The Green Bay Packers’ Top Ten Most Pressing Questions Entering Training Camp
By CHRIS HAVEL
Who will provide the Packers' Offensive Punch? Glad you asked!
Here are the Green Bay Packers’ Top Ten most pressing questions as they prepare to open the 2007 training camp on Saturday:
1) In what ways did GM Ted Thompson improve the team this off-season?
As unlikely as it seems, Thompson’s apparent reluctance to trade for Randy Moss and his unwillingness to be a major player in free agency might have an upside. Foremost, nobody can accuse the GM of jeopardizing whatever chemistry coach Mike McCarthy may have developed a year ago. Once again, the roster got younger with the departure of veterans such as William Henderson and Ahman Green. Whether it got better remains to be seen, but Thompson can’t be criticized for deviating from his plan. His intention remains developing young players and building through the draft. He retooled the defense and overhauled the offensive line, and both are stronger for it.
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2) What is coach Mike McCarthy’s greatest challenge?
The same as a year ago: Developing a consistent, productive running attack. The task seems daunting with Green’s departure and a dearth of big-play receivers (at least on paper). It isn’t impossible though. The offensive line is a year into the zone-blocking scheme, Vernand Morency showed flashes of promise and rookie Brandon Jackson has game-breaking speed. Perhaps McCarthy’s greatest challenge is resisting the temptation to pass at the first sign of failure. Brett Favre’s 613 pass attempts last season was a career high. That is too much to ask of a 37-year-old quarterback.
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3) What are realistic expectations for Brett Favre as he enters his 17th NFL season?
The same as always: Preparing, practicing and playing to the best of his ability. Favre is stubborn at times, and while that tendency can lead to bad interceptions, it is the same quality that has driven him to a league-record 237 consecutive starts. If each player wanted it as badly as Favre and took the necessary steps the Packers would be a NFC championship contender. To McCarthy’s credit, he helped Favre reduce his interception total from 29 in 2005 to 18 in 2006. McCarthy didn’t do it by nagging Favre, or by being demanding, but rather by effectively communicating. Favre is a coach’s son and as such he needs to be coached. He may not always agree with McCarthy, but he will defer for the team’s greater good. Face it. Favre is among the least of the Packers’ concerns entering training camp.
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4) Who is the offense’s Most Valuable Player?
Donald Driver. The Packers’ ninth-year receiver isn’t getting older. He’s getting better. The six-foot, 190-pound pass catcher extraordinaire is a workout warrior that added eight pounds of muscle to his frame two off-seasons ago. The extra size and strength increased his durability and improved his ability to run after the catch. He caught 92 passes for 1,295 yards and eight touchdowns in 2006. With 421 career catches he needs just 68 to pass Don Hutson for third place in team history. Despite Driver’s big-play ability he continues to be an underrated afterthought in the eyes of many in the national media. No matter. When he is healthy the Packers have the semblance of a potent passing game. Without him it might be disastrous.
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5) Who is the defense’s Most Valuable Player?
A.J. Hawk. The second-year linebacker quickly entrenched himself as an irrepressible and irreplaceable talent on an improving defense. He joins Nick Barnett and Brady Poppinga to comprise the team’s most talented position group. In short, he is everything GM Ted Thompson hoped for when he selected him with the fifth overall pick a year ago. Defensive end Aaron Kampman is a close second here, and his presence is critical to the defense’s success.
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6) What off-season move is important but under the radar?
Coach Mike McCarthy’s decision to promote Winston Moss to assistant head coach-defense as well as linebacker coach. The move gives Moss the authority to utilize the defense’s top unit in creative ways, and it frees McCarthy from having to oversee the defense. Furthermore, defensive coordinator Bob Sanders’ “team” mentality will allow this to work. Look for the linebackers to be especially active and realize their potential this season.
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7) Who will win the kicking battle?
Rookie Mason Crosby has a powerful leg and he should contend for a job, but don’t count out Dave Rayner just yet. Rayner was a bit erratic in cold-weather games – a death knell for any Packers kicker – but he should be better for the experience. Fans will fall in love with Crosby’s leg strength, but Rayner’s accuracy and experience should win the day. In the parity-riddled NFL, the Packers’ offensive challenged unit will need every field goal it can get.
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8) What rookie will make the greatest impact?
I like safety Aaron Rousse’s athletic ability, but don’t underestimate second-round pick Brandon Jackson. The running back plays bigger than his size (6-0, 215) suggests, and he exudes a quiet confidence that could carry him far.
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9) Which player is due to make a big comeback in 2007?
As difficult as it has been at times, I have always believed in tight end Bubba Franks. He smiles as often as Haley’s Comet comes around, and his confidence was shredded last year, but he continues to persevere. It is time coach Mike McCarthy uses the tight end position for something more than a glorified guard. The offensive line needs to shed the training wheels, and Franks needs to step up when opportunity calls.
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10) Which players will be the five most pleasant surprises of camp?
Tough call. Receivers Carlyle Holiday and Shaun Bodiford are capable of filling key roles in the passing and return game, respectively. Will Blackmon, the second-year cornerback, must realize his potential. Cullen Jenkins has a chance to be more than a run stopper at defensive end. Safety Nick Collins’ big night in the regular-season finale at Chicago should be a precursor of things to come.
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Chris Havel is a freelance writer, best-selling author and host of northeast Wisconsin’s top-rated sports radio talk show, Sports Line, heard Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sports Radio 107.5 FM and 1400 AM THE FAN. He writes a weekly column exclusively for Packers Fan Tours’ Website throughout the 2007 season.
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