Barrington and Montgomery not able to participate in OTA drills

[Deleted member 6794]

In my opinion kind of concerning when taking into consideration both of them were hurt early last season.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

In addition Nelson, Lang, Linsley and Rollins aren't participating as well.

 

[tynimiller]

Hmmm.....is injury the reason?

 

[sschind]

Hopefully its just precaution all around. Other than Nelson, which I can understand, I'm not sure of the extent of the others' injuries if in fact it is injuries keeping them out. Like WIMM said though with Barrington and Montgomery you would like to think that with almost a year to heal they would be ready to go. I'll be concerned when training camp starts and things don't change.

 

[armand34]

Captain-Bearer-of-Bad-news-Wimm...sheesh

Jk

Still, always a concern. At least they can't accidentally hurt themselves if they sit out.

 

[bigbubbatd]

Montgomery didn't get his surgery until right before Christmas so I don't think he is much of a surprise. I think Barrington is more worrisome even though deep down I want Martinez and Ryan to start

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

McCarthy made it clear months ago that Montgomery wasn't going to be ready for OTA's. Packers hope to have him back by training camp. This is McCarthy from March 2016:

Although McCarthy said last month at the NFL meetings that he doesn’t expect Montgomery to be fully cleared until training camp, Montgomery impressed coaches last season with his ability to pick up the Packers’ offense quickly, even after missing most of the team’s organized team activity practices while finishing up his coursework at Stanford. That should help him make the most of the offseason program, even if he can’t do much physically.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/po...y-continues-steady-comeback-from-ankle-injury

 

[Vrill]

Good news for Blake

 

[TeamTundra]

Yeah I was worried about Bahk also since his ankle injury was late in the year and
included some ligament damage. It was also reported a couple months ago that
Lang had shoulder surgery and wasn't expected to be ready until training camp.

Hopefully Barrington's injury is just precautionary.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

At least Barrington looks like he is in shape Hope he didn't injure himself on the boat!

http://espn.go.com/blog/green-bay-p...backer-sam-barrington-doubles-as-shark-hunter

 

[C-Lee]

Doesn't really matter, it's not official training camp.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Hmmm.....is injury the reason?

Aside of Sam Shields, who wasn´t present yesterday but practiced on Monday, all players not participating were held out of it because of injury. The list includes WRs Jordy Nelson, Devonte Robinson and Ty Montgomery, CBs Quinten Rollins and Randall Jette, LBs Joe Thomas, Lerentee McCray and Sam Barrington, C Corey Linsley and G T.J. Lang

Doesn't really matter, it's not official training camp.

Of course it doesn´t really matter but nevertheless it´s concerning that Barrington isn´t able to practice more than nine months after suffering his injury. Especially as inside linebacker is the weakest position on the roster.

 

[tynimiller]

Aside of Sam Shields, who wasn´t present yesterday but practiced on Monday, all players not participating were held out of it because of injury. The list includes WRs Jordy Nelson, Devonte Robinson and Ty Montgomery, CBs Quinten Rollins and Randall Jette, LBs Joe Thomas, Lerentee McCray and Sam Barrington, C Corey Linsley and G T.J. Lang



Of course it doesn´t really matter but nevertheless it´s concerning that Barrington isn´t able to practice more than nine months after suffering his injury. Especially as inside linebacker is the weakest position on the roster.

Barrington is going to find himself on the outside looking in if he doesn't get his butt out there. Ryan and Martinez will both make a really surge to knock him from consideration....can't fight back if not in the fight.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Barrington is going to find himself on the outside looking in if he doesn't get his butt out there. Ryan and Martinez will both make a really surge to knock him from consideration....can't fight back if not in the fight.

The Packers need Barrington to be healthy though as the team doesn´t have any depth at inside linebacker.

 

[tynimiller]

The Packers need Barrington to be healthy though as the team doesn´t have any depth at inside linebacker.

You're 100% correct, but I foresee him slipping from starting...especially if Martinez latches on the longer this injury crap lingers with him.

I've heard some reports Joe Thomas looks much more fluid and stacked this year...off season training regiment change...who knows maybe he shocks some people.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I've heard some reports Joe Thomas looks much more fluid and stacked this year...off season training regiment change...who knows maybe he shocks some people.

I´m not holding my breath about Thomas being able to significantly improve his performance.

 

[tynimiller]

I´m not holding my breath about Thomas being able to significantly improve his performance.

I don't ever want to see him starting..but he still showed flashes last season at possibly having a rotational purpose here at least and providing depth. I have to remind myself the dude was an UDFA in 2014 and has less experience really than Jake Ryan...maturation still could occur.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I don't ever want to see him starting..but he still showed flashes last season at possibly having a rotational purpose here at least and providing depth. I have to remind myself the dude was an UDFA in 2014 and has less experience really than Jake Ryan...maturation still could occur.

Thomas was most likely the best coverage linebacker on the Packers roster last season. In my opinion that tells us a lot more about the complete lack of talent at the position than his abilities.

 

[tynimiller]

Thomas was most likely the best coverage linebacker on the Packers roster last season. In my opinion that tells us a lot more about the complete lack of talent at the position than his abilities.

Agreed, the 2015 Joe Thomas edition had/has no business being your best cover ILB on a roster.

 

[El Guapo]

The injured players that surprise me are Linsley, Thomas, and Rollins. Nobody seems to know why Linsley was out, and there were no off-season surgery reports. Rollins and neck and quad injuries late in the season which I would have hoped were healed by now. I also don't know what Thomas' injury was related to.

Barrington being out is like Jordy and everyone else. It sounds like they are healthy but as usual the staff holds them out as a precaution in OTAs.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

The injured players that surprise me are Linsley, Thomas, and Rollins. Nobody seems to know why Linsley was out, and there were no off-season surgery reports. Rollins and neck and quad injuries late in the season which I would have hoped were healed by now. I also don't know what Thomas' injury was related to.

It´s possible all of them suffered minor injuries during the offseason workout program.

 

[El Guapo]

Indeed. Let's hope that minor is the proper assessment.

 

[HardRightEdge]

The Packers need Barrington to be healthy though as the team doesn´t have any depth at inside linebacker.

As you know, I agree with you regarding the treatment of ILB depth. I've been seemingly alone in my concern with S depth at well, a factor generally ignored because of the proven performance level of the starters. Of course, when you have to go to the bench, the quality of the starters is irrelevant.

While I don't agree with how the bench at these positions are being handled, when you look at ILB and S together, along with the Perry $5 mil deal and the McCray signing, the approach is consistent and understandable: it's backstopping with scheme flexibility in the 45 man game day roster.

This is a generally overlooked but important aspect of roster building. Starters, core rotation, injury backups, matchup specialists, special teams...it's a chess board that is not that simple to manage for game day, especially with a heavy dose of youth.

Hyde's the backup safety. Rollins is the dime CB who can back up Hyde if he has to move to safety. If Rollins actually beats out Hyde for the nickel job, then Hyde is the backup at both nickel and safety. Rollins can swing from slot to perimeter if needed.

There is no #4 safety, unless Randall can roll out of bed and play it with Rollins going to the perimeter, but I've never heard of him even working out at S with the Packers. Banjo is strictly special teams. I read recently a passing note that Banjo is a special teams captain, which resolves the mystery of why he's still around.

It all boils down to a fact that there will are likely be 2.5 safeties on the roster. The only S rookies on the roster are UDFAs Brice and Evans. At this point, we'd assume one of those guys, if not both, will be residing on the PS to cover the safety #3.5 spot.

Now let's look at ILB which parallels the S position.

Start with Ryan. Then there's Barrington with a remaining injury question and the question marks surrounding rookie performance with Martinez, especially considering the position is not easy to learn in this scheme. Weighing risk and against potential performance, we'd conclude there are 2.5 usable ILBs if pressed to put a number on it just as with the safety position.

Like Banjo, Thomas and Bradford are not players you'd want to see on defense. Thomas played dime backer (not very well and with Martinez teed up to replace him) and Bradford will go the way of Palmer, preferably before necessity presses him into game play. Then, as with safety, there are a couple of UDFAs to consider for the PS.

That takes us to Perry and McCray. Let's say Barrington is not ready to go week 1 and Martinez is not able to accomplish the Capers mind meld, where will the Packers turn?

We know the answer. Astonishingly, it is Clay Matthews. He's the emergency ILB scheme-flexible guy in the same way Hyde is that guy at the safety position. You can choose between Perry and McCray taking Matthews ILB spot, with Perry the obvious default choice at this juncture. (Jones? Elliott? meh.)

Considering Matthews is a sh*tty ILB when not blitzing, freelancing his way out of the play with out-of-synch instincts, there is a lot riding on Ryan's development under this scenario. There's a lot riding on that regardless...he needs to be the 2010 version of Hawk holding things together.

The approach of going short on depth does provide flexibility at 2 roster spots on game day. It's the kind of relatively small thing this championship-contending team worries about as a marginal advantage.

Why S and ILB? It's where this disguising/bend-don't-break/defend-the-red-zone defense thinks they can get away with it, until of course an M.D. Jennings or Nate Palmer disaster strikes.

 

[tynimiller]

I concur we need a more solid back up plan at Safety...however I do feel rather confident in having Hyde there if needed...and Banjo in big reserve is better than some, simply because he's seen live game snaps from there. However, I really think the Brice kid can push for a spot (minimum PS lock for me)...Safety back up doesn't worry me nearly as much as ILB does...but that is only because there is vastly more inexperience. At ILB...we have no one really and truly experienced:

Barrington hasn't played an entire year there....Ryan is in his sophomore year....Martinez his rookie....Thomas essentially was a rookie last year really........

With Martinez being a rookie, I'm looking keenly at Ryan. I truly think he is more of a long term solution than Barrington and has the ability to captain the D from his position and blossom into a poor man's Hawk.....and we can only hope Thomas maturates into a better cover option and/or Martinez does what everyone is hoping.

Agreed though S is a concern...but this ILB position is so young and volatile.

 

[El Guapo]

I'm not sure that I disagree with the way S and ILB depth are "being handled" by the Packers but agree that we need more depth. It's not like they don't try, but there are priorities and you can't use your best picks on every position. I guess that your argument may be that a decent free agent veteran at backup S may be a better way to handle it. My guess is that TT likes to stick with younger guys with upswing at S instead of paying veteran minimums for guys that may be past prime. Just two sides of the same coin.