Jsonline:
Packers like quarterback's style
Martin has shot to stick in backup role
By TODD ROSIAK
[email protected]
Posted: April 30, 2006
Green Bay - With Brett Favre officially in the fold for 2006 and Aaron Rodgers now his unquestioned backup, the Green Bay Packers turned an eye toward the future with their selection of Furman quarterback Ingle Martin on Sunday.
The first of two fifth-round picks for the Packers, Martin is the second quarterback drafted by general manager Ted Thompson in his two-year tenure with Green Bay and the third drafted by the team in the last five.
The Packers have had a definite need for a No. 3 signal caller since Craig Nall signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills in late March. Beginning this weekend at their first minicamp under coach Mike McCarthy, Martin figures to get plenty of opportunities to become the long-term replacement.
"I was very comfortable taking Ingle Martin where we did and I think it's important to try to add young quarterbacks, especially with Mike McCarthy and his ability to kind of work with them," Thompson said. "It's something that's very intriguing to me to watch. I think it's good for you if you can have young guys come in and make your team and hold their own."
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Martin was a two-time Division II player of the year as an option quarterback coming out of Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tenn., and regarded as one of the nation's top prep prospects.
After being recruited by the likes of Tennessee, Louisiana State, Alabama and Virginia, he settled on Florida, which was then being coached by Steve Spurrier. He redshirted in 2001 and suffered a blow after the season when Spurrier left Gainesville for the Washington Redskins.
"The reason I went down there was I was kind of a raw athlete and felt if I was going to be an athlete, I had to learn from the best," Martin said. "He's just a great technician, someone I wish I could have played for for all my years."
Martin played just 21 snaps in 2002 behind Rex Grossman but began the 2003 season as the Gators' starter, leading them to a 2-2 record before being replaced by coach Ron Zook's star recruit, Chris Leak.
Seeing the handwriting on the wall, Martin decided to transfer to Division I-AA Furman for the 2004 season.
"I took it as just a business decision," Martin said. "They were the guys that recruited Chris and I was recruited by the old coach. I don't know if that had anything to do with it. They might have thought that he just gave them a chance to win more games. But at that point in my career I was just wanting to play football."
It was a move down in competition - similar to the one Nall made before coming to Green Bay in 2002 - but one the Packers weren't overly concerned with, either, before drafting both players.
"We looked into it. I'm very comfortable with the circumstances," Thompson said of Martin's transfer. "I don't know if it's appropriate for me to talk about it but there was no lack of competitive nature on his part."
In two years at Furman, Martin led the Paladins to a 21-6 mark and set school records for touchdown passes (42), passing yardage (5,761) and total offense (6,277) presiding over a pro-style offense that allowed him the opportunity to utilize both his arm and running ability (4.71-second 40-yard dash).
"He did a lot of quarterback movement passes; naked (bootlegs), rollouts and things like that," Packers quarterback coach Tom Clements said. "But he also threw from the pocket quite a bit. He's pretty versatile."
Heading into the draft there were some questions about Martin's arm strength, and some thought he'd be a better fit in a West Coast-style offense, which the Packers run.
The Packers think, though, that it's more than adequate for Martin to do what's asked of him in Green Bay.
"I really liked everything I saw on film and wondered why you didn't hear more about him," McCarthy said. "Very athletic; strong arm. Showed toughness, made all the throws. A productive player."
Martin also figures to receive plenty of personalized tutelage from McCarthy, who has forged a reputation as one of the NFL's top quarterback handlers in recent years.
"I'm going to be as hands-on as I can with that position," McCarthy said. "That's just something where if you're good at something, if you're known for something, you should never get too far away from it."
Initially, Martin will compete with first-year quarterback Tom Arth of John Carroll and later with Brian Wrobel, another first-year player who is cutting his teeth in NFL Europe League.
Arth was signed in March mostly as a camp body. Wrobel, a native of De Soto, got a quick look from the Packers last spring coming out of Winona State before re-joining the team in January.
Thompson also didn't rule out signing a veteran to compete with those three somewhere down the line.
"If we could and it seemed like a good fit I think we probably would," he said. "But it doesn't necessarily mean we will."
Martin's selection marked the sixth time in the last 10 years the Packers have drafted a quarterback. Four of the previous five - Matt Hasselback (Seattle), Aaron Brooks (Oakland), Nall and Rodgers - are still in the league.
"It's been my history - and I learned this through Ron (Wolf) - if possible if you have the luxury and the flexibility in terms of picks, if you find a guy on the second day you kind of like you take him and you put him out there and see how he works out," Thompson said.
Packers like quarterback's style
Martin has shot to stick in backup role
By TODD ROSIAK
[email protected]
Posted: April 30, 2006
Green Bay - With Brett Favre officially in the fold for 2006 and Aaron Rodgers now his unquestioned backup, the Green Bay Packers turned an eye toward the future with their selection of Furman quarterback Ingle Martin on Sunday.
The first of two fifth-round picks for the Packers, Martin is the second quarterback drafted by general manager Ted Thompson in his two-year tenure with Green Bay and the third drafted by the team in the last five.
The Packers have had a definite need for a No. 3 signal caller since Craig Nall signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills in late March. Beginning this weekend at their first minicamp under coach Mike McCarthy, Martin figures to get plenty of opportunities to become the long-term replacement.
"I was very comfortable taking Ingle Martin where we did and I think it's important to try to add young quarterbacks, especially with Mike McCarthy and his ability to kind of work with them," Thompson said. "It's something that's very intriguing to me to watch. I think it's good for you if you can have young guys come in and make your team and hold their own."
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Martin was a two-time Division II player of the year as an option quarterback coming out of Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tenn., and regarded as one of the nation's top prep prospects.
After being recruited by the likes of Tennessee, Louisiana State, Alabama and Virginia, he settled on Florida, which was then being coached by Steve Spurrier. He redshirted in 2001 and suffered a blow after the season when Spurrier left Gainesville for the Washington Redskins.
"The reason I went down there was I was kind of a raw athlete and felt if I was going to be an athlete, I had to learn from the best," Martin said. "He's just a great technician, someone I wish I could have played for for all my years."
Martin played just 21 snaps in 2002 behind Rex Grossman but began the 2003 season as the Gators' starter, leading them to a 2-2 record before being replaced by coach Ron Zook's star recruit, Chris Leak.
Seeing the handwriting on the wall, Martin decided to transfer to Division I-AA Furman for the 2004 season.
"I took it as just a business decision," Martin said. "They were the guys that recruited Chris and I was recruited by the old coach. I don't know if that had anything to do with it. They might have thought that he just gave them a chance to win more games. But at that point in my career I was just wanting to play football."
It was a move down in competition - similar to the one Nall made before coming to Green Bay in 2002 - but one the Packers weren't overly concerned with, either, before drafting both players.
"We looked into it. I'm very comfortable with the circumstances," Thompson said of Martin's transfer. "I don't know if it's appropriate for me to talk about it but there was no lack of competitive nature on his part."
In two years at Furman, Martin led the Paladins to a 21-6 mark and set school records for touchdown passes (42), passing yardage (5,761) and total offense (6,277) presiding over a pro-style offense that allowed him the opportunity to utilize both his arm and running ability (4.71-second 40-yard dash).
"He did a lot of quarterback movement passes; naked (bootlegs), rollouts and things like that," Packers quarterback coach Tom Clements said. "But he also threw from the pocket quite a bit. He's pretty versatile."
Heading into the draft there were some questions about Martin's arm strength, and some thought he'd be a better fit in a West Coast-style offense, which the Packers run.
The Packers think, though, that it's more than adequate for Martin to do what's asked of him in Green Bay.
"I really liked everything I saw on film and wondered why you didn't hear more about him," McCarthy said. "Very athletic; strong arm. Showed toughness, made all the throws. A productive player."
Martin also figures to receive plenty of personalized tutelage from McCarthy, who has forged a reputation as one of the NFL's top quarterback handlers in recent years.
"I'm going to be as hands-on as I can with that position," McCarthy said. "That's just something where if you're good at something, if you're known for something, you should never get too far away from it."
Initially, Martin will compete with first-year quarterback Tom Arth of John Carroll and later with Brian Wrobel, another first-year player who is cutting his teeth in NFL Europe League.
Arth was signed in March mostly as a camp body. Wrobel, a native of De Soto, got a quick look from the Packers last spring coming out of Winona State before re-joining the team in January.
Thompson also didn't rule out signing a veteran to compete with those three somewhere down the line.
"If we could and it seemed like a good fit I think we probably would," he said. "But it doesn't necessarily mean we will."
Martin's selection marked the sixth time in the last 10 years the Packers have drafted a quarterback. Four of the previous five - Matt Hasselback (Seattle), Aaron Brooks (Oakland), Nall and Rodgers - are still in the league.
"It's been my history - and I learned this through Ron (Wolf) - if possible if you have the luxury and the flexibility in terms of picks, if you find a guy on the second day you kind of like you take him and you put him out there and see how he works out," Thompson said.
