That was the message everyone relayed about portly running back Eddie Lacy at Lambeau Field on Thursday.
Lacy was a topic of conversation because coach Mike McCarthy formally introduced his new coaches. New running backs coach Ben Sirmans was among them.
Sirmans used the phrase “working his tail off” multiple times when speaking to Larry McCarren about Lacy.
“He’s working his tail off. It’s important to him to play at a great level, so I do know he’s working his tail off,” Sirmans said.
He had a more interesting phrase for the Green Bay Press-Gazette’s Ryan Wood.
New #Packers RB coach Ben Sirmans said he's already spoken with Eddie Lacy. Initial impressions? "You can tell he's very hungry this year."
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) February 18, 2016
Uhhhhhhhhh… we’ll let that slide since you’re new in town, Ben.
Despite that awkward turn of phrase, the overall message was both clear and united. Lacy got the message.
From talking with Sirmans and #Packers coach Mike McCArthy today, sounds like Eddie Lacy is taking offseason seriously. Which he must do.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) February 18, 2016
That’s good news for the Packers, bad news for their 2016 opponents.
5 Comments
Call Lacy fat or not, the guy still averaged over 4 yard per carry. Yeah he needs to be in better shape, and decide he wants to play football, but I really doubt they waive him if he came into camp out of shape unless he was like offensive lineman sized.
Now, if Lacy is in danger of being cut, there ought to be some similar edict for Davante Adams. I sure as hell don’t see the Packers cutting Adams even though he was the poster child for dropped passes. I’d argue Lacy was, and is, more important to the offense as a whole, fat or not.
So Lacy gets an ultimatum, and Adams gets a free pass because the WR group didn’t have a coach? Unfortunately, the cluster fuck that was the 2015 offense has to have scapegoats even though every aspect of that offense regressed.
He averaged 4.1 ypc. That’s fine until you consider that 31 other running backs averaged that or more.
You’re right, they wouldn’t waive him if he came into camp out of shape again, but i’d have to think Lacy has been told to get into shape, or risk losing his career, or at least getting a contract much above the minimum.
It pisses me off when players finally decide’s to take their job seriously because it’s contract year, especially when the issue is weight and being lazy. More times than not, if they play well in a contract year, and then get rewarded with a nice deal, they’ll revert back to not giving a fuck when the money is there.
This guy could have been a “great” player. But, i don’t believe he has the motivation, or the desire.
Go to youtube and watch Lacy’s college highlights where he’s about 30 pounds lighter and he is out running everyone.
Because ALL college players are as fast as ALL NFL players, get real.
“He’s working his tail off. It’s important to him to play at a great level, so I do know he’s working his tail off,” Sirmans said
Since when was Lacy committed to being great? Since it’s a contract year?