Lombardi Ave » University of Southern California

With Grant surely gone, the Packers give the keys to Starks, Green

Raymond Rivard — Sat, 05 May 2012 22:01:16 +0000

Ryan Grant has been a tough inside runner and a very good receiver out of the backfield for the Packers the past five years. However, it looks like his days in Green Bay are numbered. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Surely Packers brass aren’t going to come out and talk about it, but I feel there are more than a few reasons the team isn’t considering bringing running back Ryan Grant back to Green Bay.

However, for me, the tipping point was the fumble Grant gave up in the Divisional Playoff Game last January against the New York Giants. Though it wasn’t a game-changer and one of a bazillion turnovers the Packers gave up that day, I think the team leaders lost confidence in the running back who provided so much potential, but never really gave the team what they expected from a veteran. Throw in the fact that he will be demanding more than they want to pay him and the Packers will surely just let him walk.

Grant carried the ball 134 times last season for 559 yards (4.2 yard average) and two touchdowns last season. Not statistics one would point to as impressive for the team’s starting running back.

He has spent all five of his professional seasons with the Green Bay Packers and has overall been a valuable and productive player. The team acquired him in 2007 trade with the New York Giants and he was immediately thrust onto the field. He ran for 956 yards that season and then followed that with two straight 1,200 yard-plus seasons. In 2008, he ran for 1,203 yards and had another 1,200-plus season in 2009. An injury in the first game of the season at Philadelphia in 2010 not only hurt his career, but also put the team in a pickle until James Starks came alive late in the season to help lead the Packers to a Super Bowl.

Grant has run for 4,016 yards and a 4.3 yard average during his time in Green Bay and has also caught 92 passes for nearly 1,000 yards.

Needless to say, he’s been a valuable player … you could say he is a star. But his star power isn’t enough for the Packers to bring him back.

So, where does that leave the team? Well, not with much experience, that’s for sure. James Starks was a stud during the Packers’ Super Bowl run in 2010, but was injured again last year and hasn’t played an entire season yet. Alex Green, the team’s high draft choice last year is also coming off a knee injury and is yet to be seasoned. Brandon Saine showed some good hands and burst as a rookie last season and the team is most likely looking toward him to offer a third down alternative in 2012. Even fullback John Kuhn has been utilized as a running back in the past – he took over in the backfield in 2010 when Grant went down for the year with an injury and Brandon Jackson did nothing for the team.

Throw in these free agent signings: Duane Bennett from Minnesota, Marc Tyler from the University of Southern California, and Nicholas Cooper from Winston-Salem State, and one can see that the Packers have plenty of bodies, but very little experience.

Consider also that the Packers are a pass-first offense and one can see why Coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson are satisfied with what they have in-house and are not concerned with letting Grant walk.

The main concern for Packers fans, of course, is that Grant is poised to sign with the Detroit Lions. Many say let them have him and his veteran salary. But in the backs of everyone’s minds is the notion that Grant would come back to haunt the team. McCarthy and Thompson don’t seem to be concerned about that.

Would the Packers look for another veteran to sign should Grant move on? I doubt it. With the team’s philosophy of drafting and developing, it’s highly unlikely … there are plenty of horses in the stable to develop. This could be a breakout year for Starks and if Green comes back healthy he could add the potential for a one-two punch the Packers would need. Throw in the pass catching skills that Saine showed out of the backfield last season and the team could be OK at the position.

However, it’s a big “if.” Everyone has to stay healthy for it to come together.

If they don’t, people will point to the neglect of Grant as a mistake. If they do, everyone will ask, “Ryan who …?”

Here are Ryan Grant’s career statistics with the Packers:

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USC writers give insightful look into this guy named Nick Perry

Raymond Rivard — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:44:39 +0000

Packers first round draft pick, Nick Perry (#8), is in the middle of the action here. Matt Cashore-US PRESSWIRE

I had the opportunity to correspond with Michael Castillo, the editor of Fansided.com’s University of Southern California website, Reign of Troy, who was forthright and honest in allowing us to post a preview here for what they did prior to the draft for Nick Perry, the Packers number one choice from USC.

The piece, written by Trenise Ferreira, goes into great detail about the defensive lineman who is pegged to be an outside linebacker opposite another USC mainstay – Clay Matthews.

“Nick is a physical specimen, and we knew he’d be a first rounder almost primarily because of that,” Castillo told Lombardiave. “While that might not be as indicative of his play (he never put up Juluis Pepper numbers or anything), he’s so fast and physical. He reminds of me Dwight Freeney, with more strength, but less technique, but Capers, etc. can teach that.”

“Against the run, he’s solid, but he’s still a better pass rusher, in my opinion. He gets in off the edge and falls into the back field quite easily and is a great tackler. Again, this is all with him being a DE in college, so I’m not sure how to evaluate him in pass coverage.

“As far as injuries go, he went unscathed at SC. He redshirted as freshman in 2008, but it wasn’t injury related if my memory serves correct.

“We’re glad he did indeed go in the first round, and so that’s a huge feather in the cap of Lane Kiffin era, especially recruiting wise. It was clear Perry would going to leave early, and he made the most of it, with a first round selection AND a damned good team in Green Bay. You guys will love him, especially since I feel his best days are ahead of him…much like that #52 guy, when he left SC. Perry’s yet to really break out, and Clay didn’t put it all together until he was in the NFL, so there’s similar threads there.”

You will find the piece by Ferreira to be downright insightful and refreshing. The article only confirms for Packers fans just what Ted Thompson, Mike McCarthy and all the scouts must have seen before pulling the trigger on draft day.

From what we’re reading here, this guy will bring much to the team. His presence alone should make opponents think twice again about double- and triple-teaming Matthews. Perry should also allow the defense much greater flexibility in throwing a variety of looks at quarterbacks, much like they were able to pull off in 2010. Last year’s predictable defense, especially after the loss of Nick Collins, should have a new image this year.

With the addition of Perry and the bolstering of the defensive line and backfield, the Packers should be more physical and just downright nasty at the point of attack.

With a defense that can intimidate, it will also team with an offense that shouldn’t miss a beat from last year’s impeccable run – the best in franchise history.

So, without further adieu (if you haven’t already gone to the link of the story) here is the piece from Trenise Ferreira:

Name: Nick Perry
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 271
Projection: Late First/Early Second round

In his time at USC, Nick Perry very quickly went to work establishing a name for himself. After redshirting during his freshman year in 2008, Perry got playing time in the 2009 season and early on he showed signs of being a force for USC. As a back up he played in all thirteen games—including his first start against Stanford—and recorded 24 tackles, nine of which were for losses, and had a team-best eight sacks. At the end of the season, he racked up a ton of accolades: he made the 2009 Football Writers Freshman All-American first team, the CollegeFootballNews.com All-American first team, Sporting News Freshman All-American first team, Phil Steele’s Freshman All-American first team, ESPN.com Pac-10 Freshman All-American first team, and the Sporting News All Pac-10 Freshman All-American first team.

Yeah, that’s A LOT of first teams. And he was just getting started.

In 2010 Perry started in nine games as a defensive end and appeared in 12 games total for the season. He had 25 tackles including 7.5 for losses, four sacks, three deflections, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. By this point, it was clear that having Perry coming off the edge was pivotal to USC’s defensive prowess, as his size and speed combination enabled him to deftly get around opposing linemen to the quarterback.

He pretty much exploded in 2011, further making a case for himself as a worthy draft pick if he would choose to leave at the end of the season. He started every game this past season, and ended it with an incredible stat line: 54 total tackles and 13 for losses, three pass deflections, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and—probably the most impressive of them all—led USC and the Pac-12 conference in sacks, with 9.5 for the season. That was the most sacks recorded by a Trojan since 2007. At the end of the season, USC named him the defensive lineman of the year and was also a finalist for the Hendricks Award, given to the nation’s best defensive end. Naturally, at the end of the season Perry elected to enter the 2012 NFL Draft.

So what have we learned from him?

Well, for starters, Perry is an excellent pass rusher. He has proven to have a superb control over his body, to be able to change directions or to get his hands up quickly to deflect passes at the line of scrimmage. Collapsing pockets and getting to the QB is something that comes naturally and effortlessly to him. He’s someone that a coach would want to anchor his D-line, as he has proven to produce, and produce a lot.

Off the edge, Perry is unquestionably explosive, and has the natural flexibility and skill to maneuver his body so that he wins that edge. On the other hand, he is not a sudden pass rusher, and sometimes does not time his jump off right.

As far as his run defense, he has shown that he has very good reaction time to plays, and knows how to get to the play from different angles. He has a keen understanding of leverage and plants himself under blockers and their pads, which often attracts holding penalties.

Tackling is probably his second strongest point aside from his ability to get through pockets. He rarely reacts to fakes and he has solid hand strength to secure tackles. According to scouts, his arm strength is still less than ideal, but he works hard make fundamentally sound tackles by wrapping up and bringing down the ball carrier.

In terms of transition to the pro level, many experts consider him a “tweener” because he could be a 3-4 outside linebacker or a DE, depending on who picks him up. Experts also say that while he his resume does speak volumes about his production, he has questionable instincts when tasked with dropping into coverage, and late in the game he often looks tired and fatigued, so he still needs to show better conditioning. Perry however wants to stay at DE, so he gained 10 pounds of lean muscle in the offseason to convince scouts that he should. However, he is still considered kind of undersized, and could find himself overwhelmed by larger blockers.

Come draft day, look for Perry to either middle to late in the first round, or early in the second. Many teams are desperately in need of a pass rusher, so his position in the draft seems to be up in the air. Currently, CBSSports.com has him ranked third at his position, and 23 overall. Their writers have him going anywhere from 12^th to 20^th overall. ESPN AFC Blogger Bill Williamson says he could possibly go18^th overall to the San Diego Chargers, who also need a defensive face lift. Other scouts like Mel Kiper think that is too high; Kiper says that if he stays on the board, he would be major value in round 2 to a team like the Carolina Panthers. So really, Perry could end up at any number of teams. But one thing is clear: he is regarded as a strong pass rusher, and wherever he goes, he has that USC pedigree to enable to continue to flourish at the next level.

Here’s what they’re saying about Nick Perry

Raymond Rivard — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 03:06:43 +0000

November 12, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive end Nick Perry (8) works against Washington Huskies offensive tackle Senio Kelemete (56) during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Here is what others are saying about Nick Perry, the Green Bay Packers first selection in the NFL Draft.

http://reignoftroy.com/2012/04/23/nfl-draft-preview-usc-de-nick-perry/

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Mock draft: Lombardi Ave’s Tim Thomas reviews Packers seven round picks
Tim Thomas — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:30:27 +0000
Lombardiave.com's Tim Thomas thinks Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Brandon Boykin could be the Green Bay Packers' second overall choice in next week's NFL Draft. Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE
By Tim Thomas
Contributing writer – Lombardiave.com
Tim Thomas, Lombardiave.com’s newest contributing writer, takes a stag at all seven rounds and 12 picks the Packers have in this year’s NFL Draft.
Take a ride along with Tim as he considers some of the best fits for the Packers.
The NFL Draft is now two weeks away and the Packers are finishing up their draft board and should be ready for the draft by now. Ted Thompson is one of the best general managers at finding talent through the NFL Draft which is why the Packers have won so consistently and one Super Bowl with Thompson as GM. So, what will the Packers do this year to put together a Super Bowl caliber team?
Round 1, Pick 28, The Green Bay Packers select USC DE/OLB Nick Perry.
Nick Perry was a very successful player at USC and has the potential to be an immediate starter at outside linebacker as he could form a great tandem of outside linebackers with another former Trojan, Clay Matthews. Perry fairly productive at USC as he garnered tons of sacks including 9.5 last season to lead the Pac-12. Perry also has good speed and strength for a 3-4 outside linebacker as he ran a 4.64 in the 40 and benched 35 reps at the NFL Combine. Perry has proven he could be an immediate upgrade over Brad Jones at outside linebacker and a long term solution opposite of Clay Matthews.
Round 2, Pick 59, The Green Bay Packers select Georgia CB Brandon Boykin.
Brandon Boykin was a very impressive player at Georgia as he has a great work ethic which led to Boykin having a productive career. Boykin has great speed which allowed him to be a dangerous playmaker on special teams. Boykin could take the kick and punt return man role from Randall Cobb which would allow Cobb to focus on becoming the elite receiver everyone expects him to be. Boykin’s speed will allow him to stay up with some of the speedier receivers in the NFL like the Eagles’ DeSean Jackson. Boykin will also have time to develop before he becomes a starting cornerback for the Packers. Boykin could be an impact player for the Packers for a long time.
Round 3, Pick 90, The Green Bay Packers select Nebraska DE Jared Crick.
Crick is one of the most underrated players in the entire draft as he could be a great pass rusher as a five-technique defensive end in Dom Capers’ defensive scheme. Crick is a perfect fit for the Packers as a 3-4 defensive end due to the fact that he has experience as a 4-3 defensive tackle and a 4-3 defensive end at Nebraska. Crick also has good strength and decent speed as he ran a 4.99 at the Combine and had 26 reps at Nebraska’s pro day. The one concern for Crick is his health. That is why he has fallen from the last of the first round to the end of the third round. Crick could be a major steal at this point in the draft as he could be an instant starter at Lambeau.
Round 4, Pick 128, The Green Bay Packers select Michigan C David Molk.
David Molk is a great young center who will get the chance to learn and develop behind one of the best centers in NFL history, Jeff Saturday. Molk has great awareness for a center which is a key trait of great centers and he also showed excellent leadership. Molk also has impressive strength as he had a very impressive NFL Combine in which he pushed 41 reps on the bench. Molk has a high ceiling and should be a great center that could be as good as Jeff Saturday.
Round 4, Pick 132, The Green Bay Packers select Notre Dame S Robert Blanton.
Robert Blanton was a fairly productive defensive back in his time at Notre Dame and he has the potential to be a really good safety. Blanton has good speed for a safety and he proved he has a great ability to jump up and get the ball as he showed that at the NFL Combine with a vertical jump of 34 inches. Blanton can be that safety who replaces Charlie Peprah in the long term.
Round 4, Pick 133, The Green Bay Packers select Utah State RB Robert Turbin.
Robert Turbin is one of the most underrated running backs in the NFL Draft and was very productive last year with 1,517 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. Turbin also showed an impressive combo of speed and strength necessary for a starting running back at the NFL Combine by having 28 reps on the bench and running a 4.5 in the 40. Turbin has a very high ceiling, and he has the potential to be an upgrade over James Starks and the best running back the Packers have had in a while.
Round 5, Pick 163, The Green Bay Packers select San Diego State QB Ryan Lindley.
The Packers need a young quarterback to develop into a good backup and Lindley is exactly that quarterback. Lindley has an impressive arm but the one thing that is lacking right now is Lindley’s lack of consistent accuracy. When Lindley is accurate, he is a very good quarterback and is a first two round quality quarterback. When he is inaccurate, he is not a draft-worthy quarterback. Lindley’s potential is high and he could be as good as Brett Favre but he should be at least as good as Rex Grossman.
Round 6, Pick 197, The Green Bay Packers select Arizona State ILB Vontaze Burfict.
Burfict has first round talent but the one problem with him is that he loses control of his emotions on the field which causes to rack up lots of penalties. Burfict has the potential to be a great middle linebacker if he controls his emotions. He proved that by being very productive in college. Burfict also has good strength and the potential to be a starter for a long time if he controls his emotions.
Round 7, Pick 224, The Green Bay Packers select Oklahoma DE Frank Alexander.
Frank Alexander is a good defensive end that could be a very successful NFL player. Alexander has the talent to be an outside linebacker or a defensive end as he has the right size to be a defensive end in Dom Capers’ system. Alexander showed good strength at his pro day with 24 reps on the bench. Alexander could be a good steal this late in the draft as he could be useful as depth in the long term or even start.
Round 7, Pick 235, The Green Bay Packers select USC FB Rhett Ellison.
Rhett Ellison is one of the best fullbacks in the draft and has an ability to be a threat in the passing game along with the running game. Fullbacks don’t have the best longevity in the NFL so Ellison could be groomed behind one of the NFL’s best fullbacks, John Kuhn. For being a potential late round pick, Ellison is already a good player who could make a decent impact in his rookie season.
Round 7, Pick 241, The Green Bay Packers select Oklahoma State OT Levy Adcock.
Adcock is the prototypical size for a NFL starting offensive tackle as he is 6 feet 6 inches and 320 pounds. At his pro day, he showed off his strength by having a total of 26 reps which is better than potential first round pick Ohio State OT Mike Adams. Adcock also has the potential to move inside to play offensive guard as his size will allow him to do that. Adcock is a high upside pick this late but he could really be a steal.
Round 7, Pick 243, The Green Bay Packers select Utah CB Conroy Black.
Black is the type of player you would expect the Packers to take at the end of the draft, a raw talent that has all the skills capable of becoming a really good cornerback. Black has elite speed and good height for a cornerback and could be a long term replacement for Charles Woodson or Tramon Williams. Black has high potential and could be a steal at this point in the draft.
The Packers have 12 picks in this draft but knowing what Ted Thompson has done in the past, it would not surprise me if he pulls off some trades to climb up in the draft and maybe he will trade back into the first round like he did when the Packers got Clay Matthews. The Packers will definitely be able to bring in the improvements that can help them win more Super Bowls.