Defensive Line is on "Life Support"

[BorderRivals.com]

From McGinn's article this morning:

Ryan Pickett, 33, and entering his 13th season, is nearing the end. He reported two weeks ago overweight and out of shape.

B.J. Raji will be entering his contract year, but you sure wouldn't have known it by his conditioning. He has looked as sloppy as Pickett, and at this juncture his employment beyond this season is uncertain.

The coaches have seen Johnny Jolly, too, and he's every bit as beefy as the others. For Jolly to have any chance to contribute after three silent seasons, he needed to report in tiptop shape so he could focus on football. That didn't happen, not by a long shot.

Late in an uninspiring rookie season, Jerel Worthy blew out his knee, had surgery in mid-January and probably is doubtful to contribute much, if anything, in 2013.

So who's left? Mike Neal, C.J. Wilson and Mike Daniels, that's who.

A week ago, an executive in personnel said of the team's prospects on the defensive line: "I think they're on life support now up front."

Yikes. Sad to read that about Raji. I know it's April and these guys usually are always out of shape at this point, but if Raji wants that new, big contract, he needs to become consistent and a leader.

 

[7thFloorRA]

I am actually ok with these guys packing on some weight in the offseason and then getting in shape as camp and the season approaches. They destroy their bodies all season long and they should just do some heavy lifting to increase strenght, pack on some pounds and recover for the upcoming season.

 

[El Guapo]

It's good to know that Pick and Raji got those buckets of fried chicken that I had sent to their homes!

Honestly, you read that those guys came in overweight and then insinuate that they are done for the season and the D-line on life support? Are you c-c-crazy? Neal, Wilson, and Daniels will likely still be backing up Pickett and Raji, not the starters that your fear mongering suggests. Are you just Rodell with a different username?

Yes we all want improvement in the D-line but the sky is not falling.

 

[ivo610]

No wonder we have injury problem. You let your body go and that's what happens.

I hope Ted picks up a few guys for the line and sends a message

Don't get me started on jolly showing up out of shape

 

[7thFloorRA]

TT will add some bodies as well over the next few days. I hope he doesn't do it tonight though. I would prefer some mid rounders that have to bust their ***** to make the team.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Forget Daniels too. Raji, Pickett and Jolly had him for dinner.

 

[MiamiBeachPacker]

TT will add some bodies as well over the next few days. I hope he doesn't do it tonight though. I would prefer some mid rounders that have to bust their ***** to make the team.

I hope he does add one tonight

 

[7thFloorRA]

Tomorrow. Hankins. Book it. Have him and Raji alternate plays and you have 1 freak show of a DT.

 

[JBlood]

I think defensive tackle and offensive tackle will be the picks early in the draft.

 

[TJV]

Another thread asks what you do on draft day and one thing I have done for as long as he's been writing it, is to read McGinn's column the morning of the draft. He used to boldly predict who they'd take. This time it looks more like just a guess (Sly Williams) but I think it's an interesting read anyway. So I read that article and copied the exact same portion of it BorderRivals did to post here.

I am actually ok with these guys packing on some weight in the offseason and then getting in shape as camp and the season approaches. They destroy their bodies all season long and they should just do some heavy lifting to increase strength, pack on some pounds and recover for the upcoming season.

While I don't think it's panic time for the players mentioned I'm not OK with their lackadaisical approach to the off season.

As we get older it's more and more difficult to get in shape or to stay in shape. That's why IMO Pickett should have taken one month off after the season and then started his cardio and weight training - or whatever the staff instructed him to do.

There's absolutely no excuse for Jolly. He's tried to destroy his body and his life, but not in the way 7thFloorRA means. Has he learned nothing? You don't even have to have an IQ of 100 to understand what Jolly should have been doing for the past couple of years, let alone months. If anything, he should be "over-trained" at this point.

OTOH, Raji played a ton of snaps last season (down from the previous two seasons but still a lot) and he's young enough to be able to get in shape relatively quickly. The most curious aspect of him showing up out of shape IMO is this is a contract year for him. If nothing else he has given the Packers a reason to make him play out the year and if he does well, consider franchising him next season. I hope they took a picture of him during his physical exam and if he complains about his contract this season, just show him the picture.
- - - - - -

As a general matter, for the life of me I will never understand when professional athletes neglect their bodies. I have to do a lot of reading, learning - even studying - to "stay in shape" for my job. It's seldom fun but its necessary prep work that I HAVE to do, so I can do the work I enjoy. A pro athlete's body is his/her living. Few have jobs during their off seasons, unlike their predecessors of decades and decades ago, they have no excuse.

 

[slaughter25]

Still 4 months+ until we play 49ers if they are still fat sloppy and sucking wind come training camp I am worried. I would imagine many more than just those guys came into work outs in less than great shape. And just for the record I am guessing that these guys coming in "out of shape" is still approximately 7.4 times better shape than all of us weekend forum warriors.

I know its the off season and all and news is slow. But doom and gloom about a couple of big guys coming to non mandatory workouts in less than game shape is a pretty weak attempt and generating site hits.

 

[13 Times Champs]

The lack of a bad *** attitude is the most weighty issue with me.

 

[BorderRivals.com]

Still 4 months+ until we play 49ers if they are still fat sloppy and sucking wind come training camp I am worried. I would imagine many more than just those guys came into work outs in less than great shape. And just for the record I am guessing that these guys coming in "out of shape" is still approximately 7.4 times better shape than all of us weekend forum warriors.

I know its the off season and all and news is slow. But doom and gloom about a couple of big guys coming to non mandatory workouts in less than game shape is a pretty weak attempt and generating site hits.

After reading the passage again, the weight thing is concerning, but not alarming because it's the end of winte... er, April. But, what is important is that this may be Pick's last season, Raji is in a contract year, and Worthy should not be counted on this season. That leaves us with Jolly (who is a long-shot given the report of his weight - which is a legitimate concern given he's 3-years removed from ball and been in prison), Wilson, Neal (and all his injury concerns), and Daniels. That is a scary future outlook for this D-line.

 

[adambr2]

It's not too concerning yet in April but it does reflect what my feelings have been on Raji all along. A very talented player with a somewhat lazy work ethic who could be the best in the game at his position if he worked at it but is satisfied just being "good enough".

 

[HardRightEdge]

Another thread asks what you do on draft day and one thing I have done for as long as he's been writing it, is to read McGinn's column the morning of the draft. He used to boldly predict who they'd take. This time it looks more like just a guess (Sly Williams) but I think it's an interesting read anyway.

I think Sly Williams is a pretty good guess.

As for the aforementioned sumo wrestlers, it is my experience that people in all walks of life can be more creative in rationalizing why they don't do their job than in performing the work itself.

 

[HardRightEdge]

After reading the passage again, the weight thing is concerning, but not alarming because it's the end of winte... er, April. But, what is important is that this may be Pick's last season, Raji is in a contract year, and Worthy should not be counted on this season. That leaves us with Jolly (who is a long-shot given the report of his weight - which is a legitimate concern given he's 3-years removed from ball and been in prison), Wilson, Neal (and all his injury concerns), and Daniels. That is a scary future outlook for this D-line.

Fear not. By my count we have 66 guys on the roster right now. Add 8 draft picks, and that takes us 74.

That leaves up to 16 spots for underachieving/injured/aged/to-be-suspended veteran minimum D-Line FAs.

 

[El Guapo]

So the one thing that hasn't been presented in this thread is how overweight these guys actually were. Were they 2lbs over the team's goal weight or were they 50lbs over weight? That makes all the difference between "fat and sloppy" and winter fat.

 

[Oshkoshpackfan]

Still 4 months+ until we play 49ers if they are still fat sloppy and sucking wind come training camp I am worried. I would imagine many more than just those guys came into work outs in less than great shape. And just for the record I am guessing that these guys coming in "out of shape" is still approximately 7.4 times better shape than all of us weekend forum warriors.

I know its the off season and all and news is slow. But doom and gloom about a couple of big guys coming to non mandatory workouts in less than game shape is a pretty weak attempt and generating site hits.

LOL....speak for yourself !!! I'm turning 38 this coming fall, and I am in good shape imo. I am 6'4" tall, 230Lbs, run the mile in 7 min and 20 sec., and can bench 300lbs, I can do 20 pull ups. I do this to teach my son that if I am in decent shape for a middle aged guy, he should be in better shape for a kid.

 

[13 Times Champs]

I'm turning 38 this coming fall, and I am in good shape imo. I am 6'4" tall, 230Lbs, run the mile in 7 min and 20 sec., and can bench 300lbs, I can do 20 pull ups. I do this to teach my son that if I am in decent shape for a middle aged guy, he should be in better shape for a kid.

I'm old, overweight and can't do any of the things you can.

 

[HardRightEdge]

It's not too concerning yet in April but it does reflect what my feelings have been on Raji all along. A very talented player with a somewhat lazy work ethic who could be the best in the game at his position if he worked at it but is satisfied just being "good enough".

It's helpful to remember these guys were not exactly the picture of fitness in-season last year, particularly Pickett. Any backsliding is a discouragement. Maybe they were working out at Howard Green's House of Fitness?

 

[Oshkoshpackfan]

LMAO....Optimistic huh HRE??? I try to stay in the best possible shape I can so that I can keep up with the boys while coaching my sons youth football team. I can't let 10/11/12 year old kid beat me....lol
Plus, I was a Marine and like to try to keep up the look. No doubt I am bigger now (weight) than when I was active duty, but I am by no means sloppy or fat. Marine shape was 6'4" and 205Lbs back when I got out.

 

[slaughter25]

After reading the passage again, the weight thing is concerning, but not alarming because it's the end of winte... er, April. But, what is important is that this may be Pick's last season, Raji is in a contract year, and Worthy should not be counted on this season. That leaves us with Jolly (who is a long-shot given the report of his weight - which is a legitimate concern given he's 3-years removed from ball and been in prison), Wilson, Neal (and all his injury concerns), and Daniels. That is a scary future outlook for this D-line.

No arguments there. Scary future outlook. More about the guys we have and the talent they possess than the weight they come into April with.

 

[Oshkoshpackfan]

So the one thing that hasn't been presented in this thread is how overweight these guys actually were. Were they 2lbs over the team's goal weight or were they 50lbs over weight? That makes all the difference between "fat and sloppy" and winter fat.

Yeah I agree with you here. Who is to say how overweight they are? If they did indeed pack on 50+ Lbs of fat and are slower and weaker, then shame on them....but 10-15 Lbs...No, they can shed that in 2 weeks easily.

 

[slaughter25]

LOL....speak for yourself !!! I'm turning 38 this coming fall, and I am in good shape imo. I am 6'4" tall, 230Lbs, run the mile in 7 min and 20 sec., and can bench 300lbs, I can do 20 pull ups. I do this to teach my son that if I am in decent shape for a middle aged guy, he should be in better shape for a kid.

Congrats you are officially in better shape than prob. 90% of Americans. And all of that translates to football shape? Its not about being able to run a mile, or wind sprints. Its about being able to battle with another 300+ pound guy every rep for hours as they practice. Its not that time of year yet. These big ol hog mollies got time to get off the chicken nugget diet and back onto the grilled chicken breast. Have faith.

 

[HardRightEdge]

LMAO....Optimistic huh HRE??? I try to stay in the best possible shape I can so that I can keep up with the boys while coaching my sons youth football team. I can't let 10/11/12 year old kid beat me....lol
Plus, I was a Marine and like to try to keep up the look. No doubt I am bigger now (weight) than when I was active duty, but I am by no means sloppy or fat. Marine shape was 6'4" and 205Lbs back when I got out.

It wasn't meant as an insult. More like you exhibit an optimistic view.

Now, 13 times says he's old, so I gave him an "old". That, I thought, was a little funny.