Yep, it's that time of year. School is less than one month away and we are counting down the days till football season starts. All we have to look forward to in the gap of time is our fantasy football drafts. To pass the time I decided to get an in depth look at the most intriguing roster battles for the Green Bay Packers depth chart. Components that I took into account include position importance, level of competition, and level of interest.
#1: Free Safety
Candidates - MD Jennings, Jeron McMillan
This is the top position battle of concern for the Packers this year mainly because of the loss of Nick Collins. Going from an all pro to either a rookie or second year player is quite a drop off, and it makes it all the more important for one of them to step up. With the release of Charlie Peprah and no apparent free agent pick-ups on the horizon, Ted Thompson is putting a lot of faith in the development of Jennings and McMillan. I'm guessing the job goes to Jennings because McMillan was seen as somewhat of a project yet, and Jennings impressed enough to be kept on the roster as an undrafted free agent last year. With how bad the pass defense was last year, consistency at the free safety position will be key in 2012.
#2: Nickel CB (When Woodson isn't Safety)
Candidates - Davon House, Sam Shields, Jarrett Bush, Casey Hayward
Of all the competitions, this is the most unpredictable. House, Shields and Hayward are all first or second year players, with Bush being a veteran that the team still likes. House has the size advantage at 6 feet 1 inches and is supposedly playing the best so far in training camp. Hayward was a second round pick that Ted Thompson traded up to get in the draft, which is a rare occurrence for those who have followed TT and has not disappointed yet in camp. Shields was the best cornerback last year and came into training camp with the spot presumed to be his, and Jarrett Bush has been steadily improving every year. I see the job going to House, assuming he doesn't get injured and continues to impress the coaching staff, although I wouldn't be shocked to see any of these four winning the job.
#3: 6th WR
Candidates - Diondre Borel, Tori Gurley
One thing the Packers aren't lacking is depth at the wide receiver position. With Jennings, Nelson, Jones, Driver, and Cobb all but locked in as the top five receivers, there is still a possibility MM keeps six or even seven receivers. Last year, the team kept an unorthodox amount of tight ends when they kept Finley, Williams, Taylor, Crabtree, and Quarless. The same might happen this year with second year players Tori Gurley and Diondre Borel. Both have received a lot of praise in camp this year and the year before, and both were given large bonuses to be kept on the practice squad at the end of last year. Typically, that won't happen unless a team doesn't want those players to go elsewhere. What it will come down to is how they play on special teams. If they can show blocking skills in the return game, the Packers might just keep six receivers going into the season.
#4: Starting RB
Candidates - James Starks, Alex Green, Brandon Saine
Mike McCarthy has three options here, with one being the obvious choice in James Starks since Ryan Grant is gone. But second year players Alex Green and Brandon Saine have shown some flashes that have impressed the coaching staff. Alex Green was starting to come into his own as a rookie last season before he tore his ACL and Brandon Saine showed some consistency in the run game as a midseason addition. The running back position for the Packers isn't exactly necessary when Aaron Rodgers is your QB1, which is why part of it may come down to pass blocking skills, which the team was lackluster with after losing Brandon Jackson last year. Alex Green has drawn comparisons to former Packer Dorsey Levens, who was excellent in pass blocking and the screen game when the team was in their finest stage in the 90's. Mike McCarthy likes to keep his running backs fresh, so in this situation it is likely that all three running backs will split carries. Starks never surpassed thirteen carries in any game last season, and I wouldn't be surprised if that trend repeated this year. In the end it comes down to how Green comes back from his injury and how healthy the other RB's can stay throughout camp and the season.
#5: Backup LT
Candidates - Derek Sherrod, Herb Taylor, Andrew Datko
This is the first time in a while that the whole offensive line has been set before the season starts, with Newhouse, Lang, Saturday, Sitton, and Bulaga all starting (from left to right). After that though, the depth is another story. There are only two linemen that have any game experience in Evan Dietrich-Smith and Herb Taylor. The preferred candidate would be Derek Sherrod as he was the team's first pick last year, but he hasn't fully recovered from a broken leg that he suffered in the Packer's only regular season loss last year against the Chiefs. If he can come back from injury and play on the same level as he was pre-injury, he may even challenge Newhouse for the starting spot. Other options include rookie seventh round pick Andrew Datko, and Mike McCabe. Andrew Datko was viewed as a potential first round prospect coming out of Florida State before he was injured in his senior season. His 6'6 315 pound frame make him an ideal candidate to play the tackle position if he can perform well. So far in camp he isn't making much of an impression, but if he can get back to his Freshmen All-American days at FSU, he may just be a surprise candidate for the backup OT position.
Update: http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/Taylor-steps-in-for-Newhouse/be5d3517-5cd9-401f-b01d-e1410182d32f
Candidates - Diondre Borel, Tori Gurley
One thing the Packers aren't lacking is depth at the wide receiver position. With Jennings, Nelson, Jones, Driver, and Cobb all but locked in as the top five receivers, there is still a possibility MM keeps six or even seven receivers. Last year, the team kept an unorthodox amount of tight ends when they kept Finley, Williams, Taylor, Crabtree, and Quarless. The same might happen this year with second year players Tori Gurley and Diondre Borel. Both have received a lot of praise in camp this year and the year before, and both were given large bonuses to be kept on the practice squad at the end of last year. Typically, that won't happen unless a team doesn't want those players to go elsewhere. What it will come down to is how they play on special teams. If they can show blocking skills in the return game, the Packers might just keep six receivers going into the season.
#4: Starting RB
Candidates - James Starks, Alex Green, Brandon Saine
Mike McCarthy has three options here, with one being the obvious choice in James Starks since Ryan Grant is gone. But second year players Alex Green and Brandon Saine have shown some flashes that have impressed the coaching staff. Alex Green was starting to come into his own as a rookie last season before he tore his ACL and Brandon Saine showed some consistency in the run game as a midseason addition. The running back position for the Packers isn't exactly necessary when Aaron Rodgers is your QB1, which is why part of it may come down to pass blocking skills, which the team was lackluster with after losing Brandon Jackson last year. Alex Green has drawn comparisons to former Packer Dorsey Levens, who was excellent in pass blocking and the screen game when the team was in their finest stage in the 90's. Mike McCarthy likes to keep his running backs fresh, so in this situation it is likely that all three running backs will split carries. Starks never surpassed thirteen carries in any game last season, and I wouldn't be surprised if that trend repeated this year. In the end it comes down to how Green comes back from his injury and how healthy the other RB's can stay throughout camp and the season.
#5: Backup LT
Candidates - Derek Sherrod, Herb Taylor, Andrew Datko
This is the first time in a while that the whole offensive line has been set before the season starts, with Newhouse, Lang, Saturday, Sitton, and Bulaga all starting (from left to right). After that though, the depth is another story. There are only two linemen that have any game experience in Evan Dietrich-Smith and Herb Taylor. The preferred candidate would be Derek Sherrod as he was the team's first pick last year, but he hasn't fully recovered from a broken leg that he suffered in the Packer's only regular season loss last year against the Chiefs. If he can come back from injury and play on the same level as he was pre-injury, he may even challenge Newhouse for the starting spot. Other options include rookie seventh round pick Andrew Datko, and Mike McCabe. Andrew Datko was viewed as a potential first round prospect coming out of Florida State before he was injured in his senior season. His 6'6 315 pound frame make him an ideal candidate to play the tackle position if he can perform well. So far in camp he isn't making much of an impression, but if he can get back to his Freshmen All-American days at FSU, he may just be a surprise candidate for the backup OT position.
Update: http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/Taylor-steps-in-for-Newhouse/be5d3517-5cd9-401f-b01d-e1410182d32f
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