two months away there's a chance he'll be ready by then.
DoubleJ
July 03, 2023 at 09:34 am
"Here's the deal with Cox: We should offer him a year on the PS to get his stuff together."
If Cox is cut during cut downs he would have to make it though waivers first. At that point any team could claim him and put him on their active roster. Only if he makes it through waivers would GB be able to put him on the PS.
Leatherhead
July 03, 2023 at 09:58 am
Point taken. Still, if somebody like ...Cleveland...wants to claim him, wouldn't it be an easy matter for his agent to say that his client wants to stay where he is because he's receiving the support he needs? Wouldn't Cleveland, or anybody else, be able to understand that?
DoubleJ
July 03, 2023 at 10:05 am
I don't know if players know who has put in waiver claims until the waiver period has passed. That said I would assume another team would answer that as "we can provide you with the same support you need."
WestCoastPackerBacker
July 03, 2023 at 11:04 am
The player doesn't get to choose. If a team has a guy on a practice squad, another team has every right to sign him and he has to be on their roster of 53. Talent on the edge is so important, the position is so important, that if he actually has top 50 talent, then keep him on the squad and grow him.
Leatherhead
July 03, 2023 at 03:02 pm
Then I'm confused, because I thought I recalled some instances where players stayed on the practice squad instead of going to another team. You're saying that isn't possible.
Oppy
July 03, 2023 at 07:28 pm
This is incorrect.
A team can not block a player from being poached from their practice squad if another team offers the player a spot on their active roster (providing they aren't the next week's opponent); however, a player is absolutely free to decline the offer from the other team and stay where he is at.
In short, a practice squad player is free to sign on to a different team's active roster- but it is the player's choice to do so. Typically they do, because most players want the increased money and opportunity to play now.. but it's still the players' choice.
jannesbjornson
July 03, 2023 at 06:01 pm
May the best man win the competition. Enagbare probably starts with P. Smith. Gary may not show up until Thanksgiving? Garvin brought pressure and a forced fumble when he got reps. Hollins is a rusher. Cox should be the sixth OLB, if he earns it. Keep seven on the outside and bring heat with the rotation. The sand in the gears is Barry.
mnbadger
July 04, 2023 at 10:00 am
Hollins was cut by a bad rams team that knew him very well. for a minimal cap saving.
Yes he had a couple of sacks, but without looking back at the tape, I remember one as a coverage type and the other caused by pressure from other side and qb running into his arms.
Sacks yes, but JAG's could have made both plays as I recall.
I'm glad we have a talented and hopefully motivated young player to push him.
let the best win.
Possession, meh!?
Punching a former teammate? Other than the players involved, who knows what was said?
I'm hoping for a fresh start for him and a professional level of personal growth and mentorship.
GPG!
Packers0808
July 03, 2023 at 11:44 am
Talking about anger management ever try it?
TxFred
July 03, 2023 at 07:30 am
Good article. Cox has his future & success with the Pack, all in his hands. He solely will determine his future. The coach saw something in his tapes & background others missed. The conversation between Cox and coach made an impression. Let's hope Cox makes the most of his possible last chance in the league. He does, everybody wins. GPG !!!!
HarryHodag
July 03, 2023 at 07:55 am
Immaturity can be overcome with age. Some people learn and grow, others age but are still immature.
Perhaps his UDFA status woke him up to the reality that acting poorly either on or off the field will cost him big time.
As other Packers players have proven, Green Bay has enough distractions to become a problem. But it also provides more of a 'family' style of environment which might help him grow up.
I'm not certain the Packers are committed to Preston Smith beyond this year so there is a chance he will stick if he gets his act together.
PatrickGB
July 03, 2023 at 10:45 am
“ Immaturity can be overcome with age” I totally agree. However, he is already 24 yers old and one would expect that he is mature. I agree with all the posters that he needs counseling. My hope is that his mistakes were isolated incidents and that he can become “Packers People “.
HarryHodag
July 03, 2023 at 11:00 am
When you get to my age 24 is still very young.
NickPerry
July 03, 2023 at 08:46 am
The kid has had his issues, no doubt about that. IMO if the Packers didn't give him a chance someone else would have. Personally, I thought it was pretty smart of him to go to the Packers as an UDFA. It may have been for lack of other opportunities with other teams, or it may have been a pretty smart play by a apparently pretty smart kid and his agent.
We still don't know when Gary will be back and cleared, OR what that will look like once he is cleared to play. As much as I'd like to see Gary return without looking like he's missed a beat, I think that all will take some time to do. Preston Smith is over 30 and could be playing his last season in GB for all we know. I hope not, but it wouldn't surprise me a bit. I believe Enagbare makes a jump and improves and obviously Van Ness will be a factor since he's going to win the DROY award after the 2023 season is over. Bottom line is you can never have enough pass rushers...EVER!
That leaves Garvin and Hollins for Cox to beat out. Personally beating out Garvin wouldn't be saying much and IMO he'll do that with ease. Hollins is okay for a little depth, but Cox is the perfect example of a team IMPROVING the depth at a position at the bottom of the roster.
IMO it's WORTH taking a shot on him if he continues to impress. If he takes Garvin's spot it's not like the Packers are losing much if they cut Garvin. If he's better than Rollins, then I think they HAVE to keep him. First things first though. Get the pads on and go out and kick some ass.
I don't care where a player comes from. A 1st rounder, 2nd or 5th rounder, UDFA, or even a kid who is just trying out off the street. This kid Cox is obviously no dummy. I know A LOT of people who are smart as hell but don't have a lick of common sense.
I'm pulling for him in a big way. The kid has made mistakes, just like many of us have made including myself. It took me a long time to learn HOW to think BEFORE I reacted to something. Smoking weed doesn't fall under that but maybe punching a teammate does. Lets hope this young man can learn this AND get a job with the GB Packers.
jont
July 03, 2023 at 01:11 pm
All Packer fans are pulling for him, just as all Packer fans are worried we'll see a mid-season news report about "an incident in the parking lot of a downtown gentlemen's club late last night".
For us it comes down to trust in the GM and player personnel group. They know the specifics of those accumulated factors, breaking the drug rules, and when he a̶l̶l̶e̶g̶e̶d̶l̶y̶ punched that guy, and they know how he handled these issues in his interview and they have a plan to help him stay clean.
Well, really what it really comes down to, as we all know, is him and his own decision making. To us it seems an easy choice; a million dollar deal or a bust is a no-brainer for me.
But it isn't about brains. Being bright is no insulation against anger issues, substance abuse, impulse control, and all of that. It's about coping with what life brings. He can say "pot is legal in another state" or he can say "yes, I broke a team rule". One of these is a step toward maturity and the other is not. All Packer fans are pulling for him.
packerbackerjim
July 03, 2023 at 09:02 am
If Cox is better than Hollins, who I really like, and Engabare, then he definitely has a spot on the roster. Smith probably in his last year. Depending on how camp and the preseason play out, a trade is possible. Eager for the exhibition season to begin.
HawkPacker
July 03, 2023 at 05:18 pm
Good points. I like Hollins as well and it seems like many like Enagbare. I am not that impressed with him as I am Hollins. Let's see what happens when the pads come on.
Johnblood27
July 03, 2023 at 09:32 am
Maybe he can be a roommate with Quay Walker and they can car pool to anger management counseling together.
TheVOR
July 03, 2023 at 10:44 am
AWESOME RESPONSE. I mentioned walker in my post.
egbertsouse
July 03, 2023 at 09:59 am
If he likes weed, Wisconsin is the wrong place to be. From what I hear the backward numb nuts in their state legislature won’t even approve a medical cannabis program.
WestCoastPackerBacker
July 03, 2023 at 11:07 am
That is a good point! Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota are getting all the tax revenue of Wisconsin folks who need weed for medicine or enjoy it recreationally. Wisconsin is so far behind the 8 ball on this issue, it's silly.
jannesbjornson
July 03, 2023 at 06:10 pm
THEY are backwards on most policy decisions. Gerrymandered districts are the only reason they hold the margin.
SicSemperTyrannis
July 03, 2023 at 11:29 pm
Legislature just killed legal and medicinal use both, yes. Pretty big risk, seeing as how long evidence lingers.
Lphill
July 03, 2023 at 10:11 am
he 's a step up from Garvin and Enagbare I think he was a great pickup just needs to make better decisions, all about coaching and mentoring now.
jannesbjornson
July 03, 2023 at 06:12 pm
We will see when the pads come on. Enagbare was ALL SEC as a junior. Garvin held his own in the rotation when Gary was on IR.
Leatherhead
July 03, 2023 at 06:46 pm
I don't get the logic. A guy who can't even prove he can not get kicked off the team is a step up from a guy who's been proving for years he can be an NFL player?
He's not a step up. He COULD possibly be, but right now, today, he is not.
SicSemperTyrannis
July 03, 2023 at 11:33 pm
LH -
exactly. We know no such thing. At the very least he adds competition to the room. If he elevates the level of play of everyone in the position group, maybe they also exert a healthy influence on him; stranger things have happened.
I'm glad GBP are giving him a chance. He has in no way proven anything yet ...
GregC
July 03, 2023 at 10:34 am
I can't help but wonder if the "educational science" degree is just something for athletes to get them through school, so I'm withholding judgement on whether or not he is actually smart. I watched the video of the punch he threw after a TD by the other team, and it's almost impossible to see in real time, but you can see it if you know what to look for. Apparently he was doing stuff like that throughout the game.
I'm not sure that the Packers are any better than other teams at giving players like this a chance to succeed. It seems to me that their usual approach has been to avoid players with these kinds of issues. I'm fine with them giving him a try though.
HawkPacker
July 03, 2023 at 05:24 pm
"I'm not sure that the Packers are any better than other teams at giving players like this a chance to succeed. It seems to me that their usual approach has been to avoid players with these kinds of issues. I'm fine with them giving him a try though."
I agree with your thinking. GB is very conservative when it comes to giving players with a history of these issues a chance. They do avoid them.
I am also glad they are giving this guy a chance. He needs help and will be better off in many ways if he can accept the help.
Just think if he pans out, how strong our EDGE rushers will be and look at the insurance we have if Gary does not come back to full strength until next season and if Smith is not around next year. If handled properly, this could be an exceptionally strong area for us.
SicSemperTyrannis
July 03, 2023 at 11:35 pm
I love seeing the attention this position group has gotten from Gutey! Can make such a difference to the whole team ...
Leatherhead
July 03, 2023 at 06:48 pm
Educational science. It probably qualifies you for some public ed. position.
I've seen lots of not-smart people get college degrees. You don't have to be smart to be a decent human.
SicSemperTyrannis
July 03, 2023 at 11:37 pm
Right, a teaching degree. Great teachers are rare! Teachers that are merely decent are in short supply ...
TheVOR
July 03, 2023 at 10:38 am
Well, for me at least, we got a small taste of what uncontrolled emotion can cost you in the final game of the season last year, when Quay Walker had his moment of infamy. Incidents like that damage your chances of winning, period.
He’s got a shot, but anything that even gives a whiff of an issue, and I’d open up his roster spot.
SicSemperTyrannis
July 03, 2023 at 11:39 pm
Why, because it'll cost us a Lombardi this season?
This is the first year we can afford to take risks in a very long time. If he and Quay both prove they're going to be a liability, well that would suck but we'd still find out while there's still time to fix it.
Sureshot
July 03, 2023 at 10:44 am
If Gary isn't ready week 1, Keep Cox during this time
You don't know if the guy will become a problem but you need someone good at rushing the QB while Gary is out.
If he doesn't pan out, you have to waive somebody for Gary anyway.
And if the kid is good AND keep his composure, then, you have a really good problem to have
SicSemperTyrannis
July 03, 2023 at 11:41 pm
These are "problems" I like! A crowded position group that requires enormous talent and athleticism. How many could play a different position? If nothing else get trade value.
PASSdaRELISH
July 03, 2023 at 10:48 am
It’ll be interesting to see how this situation unfolds. If we keep him will he let us down or will he grow up and mature?
LLCHESTY
July 03, 2023 at 11:26 am
Let's stop with the he would have been a 2nd round pick if not for...talk. He had a horrendous 3-cone for a 250 lb Edge. A 7.57 is a big red flag for NFL teams, especially at his weight, as they know the likelihood of a player with that number succeeding in the NFL. He would have fallen like Enagbare did last year with those testing numbers. Maybe someday he'll be a quality backup but he has a lot to overcome athletically to get there.
https://twitter.com/MathBomb/status/1643952231178280960?t=taq-BYbGaWdn3W...
Leatherhead
July 03, 2023 at 06:54 pm
Oddly, Chesty, I've arrived at a similar conclusion coming from a different perspective. I hear all this talk about he's a top 50 talent. Like Justin Harrell. And Dave Spriggs. And Derrick Sherrod. And Joshua Jackson. And Sean Rhyan. And Josh Jones. And Jerel Worthy. Etc. etc. etc.
Talent is a good thing, but being successful at things requires other stuff, like discipline, perserverance, overcoming adversity, self-control. There may have been teams out there who became enamored of him and took him way too early, but this guy, IMO, is more of a project than Caleb Jones was last year. And not as good of a bet, IMO.
Bitternotsour
July 03, 2023 at 11:28 am
a small point, but Ray Lewis is arguably a murderer, maybe not convicted, but please. Joe Mixon punched a girl in the face and broke said face.
Brenton Cox may have punched a former teammate (who was wearing a helmet) and he smoked some weed, for me the better comparison is Sam Shields.
i trust Gutekunst to not bring problems into the team, and not invite to green bay (the city), bad actors.
a_cremers
July 04, 2023 at 07:09 am
It’s actually a large point. Football aside, if I were Cox and were mentioned alongside these misdeeds I’d be pretty upset
splitpea1
July 03, 2023 at 11:43 am
There's no problem with giving the guy a chance, but the Packers should still be somewhat cautious about adding him to the roster even if he impresses; personalities don't change overnight. And of course Rebrovich was going to get the answer he was looking for. For a player to be talented both football-wise and academically and still manage to get kicked out of two high-profile programs...well, he must have done a lot of stuff to get under the coach's skin to achieve that "cumulative" effect--and go undrafted to boot.
The good news is that Cox a low-risk proposition, is good defending the run (which we certainly need), and there doesn't seem to be a history of substance abuse or flunking PED tests.
This also sounds like a guy who might need to get in there and play so he can maintain his focus; you wonder a little bit about his patience about being a backup and sitting on the bench for long periods. As a rookie, you need to be getting along with your teammates and appreciating the guidance the veterans provide.
I'm really not concerned about the other 31 teams should the Packers decide not to retain him; the coaching staff and FO will make the best decision they can for our team. If we end up keeping him, then we'll root for him; if not, hopefully he'll succeed somewhere else.
Qoojo
July 03, 2023 at 05:49 pm
It all depends on if the guy got his wake up call yet. Sometimes it takes some time on the street with no other prospects than getting a normal job, which might not be as bad as some athletes since has a degree.
Tundraboy
July 03, 2023 at 07:50 pm
Especially now that I better understand his story I hope he gets a real shot to develop here. If this type of talent is there, I hope we extend the same amount of time given to lesser roster filler types . And besides I love the underdog. We all need a chance once in a while.
SicSemperTyrannis
July 03, 2023 at 11:47 pm
We also need a really dominant pass rush as a position group. Hopefully that works out! A backup career as a teacher seems like an odd choice with the problems we're discussing here, I think it's possible we have bad information.
a_cremers
July 04, 2023 at 07:07 am
At least he didn’t do anything remotely close to what Joe Mixon, Ray Lewis, or Jalen Carter did.
oceanstrength
July 04, 2023 at 08:52 am
entitled and arrogant. Tough combo.
Tundraboy
July 06, 2023 at 09:19 am
I was arrogant at that age because I wasn't entitled. We all grow up. somewhat differently. Time will tell.
Connor Wall
August 02, 2023 at 04:05 am
He has shown himself to be a talented and intelligent player who can achieve great things on the field. On the other hand, his aggression can undermine his career. Perhaps he should do community service to deal with this and learn responsibility. I had aggression issues in school, but then my teacher showed me essay examples about volunteering. I found an inspiring story https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/a-personal-experience-of-doi... and ensured it works for me too. So I think that Cox has a chance to overcome his problems if he gets enough support or motivation. But only time will tell if he can become an NFL star or not.