GumboBC

Packers still looking to fill holes


By Pete Dougherty
PackersNews.com

The Green Bay Packers have no immediate plans to release defensive end Jamal Reynolds — a sign that they still are searching for an outside rusher to upgrade their pass defense before the start of training camp.

A Packers spokesman said Reynolds is expected to take part in the final offseason minicamp beginning today, whereas defensive end Joe Johnson again has been asked not to participate.

Johnson’s release is imminent barring an unexpected agreement to a restructured contract. The Packers don’t want him to attend minicamp because if he gets hurt during team workouts, they’ll have to pay him for the season. Reynolds will participate in the minicamp, though, because despite ineffectual play in his first three seasons, he remains a fallback candidate as a pass rusher if the team can’t add another player with pass-rush ability.

Acquiring an outside rusher for the dime defense is perhaps the personnel department’s priority for the rest of the offseason, though that will be difficult this late in the offseason. The NFL’s salary-cap friendly post-June 1 roster cuts begin today, but that’s never provided a big market for talent and is expected to be especially thin this year because teams have become more adept at managing their salary caps.


Click link below for the rest.....

http://greenbaypressgazette.packersn...16352308.shtml

GumboBC

From ESPN NFL Insiders. Software would not allow a link. Just a little info about McKenzie\'s coverage skills. I thought some might find it interesting. I don\'t think McKenzie is the guy we need. At least not at a high price.

Edit: It seems to me if McKenzie needs a pass rush to help make up for his lack of coverage skills, then we already have that?

Heres the article:

This vetern team has a number of challenges on defense as it heads into the 2004 season. RDE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamilia is a talented perimeter rusher capable of double digit sacks each year, but unless the Packers can get him some help on the left side, offenses will continue to slide their pass blocking schemes in his direction. The original plan was for big-money free agent Joe Johnson to move to LDE but injuries have all but ended his career.

Green Bay used a first round pick in 2003 on Jamal Reynolds, but he has been a huge underachiever to this point. If the Packers cannot generate pressure from their front four and are forced to blitz, it will place additional pressure on their secondary to play tight man-to-man coverage.

Starting LDC Mike McKenzie wants to be traded and RDC Al Harris is not a shutdown corner. BOTH are better playing the ball in front of them, rather than having to turn and run. The Packers top two draft picks DCs Ahmad Carroll and Joey Thomas are talented but raw. This secondary is very vulnerable to quality vertical receivers and will be until the pass rush improves.

[Edited on 4/6/2004 by GumboBC]

SaintShreve

Sooo... McKenzie for Whitehead, straight up? If the Pack want a guy to push the corner of the OL, we might just have a little extra of what they need.

GumboBC

I think we as fans tend to look at things much differently than a football organization. We see what we think is a glaring need at a certain position and when a player becomes available we naturally want to sign that player.

But, the truth is, we just don\'t know enough about most of the players in the league to know how good that player really is. Coaches get a chance to look at the film on players and the film doesn\'t lie. And they aren\'t looking at the \"TV\" film that we see when we are watching the game.

Now, if it\'s a CB like Charles Woodson or an elite CB, then we know they can get the job done. But, a player like McKenzie just hasn\'t proved enough to be considered a sure thing.

Some CB are a product of the system. Some benefit greatly from a good pass rush and make plays because of it.

McKenzie appears to be a solid CB and I believe he can help. I do not think McKenzie would make that much of a difference, though.

Jason Craft is a guy that was the starter in Jacksonville and he did not lose his job. He got injured and with a new coaching staff coming in they wanted to give their rookie a chance to start. This wasn\'t a spur of the moment decision Haslett made when he signed Craft. He had been trying to sign him for the last few years. Honestly, none of us know enough about Craft to say he isn\'t a quality CB. Fred Thomas has proved he is a quality starting CB.

So, if we had to go into the season, I feel pretty comfortable with the guys we have. These guys didn\'t play that bad last year and we had virtually NO pass rush.

I\'d like to have McKenzie and I feel he\'s worth a 2nd. I do not think he\'s worth much more than that.

Bise

Speaking of Fred Thomas..... didn\'t he twist an ankle already in one of the mini-thingamjigs? If so what is the extent?

GumboBC

Yeah, he did go down in practice, but he walked off under his own power. He\'s OK.

[Edited on 4/6/2004 by GumboBC]

Bise

.....and the Packers troubles continue.....

It seems that one of their highest payed defensive linemen is a no show.... Someone named Cletidus Hunt (what was his momma thinking nameing him that anyway).

http://greenbaypressgazette.packersn...16384406.shtml

(sorry, I couldn\'t get the link to work properly)

GumboBC

I guess we can make this thread the \"official\" Mike McKenzie and Green Bay Packers thread....

I\'ve been skeptical whether or not the Packers will really trade McKenzie, but things are getting intereting. They are in some trouble at DE and DT. That just happens to be the positionswhere our team is deep at.

Here are a couple of quotes that may suggest the Packers think McKenzie won\'t be back and outlines the Packers situation on defense.