The Green Bay Packers gave long looks to their young receivers on Thursday night. The results were mixed and that has muddied the waters on who might get a roster spot.
The biggest night came from rookie Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
The fifth-round pick finished with five catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. He had a long of 51 and showed the kind of straight-line speed the Packers have arguably lacked at the position. Certainly, Trevor Davis has that type of speed, but he’s done next to nothing as a receiver in three seasons.
Valdes-Scantling has something else Davis doesn’t have — height. He’s 6-4, which makes for an enticing downfield target.
The second big night came from the darling of camp, Jake Kumerow. He caught three passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, with a long of 52.
Although Kumerow has been heaped with praise by pretty much everyone, including Aaron Rodgers, the most telling sign may be playing time. The Packers took long looks at their rookie receivers and a lesser one at Kumerow.
You could say perhaps that means they know what they have in Kumerow and not the rookies. Or you could say that means Kumerow isn’t likely to get a roster spot.
The other big performer was sixth-round pick Equanimeous St. Brown.
Here’s a guy who has seemingly done nothing in camp. However, he had four catches for 61 yards on Thursday. He also showed ability to get yards after the catch.
The news was not so good for fourth-round pick J’Mon Moore. The Packers want to develop him into a multi-faceted receiving threat. However, he has been labeled inconsistent. He did nothing to dispel that notion on Thursday.
Moore finished with three catches for 27 yards and had two drops.
So you can see whose stock is up and whose is down.
In terms of the final roster, I think we now have to ask if the Packers would release a fourth-round pick?
There are three games to go, of course. So plenty can still change.
11 Comments
Scantling, St. BROWN, Kumerow as the three new receivers. Now you have it. Remember also who was throwing to them last night. Boyle is my pick at QB. Good pocket presence, strong arm, good height. Release Hundley, and Kiser.
Number 83? Isn’t that number retired on the of legend JJ? He has speed too.
The legend of speedy 83 lives on
John Jefferson?? Oh, wait, wrong JJ…
You keep the best guys, no matter where they were drafted…period.
Amen brother, amen.
It is to early to make a call. This will sort out over the next two games and STs play by the rookies and second year guys will be a factor. Watch the STs and some of the mud will clear up.
One thing for sure with the height of the TEs and potential WRs several of the Packers 2018 opponents must be thinking we need taller DBs.
As usual Howard has it right. What looks like confusion now will clear up in the next 3 weeks. I actually watched the whole pre-season game (rare). I even studied it going back and replaying (even more rare).
On family night, Scantling couldn’t catch a cold and looked like a high school player out there with his drops, a week later he’s the man. Gotta let things run there course.
I know i shouldn’t bring it up this early, per my own preaching’s about pre-season assessments. But i can’t imagine what Gute and his scouts see in Kizer. People talk like he has an arm, but i see late throws, i see throws with nothing on them giving the defender time to put a pop on the once open receiver when the ball finally gets there.
Hundley? Same old same old. He’ll get his good throw in once ever 15 passes, otherwise his accuracy is still bad.
If a gun to my head to pick QB #2 after 1 pre-season game (which admittedly is foolish). Boyle is the guy despite going against the 3’s and 4’s. I’m not crowning him pre-season MVP, i’m saying he clearly looked better than the other 2.
Adams, St. Brown, MV-S, Cobb, Moore, Allison … Someones getting cut. My bet is Allison
If Janis can’t get resigned, what chances d these guys have… cough, cough
I don’t know, Rodgers seems to have a thing for Allison. As far as Moore goes, I don’t see them getting rid of a 4th round pick based off of one training camp. Look how inconsistent Davante was his first few years and he’s still around. It would be interesting if they keep Kumerow. He does have Rodgers’ attention. Maybe 12 is just using him as an example to get the rookies in gear. It’s too early to tell.
MV-S has something, it appears to be good awareness of where he is during the play. But, that could just be nothing who knows at this early point. Kumerow definitely seems to have a few intangibles that you cannot teach, drive, awareness, and verve. whether those two guys stick, who knows? It is just one game. But I like their chances after they both took advantage of the opportunities . . . Perhaps next game Moore and Brown will mirror what these two guys just did. Preseason is a real mixed bag cluster-fuck. What I can take from this is that we do have multiple TALL WR’s with potential actually rocking out for a fucking change. The questions about Davis, Allison and Cobb’s future just got very real early on this year. Hundley, Rollins and Spriggs should start worrying as well in their respective positions . . .