Why, he’s the greatest defensive lineman ever, of course! No, seriously, we’d tried to pull out the insightful portions from the Green Bay Packers brass’ pressers on first-round pick Datone Jones.
As usual, insight was minimal, but here’s what we got.
The Packers are trying to get faster on defense.
“Obviously, you’d like to have as much speed as you can. I think the way the offenses are heading – we work against our offense every day on the practice field and you’re going to be spread out. It’s become more of a space game. Any time you’re spread out and you’ve got to cover space, the quicker and faster you are, the better you’re going to be probably,” defensive coordinator Dom Capers said.
“Adding this guy, again, our veterans will determine the fate of our team, but adding another good athlete, got a little bit more speed. Trying to add a little more speed to the defense we think is a good idea,” general manager Ted Thompson said.
They were surprised Jones was still available.
“There were several conversations earlier in the day and through the first part of the draft (about a trade), but when it got to be our pick, we were pretty committed. We were a little surprised that the opportunity was still there to take him,” Thompson said.
But maybe not that surprised, because they told Jones they were going to draft him.
“I felt like before I didn’t think they were (interested), but then this last stretch, this last week I started getting more calls and heard they’re really interested, so be ready to become a Packer. I thought I was going to fall to the Colts, which I was kind of sad having to go there,” Jones said.
Jones will primarily play defensive end, but will line up inside as well.
“I think in our base package he probably wouldn’t (line up inside), but in the sub packages, you watch him play in college, and I Know college is different than the pros, but he lines up all over,” Thompson said.