Green Bay Packers OTAs – Part Three
Intermittent rain and omnipresent cloud cover forced the Green Bay Packers’ third OTA of the offseason inside the Don Hutson Center on Tuesday. This shut out the fans but not the ever-prying eyes of the media.
Here are the highlights.
This OTA featured about the same schedule as the last one: with position drills followed by full 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 team drills. However, this OTA also involves what Mike McCarthy calls “implementation” of some of the offense and defense.
Still no Sam Shields or Johnny Jolly. No one should expect Shields to show up anytime soon. However, Jolly was supposed to participate in this OTA. His absence is a poor start to his “comeback.” McCarthy had Jolly’s back when talking to the press afterwards. He waxed on about how this country is a land of second chances, and milk and honey, and whatever. Translation: show up soon or go back to wherever you came from.
Present but STILL not participating were the usual suspects — Desmond Bishop, Davon House, Derek Sherrod, DuJuan Harris, Kevin Dorsey, Charles Johnson, Sean Richardson, and of course, Jerel Worthy. Bishop was alleged to be returning this week. Wrong. At this point, I wouldn’t expect him, House or Sherrod back on the field until training camp.
Harris has been nicked up and sitting out OTAs so far, which is great news for Alex Green, who has practiced with the first unit in his absence.
Sean Richardson seems monumentally injured. James Starks thinks Richardson is hurt a lot.
No one knows why seventh-round picks Johnson and Dorsey have been sitting out. Maybe Jarrett Boykin poisoned their food. Regardless, Boykin and Jeremy Ross have appreciated the extra reps. Ross almost certainly will win the punt return job while Boykin has the lead on the fourth receiver role.
Andrew Quarless continued to turn heads on Tuesday, and McCarthy couldn’t say enough about him. While the offense has lost a couple weapons, it also has gotten one back.
Tramon Williams appeared to be the defensive standout of the OTA, though McCarthy also had great things to say about Casey Hayward — hint, hint, Sam Shields.
Lastly, the word is that Graham Harrell outperformed B.J. Coleman this time around, after Coleman had impressed in last week’s OTA. That is a battle that will likely not be resolved until the final preseason game.
Ill say it again, I really wanna see Alex Green have a monster year. Along with our RB picks in the draft, we could have a 1, 2, 3 punch.
Im still hoping Jolly does something positive with his career in GB, especially with all the controversy
Go ahead Shields, you just act like you’re too good for OTA’s. No one person is greater than the Pack. Snap, snap, pop. Next man up.
Is Adrian Peterson or Marshawn Lynch lining up for us this year? Oh no…no they’re not, so maybe a little better YPC avgs but no Monsters back there that I can see.
I forgot to mention that the Packers also concentrated on forcing fumbles this OTA.
Apparently someone over there finally noticed that they have been terrible at it.
I would say make sure you can tackle first. In 2011, the secondary was always trying to force fumbles, which is part of the reason why they weren’t tackling anyone.
*remembers the one armed tackle attempts, especially against AP and especially from Hawk
At least he didn’t run out of bounds when he saw AD barreling at him like a certain #1 CB.
Quarless – glad he’s back.
Strip drills – great, if they don’t lead to missed tackles.
“No one should expect Shields to show up anytime soon.”
Q: think he’ll ditch next week’s “mandatory” mini-camp?
If he does he won’t be on the team.
IMO…
Half-way decent year,
bad year,
better year…
… and now.
Just don’t know that he’s so good that he can miss time to get better. Sure he’s fast, but sometimes speed can’t outrun stupid.
He’ll likely look odd interviewing in a turtleneck in the middle of summer…
He could always be Mike Tyson’s Butler.
His last year was a fantastic year. Players miss OTA’s all the time. If he starts missing time Training camp or Mandatory practices he has gone too far. For all we know the Packers and Shields are very close to a deal and he is just assuring he doesn’t get injured and miss out on 20-30 mil. We would all do the same. Let’s take a wait and see approach with this situation before we all start bashing the guy.
As soon as they get Jones’ deal done, I’m sure they will focus on Shields’ and likely have an agreement within a week; here’s hoping at least.
BTW how would Shields be missing out on $20-30M? I doubt the Packers will pay him for than $5M/yr. avg. and for not more than 5 years.
I wish we could get some info on Johnson & Dorsey. Based on bio’s and quotes, they sound pretty level-headed — as opposed to some WR diva-types, that are headcases. Hope they have on-field ability!
Can’t help but think that they’re drafted for their size after that crushing hit on Borel, in the pre-season game against SD, when he tried to return a punt.
Yes, I expect Shields to miss minicamp as well. It is only mandatory if you are under contract, and Sam is not.
I would be surprised if we see Sam before training camp.
Just need a season of reasonably good health. So optimistic with. All the guys they are getting back, plus this draft class. But can’t have the MASH unit of the past couple years!