Randall: "I think it kind of hurts us practicing against him."
Practicing against Aaron Rodgers is no cakewalk, just like playing against him isn't either.
Opposing defensive coordinators still try to pick the brains of Rodgers, who has played the quarterback position for the Packers about as well as anyone has ever played it. Take it from third-year cornerback Damarious Randall, who appeared as a guest on NFL Total Access Friday afternoon.
"He's the best of the best," Randall said with a smile. "[Aaron] could make any throw at any given time. It's almost like, not real practicing against him. I think it kind of hurts us practicing against him, to be honest."
When you put things into perspective, it's hard enough playing cornerback in general, let alone at the professional level. When you're up against opposing wide receivers in shorts and predetermined routes etched into their heads with someone who is widely considered to be the best quarterback in the game throwing to them, your job gets that much harder.
As far as what has been covered through the team's off-season practices, Randall has been quite the star in his new "star" role, which places him as the nickel cornerback in the slot. It provides him with the freedom to work in open space as opposed to the perimeter where his athleticism is limited. As a former safety at Arizona State University, open space for Randall is a necessity.
"Everything's been going well," Randall said on his transition to his premier slot role. "That's kind of where I played at in college. They're just giving me the opportunity to impact the game more. Blitzing off the edge, covering in the slot, playing the quarterback. Just different things I can do to help the defense a little more."
Any step forward Randall can take from his abysmal 2016 season would be one welcomed with open arms. He fluctuated as a frequent visitor on the Packers' injury report, including receiving surgery on his groin in mid-October. He was evidently struggling throughout the campaign and by the end of the season, had seven missed games under his belt.
He did manage to intercept Giants quarterback Eli Manning in the Wild Card game in January, much to the jubilation of those packed into Lambeau Field. It was his first playoff interception since the year prior against the Cardinals in the NFC Divisional round.
Despite his performance while wounded, Randall matched his regular season interception total of three from his 2015 rookie year, which put the first-round pick on the map to begin with. It was what caused many to throw all of their eggs into one basket on the development and promising futures of both Randall and Quinten Rollins; a fellow cornerback drafted to the Packers in 2015.
The illuminating glow of these futures aren't any less dim, and Randall is hellbent on once again proving his worth.
"Just to show why I was drafted in the first round," Randall said when asked what he has to prove entering his third season. "I want to show them I can make plays each and every game and be a more consistent player."
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Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].
Comments (36)
marpag1
July 01, 2017 at 02:56 am
It HURTS you to practice against the best??? That's a baaaaad attitude, D-man. Ain't no participation ribbons given just for being a swell guy.
croatpackfan
July 01, 2017 at 04:49 am
Aaron can ruin young player's confidence... Whatever they do, it looks like not good enough..
marpag1
July 01, 2017 at 05:20 am
Tom Brady will be happy to hear about that lack of confidence when next year's Super Bowl comes around, and I don't think he will be worried about bruising anybody's fragile ego. This is the NFL. Perform or die. If you don't relish the idea of competing against the best, you almost certainly won't.
croatpackfan
July 01, 2017 at 06:10 am
Patriots will not be at next SB. This,2017 season they will have, finally, some serious competition - Steelers, Raiders, Chiefs - just to mention these 2. Put in category "might be surprise team" Bengals, Jags, Broncos, Titans, Colts, Chargers in comparison to last season Patriots will be out after divisional...
Yeah, you are right. But we are not talking that you are playing against only top QB, but also against top WR. And, to be fair, when it comes to passing game there is Aaron, than nobody else for a long line, than others. So, it is, very likely, much easier to play against any other QB in the league...
But, as I always says, what I know...
Also, I want to mention on this site that I I feel compassionate to the family of Mitchell Henry, who died at age 24 from cancer. To remind all of you, he was UDFA TE on which Packers expected to develop into elite player... RIP
Handsback
July 01, 2017 at 09:35 am
Thanks for bring two points up croatpackfan....the Steelers will not be a push-over that they were last year. The Pats will find the Steelers D a little tougher to manage if they both make it to the AFC championship game.
Second, Mitchell Henry was a very good looking prospect before he got sick. (Makes me wonder how sick he was when the Packer's signed him and his inner strength to fight through his condition?) We all should say a prayer for his family. A young man taken way before he even hit 30.
dobber
July 02, 2017 at 07:33 am
These other AFC teams might have gotten better, but so did the Pats. They look better now than they did a year ago. The AFC is theirs to lose this year.
jeremyjjbrown
July 01, 2017 at 10:20 am
I think it's poorly worded. If you read carefully he is saying Rodgers can make throws most QBs can't. So defending him is different and more difficult than opponents. This makes it harder to work on techniques in practice. There is a reason Baseball Players get sent to the minors. So they can work on technique and not worry about getting beat into the ground and loosing confidence.
Thegreatreynoldo
July 01, 2017 at 04:11 pm
Well, Randall practices against Hundley, Callahan and Hill. That ought to provide enough of a spectrum.
J0hn Denver's Gavel
July 01, 2017 at 04:32 pm
I think he was also referring to the lack of mistakes made by the qb. Couple that with amazing precision on his throws, It kind of makes the CBs play a different type of game against Rodgers in practice vs almost any other NFL QB they will encounter.
NickPerry
July 01, 2017 at 05:49 am
"Just to show why I was drafted in the first round," Randall said when asked what he has to prove entering his third season. "I want to show them I can make plays each and every game and be a more consistent player."
Just my opinion but making a statement like that on TV isn't what I ever want to hear coming from a Packers first round pick. It's sounds pretty weak. For a guy who completely lacked any confidence last season should look at it as nothing more than a huge advantage. If you can start to defend the Packers receivers and Rodgers in practice, then you'll be better prepared to handle the Bradford's and Diggs of the NFL.
Savage57
July 01, 2017 at 10:34 am
Put a fork in this guy. I suspect he's not only gone from the Packers but out of the league in a couple more years.
You don't hear stuff come out his mouth that makes you believe he's ever going to find the mojo a solid NFL DB absolutely HAS TO HAVE to be successful.
Grandfathered
July 03, 2017 at 11:10 pm
That is pretty Savage. I think he's going to be good if he can stay healthy. I think he has to learn not to play as much on instincts until he has a full mental grasp of the game. Rodgers suffers no fools, on O or D
Ferrari Driver
July 06, 2017 at 09:10 am
That comment reminds me of our former first round pick who is now a Viking. I recall reading more than twice about him stating his stature as a first round draft choice; it's too bad he never played like one.
Packer_Fan
July 01, 2017 at 08:08 am
I think Randall has alot of growing to do. Both as a football player and as a person. Hope the Pack coaches can help him.
Since'61
July 01, 2017 at 08:22 am
Randall's comment is disappointing to me. It shouldn't hurt to practice against Rodgers it should help. If practice is so hard that should help to make playing in a real game easier. Many of Lombardi's Packers stated that their practices were so tough that playing the game on Sunday was easy compared with what they went through during the week to prepare. I would have much preferred if Randall had said something like "practicing against AR helps us to be ready to play against any QB in the league because we're practicing against the best there is". I'm hoping that his comment is not an accurate reflection of his attitude going into the season. Just like the offense needs to believe that they score on anyone, the defense needs to believe that they stop any opponent and play aggressively to do so. Confidence for a CB is crucial, even a slot CB as you are often one on one with your opponent. Hopefully Randall believes that he can cover anyone once he takes the field in week one. Thanks, Since '61
LayingTheLawe
July 01, 2017 at 04:25 pm
If you miss a coverage and leave a receiver wide open that's one thing and any QB will exploit that. That's what practice is for, to avoid those sort of moments. But if in practice you do everything right but the QB is so good he beats you anyway that can hurt a young secondary. A coach needs to be there then to assure the secondary that they were in the right place and that it was just the throw that beat them.
I took the remark more as a compliment to Rodgers than it was a reflection on himself. Hopefully he and the rest of the group back there can up their play with good health. They were painful to watch not cover last year.
Jeff Smith
July 01, 2017 at 08:26 am
Yeah seemed to me the majority of time I watched Randall,he didn't really try or care and I'm assuming that is why he got benched...imo..
Slim11
July 01, 2017 at 08:29 am
Did anyone ever hear Charles Woodson say this? Sam Shields?
How did Leroy Butler feel having to practice against Favre? Herb Adderly, Bob Jeter or Willie Wood against Bart Starr?
If I'm in Randall's position, my thought is "bring it on!" I want to be challenged in practice so I'm better prepared for the actual games.
In the Army, we learned "that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger." Randall's attitude concerns me and should concern Joe Whitt, Capers and MM.
croatpackfan
July 03, 2017 at 02:42 am
Can you find us interview with Charles or Sam in which they were asked the similar question? It will be nice...
4thand1
July 01, 2017 at 08:42 am
It's just Randall praising Rodgers. He and everyone else on this team knows their only chance of winning another SB rests strictly on AR's shoulders. Having to practice against him should only make the whole secondary better. This secondary made a lot of so so QB's look great last year. We now have a 1st round pick relegated to the slot instead of being a outside cover corner. He better produce in his 3rd season or else.
TarynsEyes
July 01, 2017 at 09:08 am
Seems he has already reached whatever bar he set for himself and disengaged his confidence to meet and beat the best.
Since'61
July 01, 2017 at 10:15 am
Taryn - exactly my concern. It's too early to take anything seriously but his comment is not a very positive approach for this early in the process. Maybe he just doesn't express himself well. We'll see. Thanks, Since '61
Bedrock
July 01, 2017 at 09:41 am
Trying, trying hard, trying really hard to find the silver lining or explanation for his comments.
Perhaps the public relations coaching the players receive didn't take?
Perhaps, like 4th already said, it's an awkward way of praising Aaron?
I can imagine going against Rodgers in practice would be extremely difficult and frustrating. We know Aaron likes diagnosing the best matchup before snapping the ball. Can't imagine (sarcastically) it felt at all like a few of the CBs were picked on.
But...I keep coming back to feeling this was a dumb comment and a poor display of confidence.
Pack12
July 01, 2017 at 10:04 am
If anything having Rodgers as your QB in practice should make it easier for Randall to defend during games because he will not be facing any QB with Rodgers skills during a game.
flackcatcher
July 01, 2017 at 11:21 am
I watched the interview, and came away with the same impression that Zack posted. Randall was simply being matter of fact about the whole thing. With the compressed training schedule, it hard for skill positions to get the work necessary to sharpen their technique for the coming season. We have all see how sloppy the first four regular season games are. Playing against the best QB in the game, while he is sharping up his skills in a short time frame, while you are learning a new position in a revised defense(This Dom Capers after all). Yeah, it's hard. As a defacto starter, Randall was just telling the truth.
TKWorldWide
July 01, 2017 at 11:06 am
I CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!
LayingTheLawe
July 01, 2017 at 12:24 pm
He was trying to compliment his QB. Don't go reading deep psychological insights into his comment.
ZacharyJacobson
July 01, 2017 at 12:29 pm
It's a good thing I'm not.
LayingTheLawe
July 01, 2017 at 04:17 pm
Yes I was referring to the comments here. The article says nothing about how to interpret his remark. Relax
ZacharyJacobson
July 01, 2017 at 05:12 pm
I'm perfectly relaxed. Just hard to decipher where a comment is directed if it's not in the actual thread itself. Sorry for the confusion.
Tundraboy
July 01, 2017 at 03:05 pm
Certainly not oozing confidence. I think the attitude should be "I, we don't suck and you are going to see just how good I am and we are!!!!"
Thegreatreynoldo
July 01, 2017 at 05:53 pm
On his (Randall's) transition to the slot: "That's kinda where I played at in college." It also is kind of where Josh Jones played in college, imo. Right now GB seems focused on Jones at hybrid ILB, but there are others on this roster who might be able to play the star position.
Ferrari Driver
July 02, 2017 at 01:18 pm
Randal quote: "He's the best of the best," Randall said with a smile. "[Aaron] could make any throw at any given time. It's almost like, not real practicing against him. I think it kind of hurts us practicing against him, to be honest."
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Good cornerbacks are supposed to have a short memory and often have an opinion of themselves which is so embellished that when they speak of themselves we would think they must be talking about an "in his prime" Deion Luywnn Sanders Sr
Randal comments should give us all reason to pause.
BPEARSON21
July 03, 2017 at 08:22 am
Reason number 377 why I lack a lot of confidence in Randall and don't think that he will have a "bounce back year" whatsoever, like most people do.
Tundraboy
July 04, 2017 at 08:39 pm
I don't see how anyone could expect a bounce back year. That's just dreaming. Hoping he does but not holding my breath thats for sure. I'm praying Jones is the real deal, and King makes an immediate impact.
dobber
July 06, 2017 at 09:49 am
Too much being put into the statements of a 24-year-old guy with a lot to prove. Some people don't belong in front of a camera with a mike in their faces...it could be that Randall is one of them. Remember the scene in "Bill&Ted's Excellent Adventure" with the football player trying to do his oral history report? A guy might be an athletic savant, but always sound like Rain Man.
Much ado about nothing in June. Let's see what he does on the field in September with a stronger supporting cast and better health than he had in December and January. I'll pass judgement based on that.