Jamari Lattimore is Making the Jump
Second-year player Jamari Lattimore has been a consistent playmaker for the Green Bay Packers during training camp thus far.
Even though he was moved from outside to inside linebacker during the offseason, the former undrafted free agent is one of the players said to be making the much-ballyhooed second-year jump.
“I think Jamari’s a little more natural insider linebacker than outside,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “He’s another individual I’d say from Year 1 to Year 2 has made a jump.”
Whether that translates into a roster spot remains questionable though.
The Packers have Desmond Bishop, A.J. Hawk and D.J. Smith ahead of Lattimore on the depth chart and they seem to be virtual locks to make the roster. Those players are joined by Robert Francois, who’s also ahead of Lattimore, and rookie sixth-round pick Terrell Manning.
If Lattimore makes the final roster, it will largely be because of his special teams play. Even if he’s strong in that area, it may not be enough though.
It’s hard to see the Packers keeping more than five inside linebackers. He’ll probably have to beat out Francois or someone else to stick. That’s going to mean continuing his strong play in preseason games.
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I know exactly how to fix this situation, in order to keep Lattimore… TRADE AJ HAWK. I like the guy and he looks better than he did last year, but, imo, DJ Smith needs to be a Starter for the Green Bay Packers now rather than later next to stud MLB Bishop. We may be able to get a 2nd round pick or something similar in a trade for Hawk and then the team will be better because DJ Smith needs to be a starter and he is better than Hawk. I wish there were a way to keep them all though.
Manning was a 5th round pick. TT traded a 6th and two 7th round picks for him so I anticipate him making the team.
Lattimore is making this team, period. He’s played well at ILB and he’s a ST stalwart.
Since Lattimore can play OLB, TT may keep all 6 ILB’s.
A lot of fans call for DJ to replace Hawk but IIRC DJ is actually Bishop’s backup (Mack?) and Francois is Hawk’s (Buck?). I don’t know which position Manning is best suited for.
You can’t have too many LBs for this system. The fact that Lattimore can back up ILB and OLB makes him especially attractive to MM and TT, who LOVE guys who can play multiple spots. PLUS, not a bad special teams player either.
Did that guy just say we could get a 2nd round pick for AJ Hawk?
No words can explain how retarded that is.
I was immediately thinking the same thing but decided to stay out of the AJ Hawk fight for once.
Hawk might be worth a 6th round pick. Maybe.
With the rookie cap’s you are more right…but you will NOT get a LB as good as Hawk in the 4th round, maybe a project, but not a ready starter. 3rd, perhaps, still probably no.
For instance, this is DJ Smith’s what, 3rd year? Bishop wasn’t ready till his 3rd year(that year he claimed he will be the best MLB in the league).