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Cheesehead
By ROB REISCHEL
Special to Packer Plus
Posted: Jan. 16, 2007
Green Bay - Ahman Green is set to turn 30 on Feb. 16.
Ahman Green, coming back from injury, played in 14 games in 2006 and ran for 1,059 yards for the Packers.
His body has taken a pounding over the last six seasons. He has a hard time staying on the field for extended stretches due to his asthma. And it's unlikely he'll ever be the same player he was following surgery on his right quadriceps tendon in 2005.
On the flip side, Green is far and away the best running back the Green Bay Packers had in 2006. And one of the biggest decisions the Packers will make this off-season is whether to bring the unrestricted free agent back in 2007.
"That's not something we talk about," Packers general manager Ted Thompson said of Green's future with the team. "I thought he had a good year. He came back pretty strong from that injury and ran really hard."
But hard enough - and well enough - for the Packers to make a significant investment in him?
Green played in 14 games in 2006 and ran for 1,059 yards. That marked the sixth time in his seven seasons as a Packer that Green eclipsed the 1,000-yard barrier.
Green also sits in second-place on the Packers' all-time rushing list with 8,162 yards, just 46 away from breaking Jim Taylor's team record (8,207).
But Green clearly isn't the player he once was.
Explosiveness was once a staple of Green's game. But this season, he had just four carries of at least 20 yards. He also finished the year averaging 4.0 yards per carry, down substantially from the 4.7 he averaged between 2000-'04.
Green was also a touchdown machine earlier in his career, averaging 12.1 between 2000-'04. But this season, he had just six TDs. And that came on the heels of a zero-TD season in 2005.
At this stage of his career, it's doubtful Green will get any better. So it will be quite interesting to see whether the Packers remain status quo or try getting both younger and potentially better.
"I think (Ahman) gave us all confidence just the way he did come back from that surgery, the way he continued to get stronger as the season went on," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think you have a lot of evidence right there, and I'd like to have him back. Once it falls into a business decision, those are factors between him and his agent and our organization. We'll see what happens."
Green signed a one-year, incentive laden deal last off-season. Green was paid $2 million in base salary and made roughly another $900,000 in incentives.
The Packers could offer Green a similar deal this time around. But if Green tested the free-agent market, he might have a chance to do much better because the running back class is extremely weak.
In fact, Green could be viewed as the best running back among the free-agent group. His competition includes Indianapolis' Dominic Rhodes, San Diego backup Michael Turner and Tennessee's Chris Brown - not a stellar group by any stretch of the imagination.
The NFL Draft would likely be a better way for the Packers to find Green's replacement, but that's not a sure thing either.
Adrian Peterson, who left Oklahoma after his junior season, is regarded as the top back by most. But Peterson will almost certainly be gone by the time the Packers use the No. 16 overall pick.
California's Marshawn Lynch, another early entry, could be available when Green Bay uses its first-round pick. The other top backs - such as Louisville's Michael Bush and Auburn's Kenny Irons - are likely to be second-round picks unless they wow people at the NFL Combine.
Green, for one, has no idea what will happen next.
"I've tried not to worry about it too much," he said shortly before the season ended. "I think the Packers know what I can do, what I've done here and what I'm about. I really have no idea what's going to happen."
Many of Green's teammates believe he should be back.
"Who knows what they're going to do in the draft? All I know is Ahman's been here a long time," running back Noah Herron said. "And it's not my business, but the way I feel about it is he's earned the right to stay here and keep playing."
Running back Vernand Morency agreed.
"He helps me out tremendously," Morency said. "He helps me every week, every day. He doesn't even have to say anything, I'm watching his mannerisms. He's a constant professional. Anybody in this organization right now should look up to him because I want to be where he's been at."
Whether that's still in Green Bay will be one of the most interesting developments of the Packers' off-season.
"I hope he's back," Herron said. "He proved this year he can still play. Hopefully, he's playing for us next year."
Special to Packer Plus
Posted: Jan. 16, 2007
Green Bay - Ahman Green is set to turn 30 on Feb. 16.
Ahman Green, coming back from injury, played in 14 games in 2006 and ran for 1,059 yards for the Packers.
His body has taken a pounding over the last six seasons. He has a hard time staying on the field for extended stretches due to his asthma. And it's unlikely he'll ever be the same player he was following surgery on his right quadriceps tendon in 2005.
On the flip side, Green is far and away the best running back the Green Bay Packers had in 2006. And one of the biggest decisions the Packers will make this off-season is whether to bring the unrestricted free agent back in 2007.
"That's not something we talk about," Packers general manager Ted Thompson said of Green's future with the team. "I thought he had a good year. He came back pretty strong from that injury and ran really hard."
But hard enough - and well enough - for the Packers to make a significant investment in him?
Green played in 14 games in 2006 and ran for 1,059 yards. That marked the sixth time in his seven seasons as a Packer that Green eclipsed the 1,000-yard barrier.
Green also sits in second-place on the Packers' all-time rushing list with 8,162 yards, just 46 away from breaking Jim Taylor's team record (8,207).
But Green clearly isn't the player he once was.
Explosiveness was once a staple of Green's game. But this season, he had just four carries of at least 20 yards. He also finished the year averaging 4.0 yards per carry, down substantially from the 4.7 he averaged between 2000-'04.
Green was also a touchdown machine earlier in his career, averaging 12.1 between 2000-'04. But this season, he had just six TDs. And that came on the heels of a zero-TD season in 2005.
At this stage of his career, it's doubtful Green will get any better. So it will be quite interesting to see whether the Packers remain status quo or try getting both younger and potentially better.
"I think (Ahman) gave us all confidence just the way he did come back from that surgery, the way he continued to get stronger as the season went on," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think you have a lot of evidence right there, and I'd like to have him back. Once it falls into a business decision, those are factors between him and his agent and our organization. We'll see what happens."
Green signed a one-year, incentive laden deal last off-season. Green was paid $2 million in base salary and made roughly another $900,000 in incentives.
The Packers could offer Green a similar deal this time around. But if Green tested the free-agent market, he might have a chance to do much better because the running back class is extremely weak.
In fact, Green could be viewed as the best running back among the free-agent group. His competition includes Indianapolis' Dominic Rhodes, San Diego backup Michael Turner and Tennessee's Chris Brown - not a stellar group by any stretch of the imagination.
The NFL Draft would likely be a better way for the Packers to find Green's replacement, but that's not a sure thing either.
Adrian Peterson, who left Oklahoma after his junior season, is regarded as the top back by most. But Peterson will almost certainly be gone by the time the Packers use the No. 16 overall pick.
California's Marshawn Lynch, another early entry, could be available when Green Bay uses its first-round pick. The other top backs - such as Louisville's Michael Bush and Auburn's Kenny Irons - are likely to be second-round picks unless they wow people at the NFL Combine.
Green, for one, has no idea what will happen next.
"I've tried not to worry about it too much," he said shortly before the season ended. "I think the Packers know what I can do, what I've done here and what I'm about. I really have no idea what's going to happen."
Many of Green's teammates believe he should be back.
"Who knows what they're going to do in the draft? All I know is Ahman's been here a long time," running back Noah Herron said. "And it's not my business, but the way I feel about it is he's earned the right to stay here and keep playing."
Running back Vernand Morency agreed.
"He helps me out tremendously," Morency said. "He helps me every week, every day. He doesn't even have to say anything, I'm watching his mannerisms. He's a constant professional. Anybody in this organization right now should look up to him because I want to be where he's been at."
Whether that's still in Green Bay will be one of the most interesting developments of the Packers' off-season.
"I hope he's back," Herron said. "He proved this year he can still play. Hopefully, he's playing for us next year."