Zero2Cool
14 years ago

For fledgling NFL players, trying to crack the Green Bay Packers' 53-man roster is about as difficult as scoring a part in a Martin Scorsese film.

There's too much A-list talent already signed up.

But the deliberations general manager Ted Thompson will have to make in casting the defending Super Bowl champions may be as challenging as any in his career because of potential talent hidden among the 86 players he has in training camp.

Take, for instance, the wide receiver position.

You can pencil in Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb to the 53-man roster. And you can pretty much assume Donald Driver will be there, too.

But what does he do with a guy like Chastin West, who spent the entire 2010 season on the practice squad and blasted into the forefront with five catches for 134 yards, including a 97-yard touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals Friday night?

It would be one thing if West were the only receiver causing Thompson a double-take, but rookies Diondre Borel and Tory Gurley have been pretty good, too. What in the name of roster limits is Thompson to do?

From West's perspective, this is exactly the dilemma he wanted to create.

"You have really good receivers who just won the Super Bowl and played well in the Super Bowl," he said after his big preseason performance against the Cardinals. "You have to change their mind and do what you can do to make the team."

It might seem easy for Thompson to say he'll go with six wide receivers on the roster - he usually goes with five - but that means taking from another position to pump up one that already is deep and talented.

He could carry one fewer running back, but he's got a problem there, too.

In addition to James Starks and Ryan Grant, fourth-round pick Alex Green has shown considerable promise, John Kuhn is a lock as the top fullback and Dimitri Nance and Quinn Johnson are in the running for spots as well. The fewest running backs Thompson has kept is five in 2008 and six has been the norm.

If he keeps just five, that means there's no chance to keep undrafted rookie Brandon Saine, who has looked surprisingly good, and might mean the release of Grant. If he keeps six at this spot, he then has to make up for the extra receiver somewhere else.

How about at tight end?

Forget about that. At this point, he could legitimately keep five of the six he has in camp. Jermichael Finley is the only lock, but Andrew Quarless, D.J. Williams, Ryan Taylor, Tom Crabtree and Spencer Havner are all options.

Cut Quarless and you'd be letting go of your second-best athlete at the position. Let Crabtree go and you lose your best blocker. Taylor has been too good to let go, and Williams has done enough to make you think he's a prospect.

Say Thompson keeps five. He could count one as a fullback and keep just four backs, but there would be some risk involved in that since the tight ends really only serve as fullbacks on passing downs. If something happened to Kuhn, he'd be in trouble in short yardage situations.

There's always the possibility Thompson could keep nine offensive linemen or defensive backs instead of the usual 10, but getting caught short in those positions can be deadly for a contender. He very well could want to keep an extra defensive back with youngsters like Brandian Ross and Josh Gordy pushing for a spot.

And so the deliberations continue.

"It's like musical chairs," West said of his chances. "Sometimes the chair is going to be there when the music stops."

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/128136378.html 


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rabidgopher04
14 years ago
Are all of these guys really that good? The author only points out each person's strengths. I doubt Thompson feels it's that much of a dilemma since he'll be looking for a certain combination of skills at a position.

I say Havner will get cut at the TE position for sure. Taylor or Williams might go to the practice squad and the other will get cut.

Nance or Johnson will get cut.

Of West's 134 yards, 97 were on one play. Maybe Thompson will trade James Jones and keep West if he's really that good. The other receivers will most likely either make the practice squad, be traded for a 6th or 7th round pick, or get cut.

I don't see Ted going thin on the OL or the secondary.
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millertime
14 years ago
If West is worth keeping, I would explore a Jordy Nelson trade. I doubt his value could go up any higher after his Super Bowl performance, and we seem to have kept Jones for a reason.

A Nelson for Calais Campbell (3-4 end) from Arizona might make since for both sides. Not sure if AZ would be interested however, because they could have had a similar player (Jones) this offseason and didn't try.
Porforis
14 years ago

Of West's 134 yards, 97 were on one play. Maybe Thompson will trade James Jones and keep West if he's really that good. The other receivers will most likely either make the practice squad, be traded for a 6th or 7th round pick, or get cut.

Originally Posted by: rabidgopher04 



To be fair, his other catches involved good routes, good hands, and he did very well after the catch on the 97 yarder. Sure, it was a perfectly placed ball but he found a second gear, still made himself aware of where the defender was so he wouldn't get stripped, and separated. It's too early to say too much about him with much certainty, but based on what I've seen of him so far, he'd be a lock at 3rd WR on most teams.

If Driver hadn't been playing as well as he had in the preseason and instead was playing like he did last year, I'd almost cut Driver (not sure if we can without penalty) but he's made good catches and seems to be in really good shape as well... So far it looks like he's playing better, which is good to see. Honestly, I'd sooner get rid of Jones than West but that's a gamble, sacrificing someone whose skill and limits you know for a relative unknown... Guess we'll have to wait and see what Ted says.
go.pack.go.
14 years ago
How about a Ryan Grant trade to AZ for Calais Campbell? They need a RB since Ryan Williams got hurt.
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wpr
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14 years ago
West is a good looking prospect. Same for Taylor and Williams at TE. Saine at RB as is Gordy and Ross at DB.

The point that is being missed is there are always going to be good prospects available. Maybe not a RB in 2012 but there may be a DE. Perhaps it will be a another TE.

Keep the Big 5 WRs. If they need another WR next year due to attrition (Say Driver retires and Jordy isn't resigned.) just draft one. If there isn't a player they like then they still have a solid trio with Greg, Jones and Cobb.
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zombieslayer
14 years ago

You can pencil in Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb to the 53-man roster. And you can pretty much assume Donald Driver will be there, too.



What does this mean? Did something happen to Driver?
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earthquake
14 years ago

What does this mean? Did something happen to Driver?

Originally Posted by: zombieslayer 



No, just the assumption that he's old, his skills are diminishing etc. Which isn't really an unreasonable thought. However, I think as of now he's still the starting #2 WR, so I would be shocked to see him cut as a roster move. I think if they wanted to go that direction, he would have been cut with the other veterans when the lockout ended.
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Yerko
14 years ago

What does this mean? Did something happen to Driver?

Originally Posted by: zombieslayer 


Don't believe so. Th media will just continue to make him the lowest on the totem pole because of his age, injuries, and decline.

I'm not for giving up a guy like Jordy Nelson for a prospective WR that has had a decent preseason. The Packers are in a great place being able to pick and choose at some positions.
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