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Jermichael Finley and Jeremy Thompson – two relatively high draft picks – came to the Green Bay Packers in April at positions with ample room to make an immediate impact.
Unless they make giant gains in the final week of the preseason, it doesn’t look like either one will be impact players when the season opens on Sept. 8 against the Minnesota Vikings.
One – or both – could make strides during the season and become regular contributors, but at this point their contributions seem likely to be minimal.
Finley, a third-round draft pick (No. 91 overall) from Texas, looks like the No. 3 tight end at best. He played behind starter Donald Lee and third-year pro Tory Humphrey in last Friday’s preseason game at Denver.
Some days in practice, it has been difficult to tell whether Finley is ahead of fellow rookie Joey Haynos, an undrafted free agent from Maryland.
“When the light bulb does go on, you never know,” tight ends coach Ben McAdoo said. “But you’re going to get that light bulb on. When it does click on, you work on refining the skills. That’s where we’re at. We’re plugging away. I’m not concerned about playing time or anything. I’m concerned about getting better each day.”
Thompson, a fourth-round pick (No. 102 overall) from Wake Forest, looks like the No. 6 defensive end at best behind starters Cullen Jenkins and Aaron Kampman, pass-rush specialist Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Michael Montgomery and Jason Hunter. Last season, Montgomery and Hunter made little impact.
Last season, the Packers only carried five defensive ends so there’s a chance that Thompson, as the sixth defensive end, could be an early-season inactive even though he is on the No. 1 punt return team.
“I’m not sure about that yet,” defensive ends coach Carl Hairston said. “We’ve got another couple of weeks to go before the season opener, and you never know what could happen. (Thompson) might find himself and turn it on. He’s got the ability to do that.”
For Finley, the strides need to come at the line of scrimmage, where he has struggled as a blocker. His ability to catch passes – he posted 76 receptions, a 12.8-yard average and five touchdowns in two seasons at Texas – has never been in question. In limited snaps in the first three preseason games, he has three catches for 27 yards. In practice, he has displayed good hands.
“The catching part is there,” Finley said. “I’m just trying to get my weight up and maintain my weight so I can handle these big defensive ends I’m going against.”
That’s where Finley has struggled. At 250 pounds, the 6-foot-5 Finley feels like he needs to bulk up in order to be an effective blocker. He has added 10 pounds since he reported for training camp in late July and wants to get up to 260. In coach Mike McCarthy’s zone-blocking scheme, the tight end is at times charged with sealing off or cut blocking much larger defensive ends.
Finley missed a key block against the Broncos on a second-and-goal play from the 1-yard line in the third quarter. Out of a three-tight-end formation, Finley showed poor technique and missed a block that played a part in running back Brandon Jackson being stopped for no gain.
“My feet and my hand placement were wrong,” Finley said of that play. “So the guy shot inside of me.”
Asked how far away he is from being where he wants to be as a blocker, Finley said: “I’m pretty far away.”
“I’ve made a lot of progress blocking, for sure,” he added. “The passing game is going to be there, but every day I’ve practiced blocking to get my pad level down. I’m 6-5, so I’ve got to get down low. That’s where I think I’ve made the most progress.”
With Thompson, the problem has been “inconsistency, and thinking too much,” according to Hairston.
Tuesday’s one-on-one pass rushing drill was a perfect example. He took two reps and lost them both. On the first, fellow rookie Breno Giacomini used his strength to push Thompson to the ground. On the second, against left tackle Daryn Colledge, Thompson danced too much and by the time he made his move, Colledge had grabbed onto him.
“In college, those (offensive linemen) are not as fine tuned as these guys are,” Hairston said. “So he’s got to learn how to study guys. It’s just going to take a little time.”
Hairston feels Thompson has the tools to be an effective pass rusher because of his speed and massive wingspan yet also can be strong at the point of attack against the run. But Thompson knows he’s not there yet. He wants to add 10 pounds to his 6-4 frame and play at about 270 pounds.
“I’m preparing like I’ll have a chance (to play this season), but we’re so deep at the ends that there’s kind of the realization that I won’t have the reps that I want to,” Thompson said.
“But I’m still going to work hard. I’m still going to contribute on special teams, and it’s going to be a learning process regardless of whether I’m playing a lot or not playing a lot."
Jermichael Finley and Jeremy Thompson – two relatively high draft picks – came to the Green Bay Packers in April at positions with ample room to make an immediate impact.
Unless they make giant gains in the final week of the preseason, it doesn’t look like either one will be impact players when the season opens on Sept. 8 against the Minnesota Vikings.
One – or both – could make strides during the season and become regular contributors, but at this point their contributions seem likely to be minimal.
Finley, a third-round draft pick (No. 91 overall) from Texas, looks like the No. 3 tight end at best. He played behind starter Donald Lee and third-year pro Tory Humphrey in last Friday’s preseason game at Denver.
Some days in practice, it has been difficult to tell whether Finley is ahead of fellow rookie Joey Haynos, an undrafted free agent from Maryland.
“When the light bulb does go on, you never know,” tight ends coach Ben McAdoo said. “But you’re going to get that light bulb on. When it does click on, you work on refining the skills. That’s where we’re at. We’re plugging away. I’m not concerned about playing time or anything. I’m concerned about getting better each day.”
Thompson, a fourth-round pick (No. 102 overall) from Wake Forest, looks like the No. 6 defensive end at best behind starters Cullen Jenkins and Aaron Kampman, pass-rush specialist Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Michael Montgomery and Jason Hunter. Last season, Montgomery and Hunter made little impact.
Last season, the Packers only carried five defensive ends so there’s a chance that Thompson, as the sixth defensive end, could be an early-season inactive even though he is on the No. 1 punt return team.
“I’m not sure about that yet,” defensive ends coach Carl Hairston said. “We’ve got another couple of weeks to go before the season opener, and you never know what could happen. (Thompson) might find himself and turn it on. He’s got the ability to do that.”
For Finley, the strides need to come at the line of scrimmage, where he has struggled as a blocker. His ability to catch passes – he posted 76 receptions, a 12.8-yard average and five touchdowns in two seasons at Texas – has never been in question. In limited snaps in the first three preseason games, he has three catches for 27 yards. In practice, he has displayed good hands.
“The catching part is there,” Finley said. “I’m just trying to get my weight up and maintain my weight so I can handle these big defensive ends I’m going against.”
That’s where Finley has struggled. At 250 pounds, the 6-foot-5 Finley feels like he needs to bulk up in order to be an effective blocker. He has added 10 pounds since he reported for training camp in late July and wants to get up to 260. In coach Mike McCarthy’s zone-blocking scheme, the tight end is at times charged with sealing off or cut blocking much larger defensive ends.
Finley missed a key block against the Broncos on a second-and-goal play from the 1-yard line in the third quarter. Out of a three-tight-end formation, Finley showed poor technique and missed a block that played a part in running back Brandon Jackson being stopped for no gain.
“My feet and my hand placement were wrong,” Finley said of that play. “So the guy shot inside of me.”
Asked how far away he is from being where he wants to be as a blocker, Finley said: “I’m pretty far away.”
“I’ve made a lot of progress blocking, for sure,” he added. “The passing game is going to be there, but every day I’ve practiced blocking to get my pad level down. I’m 6-5, so I’ve got to get down low. That’s where I think I’ve made the most progress.”
With Thompson, the problem has been “inconsistency, and thinking too much,” according to Hairston.
Tuesday’s one-on-one pass rushing drill was a perfect example. He took two reps and lost them both. On the first, fellow rookie Breno Giacomini used his strength to push Thompson to the ground. On the second, against left tackle Daryn Colledge, Thompson danced too much and by the time he made his move, Colledge had grabbed onto him.
“In college, those (offensive linemen) are not as fine tuned as these guys are,” Hairston said. “So he’s got to learn how to study guys. It’s just going to take a little time.”
Hairston feels Thompson has the tools to be an effective pass rusher because of his speed and massive wingspan yet also can be strong at the point of attack against the run. But Thompson knows he’s not there yet. He wants to add 10 pounds to his 6-4 frame and play at about 270 pounds.
“I’m preparing like I’ll have a chance (to play this season), but we’re so deep at the ends that there’s kind of the realization that I won’t have the reps that I want to,” Thompson said.
“But I’m still going to work hard. I’m still going to contribute on special teams, and it’s going to be a learning process regardless of whether I’m playing a lot or not playing a lot."
