Thursday, June 12, 2008

Pack wraps up OTAs

In the minor bit of disbelief that the Brew Crew just won back-to-back games on the road, let me take a moment to move the spotlight about a buck 45 north of Miller Park to the Don Hutson Center, where the Green Bay Packers wrapped up their OTAs. All that's left is mini-camp and then a month off in which the coaches all cross their fingers and hope the players don't start Cedric Benson'ing around town.

Greg A. Bedard did a great job of breaking down the OTAs final day, but a few nuggets merit extra attention:
-Harrell could be ready for the start of Training Camp...The Packers REALLY need this guy to produce in his second season. Instead of beating around the bush, I'll just let you all know that I'm not of the state of mind that Harrell is a bust or the worst pick in the first round since Jamal Reynolds that the Pack has had. He can still produce, but his injuries he's collecting are making it more and more difficult to believe in him.
-No mistaking Rodger's favorite target is Donald Driver...This is interesting for a few reasons. For one, Rodgers isn't this guy named Uncle Brett, yet he's still going to Drive early and often. It speaks volumes about Driver and his ability. A lot of fans probably think there will be a natural transition at QB from Favre to Rodgers and at WR from Driver to Jennings. Not so fast. Driver is still a dynamic, sure-handed, well-conditioned wide out that is still the leader of the best corp of WRs in the NFC.
-Rodgers made Poppinga and Bishop bite so hard on a play fake that it left Tory Humphery wide open for a tudder. Gee, I wonder where Rodgers learned that tactic from?

-Bedard points to Tramon Williams as the one player that really stood out. He says he was all over the WRs like a fly on stink and is clearly the leading candidate for the nickelback position. This is great news at this extremely early junction of the NFL season. Williams impressed me more and more each week when he was given a longer leash late last season. He clearly demonstrates more talent and ability than Jarrett Bush and he possesses that X factor of game breaking speed. Finally, a nickelback is a starter. I don't care about those that say that a nickelback isn't a starter, they're wrong. In this NFL, defenses have to align to counter three and four (with the Packers five) WR sets all the time.

Go Pack.

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