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13 years ago
The Battle To Start At Outside Linebacker: Zombo and Walden  


The Press-Gazette is reporting that the Green Bay Packers still have LB Frank Zombo with the first team defense in practice, and I'm not surprised to read that he's looking the best in pass rushing drills. While LB Erik Walden had a monster 3 sack game in the final regular season, that was all the pass rush he brought last season. Zombo's been the more consistent performer. More from ESPN and Jason Wilde:

But while the Green Bay Packers coach may not be ready to say that second-year outside linebacker Frank Zombo is the leader in the clubhouse for the starting job opposite star pass-rusher Clay Matthews, the preponderance of evidence would indicate that Zombo currently leads Erik Walden and Brad Jones in one of the few competitions in training camp.

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13 years ago

Zombo takes the lead 

Mike McCarthy wasn’t handing out starting jobs Monday.

But while the Green Bay Packers coach may not be ready to say that second-year outside linebacker Frank Zombo is the leader in the clubhouse for the starting job opposite star pass-rusher Clay Matthews, the preponderance of evidence would indicate that Zombo currently leads Erik Walden and Brad Jones in one of the few competitions in training camp.

Zombo, who started nine games last season, including Super Bowl XLV, got the starting nod in Saturday night’s preseason opener at Cleveland and worked with the No. 1 defense in practice again on Monday. But McCarthy downplayed the significance of it.

“The rotation of Frank Zombo, Erik Walden and even Brad Jones, I think all of those guys have done very well,” McCarthy said after practice. “When I look at that position, I’m more interested in the balance between the outside linebacker position and special teams. We’re going to play a lot of different sub packages throughout the season. That’s where those reps among those players will definitely balance out. As far as who you want to put on (top of) the depth chart, we’re going to line up with 11 players.”

And it’s looking more and more like Zombo will be one of those 11 starters when the regular season begins Sept. 8 against the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field.

“It’s still a competition and that’s how we’re attacking it,” Zombo said Monday. “I think Coach (McCarthy) has complete confidence in all three of us. One person’s going to have to separate themselves from the pack.”
EDITED

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13 years ago
LB Frank Zombo continues to start opposite Clay Matthews, but coach Mike McCarthy stresses balance 

Frank Zombo was the starter in Super Bowl XLV, the starter in Saturday’s preseason opener at Cleveland and the starter again at practice on Monday.

Though the Green Bay Packers have yet to declare anyone the winner in the competition to be paired with Clay Matthews at outside linebacker, it’s Zombo’s job to lose.

If the Packers were going to make a change at this point, it almost certainly would have happened on Monday. In years past, changes on the depth chart often have occurred following the first preseason game. But there was Zombo, again getting the first reps at right outside linebacker. In every team period, he and Matthews would take the first few snaps and give away to Brad Jones and Erik Walden, who would take the second set of snaps at left and right outside linebacker, respectively.

The second-year pro, who last summer won a roster spot as an undrafted free agent and became the full-time starter in Week 8 after Jones sustained a season-ending shoulder injury, has been the most consistent of the Zombo-Walden-Jones trio.
EDITED

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Pack93z
13 years ago
I have to say.. I am disappointed in Brad Jones.. when we drafted him I really thought he could develop into "the guy".. granted injuries haven't helped.. but I surely expected him to be in this "dogfight".
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
Greg C.
13 years ago
I heard A.J. Hawk interviewed on ESPN radio last night, and the host asked him who he thought was the player who has been impressive in training camp and most likely to surprise people. He said Erik Walden. He said that Walden has gained ten pounds of muscle and is running people over. I heard similar things from others about Walden, but it seems like Zombo has improved too.

Brad Jones is always described as "the most athletic" of the three, which seems to be the kiss of death for Packer players. "Athletic" is the word they use to describe players who aren't very good. I've thought all along that Zombo was most likely to start, but Walden should get on the field regularly. There are bound to be certain matchups and situations that favor his skill set. This position is looking less worrisome than it did a year ago.
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Mucky Tundra (7h) : @AaronNagler · 2m Both Jordan Love and Malik Willis were Limited participants at Packers practice today.
Zero2Cool (9h) : Johnson didn't make it until 2020. Ring 2023. 🤷 Personally, he should have been in years prior to Hall.
Zero2Cool (9h) : HUMP DAY
beast (10h) : Guys that have a good shot at making the NFL Hall of Fame usually get into their teams pretty fast
beast (10h) : Yeah, but is Kampman and the others in the NFL Hall of Fame?
Zero2Cool (10h) : Johnson was Hall of Fame, 2020. Should haev been in Ring a year later, not three years.
Zero2Cool (10h) : I could be wrong there though
Zero2Cool (10h) : Guys like Kampman, Tim Harris, Al Harris, etc all over 15 years. Hall of Fame is 5 year wait
Zero2Cool (10h) : I guess I see players in Packers Hall come way later
beast (10h) : Yeah, usually teams hall of fames are a much lower bar than the NFL
Zero2Cool (10h) : is it uncommon for Hall before Ring?
Zero2Cool (10h) : S Xavier McKinney named first-team All-Pro by NFLPA
beast (12h) : I missed it, sorry, but he got into the NFL Hall of Fame years before that
Zero2Cool (12h) : Jones took his sweet ole time!
Zero2Cool (12h) : Yeah, he's in the ring of honor, just saw video and his name is up there
Zero2Cool (12h) : Didn't they have a thing in 2023 for Jimmy's ring of honor? I swear I saw it
beast (12h) : Though if they're legitimately trying to re-sign MM, then it makes sense.
beast (12h) : Jerry Jones still hasn't put Jimmy Johnson in the Ring of Honor, but he's in the NFL's Hall of Fame, Jones is petty
Mucky Tundra (8-Jan) : Unless the Cowboys are planning an extension, seems kinda petty
beast (8-Jan) : Cowboys denied Bears request
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : From what I'm reading, MM is under contract through the 14th of January; after that he's free game
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : McCarthy let go or not extended??
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Chicago Bears have asked the Dallas Cowboys permission to interview Mike McCarthy for head coaching vacancy
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : The winners page that is
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : I was not hoping for that. It messes up the page lol
beast (6-Jan) : Thank you, and I was really opening we were going to get 4 or more tied for the top 3.
beast (6-Jan) : Thank you, and I was really opening we were going to get 4 or more tied for the top 3.
beast (6-Jan) : Thank you, and I was really opening we were going to get 4 or more tied for the top 3
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : congrats beast on 2024 !
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : congrats porky on winning 2023 pick'em! (oops sorry)
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : Packers have $60M+ of 2025 cap space on paper TODAY.
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Missed FG into a Lions TD; that'll do pig, that'll do
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : That might be it for the Vikings
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Oh so the refs do know what intentional grounding is
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : what the hell was that Goff?! Not much pressure and he just air mails it to Harrison
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : They really need to to get rid of the auto first down for illegal contact
Martha Careful (6-Jan) : watching the Vikings and Lions it's understandable why they swept the Packers. So much better product
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Even when GB got pressure he was throwing darts; vs no pressure on that last pass he just air mails an open guy
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : didn't have guys in his face ... pressure makes difference
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Where was this Darnold vs GB?
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : BALL DON'T LIE
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : how was that not a safety? Goff throws it at an offensive lineman
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Zero, I thought that was a given! ;)
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : Zero I looked through earlier and noticed the same thing. Bonkers year. I just wonder if beast put any money on games
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : I'm hoping for BLOODBATH. Pummel one another.
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : 8 people in pick'em would have won any year with their total lol
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : I'm rooting for the Lions to lose.
Mucky Tundra (6-Jan) : God help me but I'm rooting for the Vikings to...Vikings to...Christ I can't say it
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : 4 td for Rodgers
Zero2Cool (6-Jan) : Chiefs got shutout
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