Training Camp Thread

[Wade-A-Holic]

Newhouse sounds like the breakout player in camp. At left tackle. Think about that for a moment.

I hope "the dancing bear", as somebody called him on twitter, sticks.

[Wade-A-Holic]

I liked Newhouse last year. Liked his high wonderlic score. OL can be complex so it helps tp have smarts. Sherrod also had high GPA. Barbre was example of very low wonderlic.

back to newhouse - he starts or backs LT. doesn't play well at G. Not sure he's ever been at RT.

What was Sitton's GPA/Wonderlic? He's been diagnosed with ADHD but is as on top of the game mentally as you'll find.

[Ill-yasova]

I liked Newhouse last year. Liked his high wonderlic score. OL can be complex so it helps tp have smarts. Sherrod also had high GPA. Barbre was example of very low wonderlic.

back to newhouse - he starts or backs LT. doesn't play well at G. Not sure he's ever been at RT.

What was Sitton's GPA/Wonderlic? He's been diagnosed with ADHD but is as on top of the game mentally as you'll find.

25

[jimmybones]

Love that Cobb article. So optimistic about him. Man...why are we so ahead of the curve on drafting the perfect combination of physical talent/smart/student of the game/good people....Packer People.

[chuckleslove]

Family Night will also be on NFL Network for those out of state that have access to that.

[Ayt]

To be fair to the writer (maybe), if the NFL measurements are at all like the nba, then we know that players come adorned in sneakers with seemingly 3" heels involved. Plus, meh, let's see some overall wingspan and standing reach numbers, that'll tell you more.

The NFL heights at the combine are without shoes. The NBA measures guys with and without shoes and lists them in shoes on their rosters for some reason.

For the sake of comparison, Cobb is 5-10 1/4, 191. Jennings measured 5-11 1/8, 197.

[BUCKnation]

What's Cobb's ceiling? Hines Ward's mind in Derrick Mason's body? Scary thought.

Right now he could be...
a not quite as fast percy harvin (without the migranes) but more dynamic. If that makes sense...

[LUKE23]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football ... Stories%29

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Before each training camp practice, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers sidles up to ultra-confident and equally gifted 6-5, 240 tight end Jermichael Finley.

"A-Rod will come over, tap me on my chest and say, 'Glad to have you back. It's a blessing. Let's take advantage of every opportunity,'" said Finley.

If there is a Packer positive to the four-month lockout, it's that Finley had longer than expected to rehabilitate his season-ending torn meniscus. He suffered the injury after his 301 receiving yards in the first four games of 2010 marked the best start ever by a Green Bay tight end.

Finley trained frequently with Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald in a bid to realize his Pro Bowl promise.

For a team deep in playmakers, Finley's return to health gives the reigning Super Bowl champions a driven, potential breakout weapon at an increasingly vital position.

Consider that NFL tight ends in 2010 broke the single-season records for most receptions (2,256), receiving yards (24,969) and touchdown catches (190) for the position bolstered by the likes of New England's precocious rookie duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Then, consider that Finley recently guaranteed to "change the tight end position."

He seemed on his way early in 2010 as the focal point of the Packers' spread passing offense, recording 21 receptions and two 100-yard receiving games.

But the 2008, third-round pick out of Texas has yet to stay healthy for an entire season as he totaled 82 career receptions for 1,051 yards and seven touchdowns. Still, he's just 24 with a bitter taste to wash away.

"Walking through the locker room after we won the Super Bowl, seeing my teammates celebrate and high-five each other was bittersweet and sad for me," Finley said. "After the game, everybody went out and did what they do after a win, hang out, celebrate. I went home and crashed because I'm a competitor and wanted to a part of it.

"Now we've got 15 guys like myself and (tailback) Ryan Grant with great hunger to help us get back to where we finished."

Before Finley became one of 15 Packers-turned-spectators on injured reserve during the team's Super Bowl XLV title run, he dubbed last season, "Year of The Takeover."

Now he calls his delayed bid, "YOTTO II — Year of The Takeover II."

Why not?

"He's a monster," cornerback Charles Woodson said.

Finley made himself more aerodynamic by shedding 15 pounds in a bid to get more snaps split out wide where he can dominate overmatched defensive backs.

"Even when Jermichael's covered, he's open," Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements said.

Rodgers ranked eighth best in third-down passer rating last season with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. Rodgers figures to be even better insulated against defenses bent on blitzing, given a bailout option who can quickly attack defenses inside.

Finley flashed a glimpse of that potential during a warm-up drill last week. He somehow caught two passes thrown simultaneously by backup quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Graham Harrell. Finley caught Flynn's pass with his right hand. Then, he tipped Harrell's into the air with his left hand before securing it with the same hand.

"He's a special player," Rodgers said. "In the short time I've been in the league, it's hard to find a more talented guy."

Rodgers, 27, applies an assertive leader's demanding qualifier in an effort to extract Finley's best.

It's time to stop guaranteeing and start delivering.

"He's an amazing talent who should be a perennial Pro Bowler and should be a difference maker," Rodgers said. "We just have to get him to be consistent.

"He does things so easily. He has to break the habit of being nonchalant. I love his swagger, confidence and what he brings to our offense. I hope this is the year of the takeover. Because he can change things on the field.

"Jermichael's potential is still great. But he still has a lot to prove."

Coaches are bringing Finley along slowly in an effort to keep him healthy and primed to back up that guarantee.

Arguably, there's no one bigger to helping fuel a Packer title defense than the tight end motivated to finally realize his remarkable skills entering the final year of his contract.

[Badgerlander]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/127153798.html

They would meet again later. Freeman was watching kids practice and this fearless receiver was incredible. Who is that guy?

"That's Shaky, you know Shaky!"

With a face made for camera close-ups, HBO filmed a documentary, "Hard Times at Douglass High," with Smithson as the star point guard slashing his way through defenses.

That's how he got the nickname Shaky, with all those moves he had to create to get by people because he was smaller. His birth name is Antoine.

The documentary was a modern tale of the 1994 Hoop Dreams out of Chicago. Shaky became a Baltimore celebrity.

Freeman doesn't do this often, but he gave Shaky his phone number. Call at any hour, for any reason.

"Because chances are whatever you're going through, I went through too," Freeman said.

[emunney]

Love Shaky. Hope he sticks here, but I'm pretty confident he'll catch on somewhere. He's a genius on punt returns. I also view him as a potential third down back at some point.

[BUCKnation]

i hope shaky can do well. The only way he is getting on this team is on kick returns. Hopefully he does exceptional and makes the team.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

To potentially have Cobb, Green, and Shaky as return guys is ridiculous when you consider our return guys were Jordy, Tramon, and Brandon Jackson last year. The weakest part of our team could now be one of our strongest.

[LUKE23]

Speaking of special teams, I personally hate the new kickoff rule from an entertainment standpoint, but I think it helps us more than most teams, considering we have a kicker with a leg that should get touch backs almost all the time, and our kick coverage has never been stellar, so we're helped there as well.

I'm not a fan of that new rule or the new intricacies of a "defenseless player" either. I realize safety of players is of utmost importance, but at some point you have to draw the line and just accept that the NFL is a pretty dangerous sport.

[an_also]

Speaking of special teams, I personally hate the new kickoff rule from an entertainment standpoint.

Remind me what this rule is again? I'm drawing a blank.

[LUKE23]

Kicking off from 35 instead of 30. Intent is to create more touchbacks/less returns/less injuries.

[Wilford Brimley]

I'm still trying to fathom how we are going to have last years offense PLUS a #1 RB, a #1TE, a swap of #3 RBs, and the 3rd or 4th best reciever in the draft. We should score like never before seen in this league.

[Profound23]

I'm still trying to fathom how we are going to have last years offense PLUS a #1 RB, a #1TE, a swap of #3 RBs, and the 3rd or 4th best reciever in the draft. We should score like never before seen in this league.

That all depends on our Oline. The loss of Tauscher hurts us in so many ways. Losing Spitz/Colledge and we have no depth at those positions.

Our negative on both sides of the ball is in the trenches and that isn't a good thing.

[Badgerlander]

The NFL has tweaked the kickoff every few years, from the spot of the kickoff, to blocking schemes, to the height of the tee. It takes teams a year or two to adjust and get good at it again and then they change things up. The oddest thing to me this year is that we finally acquired some decent return guys when it would appear that the rules would diminish the return on that investment.

[Wilford Brimley]

I'm still trying to fathom how we are going to have last years offense PLUS a #1 RB, a #1TE, a swap of #3 RBs, and the 3rd or 4th best reciever in the draft. We should score like never before seen in this league.

That all depends on our Oline. The loss of Tauscher hurts us in so many ways. Losing Spitz/Colledge and we have no depth at those positions.

Our negative on both sides of the ball is in the trenches and that isn't a good thing.

Wasn't Tauscher out most of the year anyways?

I have faith in Lang at LG and Newhouse at LT.

If our oline develops like we think it will, Newhouse/Lang/Wells/Sitton/Bulaga =

[LUKE23]

That all depends on our Oline. The loss of Tauscher hurts us in so many ways. Losing Spitz/Colledge and we have no depth at those positions.

Our negative on both sides of the ball is in the trenches and that isn't a good thing.

How in the world does losing Tauscher hurt us? He looked done last year, Bulaga held his own and has also been the most impressive OL in camp so far according to all reports (hasn't lost one rep). Spitz didn't even play last year.

Colledge I will maybe give you if Lang doesn't pan out, but you could also argue him as our least impactful starter on the line, even if he was durable/somewhat consistent.