The Associated Press: Kampman staying quiet; uneasy with OLB switch?
Kampman staying quiet; uneasy with OLB switch?
By CHRIS JENKINS – 19 minutes ago
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Normally one of the Green Bay Packers' most pleasant and accessible stars, Aaron Kampman suddenly has gone quiet.
That more than anything might indicate some level of discomfort with the team's decision to switch defensive schemes, a move that will turn one of the league's best pass rushing defensive ends into an outside linebacker in the team's new base 3-4 alignment.
Kampman has not spoken to reporters about the change, but Packers coach Mike McCarthy seemed to acknowledge Thursday that Kampman has some reservations.
"I think this defense is going to help Aaron Kampman," McCarthy said. "I think there is always a hesitancy when you are asked to do something different. Aaron was very comfortable in the old scheme, but I think this is going to create more opportunities for him."
After not speaking to reporters during the Packers' "fan fest" in March, Kampman was present for Thursday's voluntary Organized Team Activity but did not appear in the locker room while it was open to the media. A team spokesman said Kampman originally planned to address reporters Thursday but changed his mind despite being encouraged to speak by the team's public relations staff.
Kampman's agent did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press.
One of Kampman's closest friends on the team, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, said he hopes Kampman will embrace the change.
"I hope he realizes that this is probably going to be the best thing for him," Rodgers said.
And Rodgers reiterated a point brought up repeatedly by McCarthy and new defensive coordinator Dom Capers: Kampman's position switch might not be as drastic as it seems, given the fact he generally will go back to being a traditional defensive end when the Packers deviate from their base defense with a "sub" package with extra defensive backs.
"He's not going to be standing up as much as maybe people think he is," Rodgers said. "So I think he's going to make the transition very smoothly, and we've got a lot of guys pushing him."
Still, Kampman will have to learn how to rush the passer from a standing position — as opposed to the three-point stance at defensive end, with his hand on the ground. He'll sometimes drop into pass coverage, a staple of the 3-4 scheme intended to confuse offenses.
"I give him credit because that's a big transition, going from 'D-end' all the time to standing up and having to think a lot more and do different things,"
Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk said. "He's really transitioned well."
Capers said rushing the passer from a standing position could make Kampman even more dangerous once he gets comfortable with it. In certain situations, players in Capers' defense can choose to line up in a three-point stance or stand up — and Capers said they often choose to stand up.
"There's a lot more information you can process on the football field as a stand-up pass rusher as opposed to a pass rusher down in a three-point stance," said new outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene. "I would know that, playing 15 years. He's going to have a lot more information to process to help him get off on the ball and blossom. We have all the plans in the world to improve his play, not to degrade his play at all, and he will be fine."
Capers downplayed talk of hesitancy on Kampman's part, describing Kampman as "very professional" and saying he is making good progress in his transition.
"He's obviously a very, very conscientious guy that's going to attempt to do things exactly the way you want them done," Capers said. "He's a smart player, you can see that right now in the transition."
But is Kampman enthusiastic about the switch or just being a good soldier doing what his coaches tell him to do?
"I don't get into that part of it, OK? All I know is, everything we've asked him to do, he's done, and he's certainly not been resistant to anything we've asked him to do," Capers said.
Notes: Wide receiver Donald Driver was not present, and the Wisconsin State Journal reported on its Web site his absence is related to a desire to renegotiate his contract. "Donald is training in Texas and the Packers know this," agent Jordan Woy said, in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "It is not a mandatory camp." ... CB Tramon Williams, an exclusive-rights free agent, signed a one-year deal with the team. ... Other high-profile veterans not attending Thursday's practice were S Nick Collins and CB Charles Woodson.
Kampman staying quiet; uneasy with OLB switch?
By CHRIS JENKINS – 19 minutes ago
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Normally one of the Green Bay Packers' most pleasant and accessible stars, Aaron Kampman suddenly has gone quiet.
That more than anything might indicate some level of discomfort with the team's decision to switch defensive schemes, a move that will turn one of the league's best pass rushing defensive ends into an outside linebacker in the team's new base 3-4 alignment.
Kampman has not spoken to reporters about the change, but Packers coach Mike McCarthy seemed to acknowledge Thursday that Kampman has some reservations.
"I think this defense is going to help Aaron Kampman," McCarthy said. "I think there is always a hesitancy when you are asked to do something different. Aaron was very comfortable in the old scheme, but I think this is going to create more opportunities for him."
After not speaking to reporters during the Packers' "fan fest" in March, Kampman was present for Thursday's voluntary Organized Team Activity but did not appear in the locker room while it was open to the media. A team spokesman said Kampman originally planned to address reporters Thursday but changed his mind despite being encouraged to speak by the team's public relations staff.
Kampman's agent did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press.
One of Kampman's closest friends on the team, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, said he hopes Kampman will embrace the change.
"I hope he realizes that this is probably going to be the best thing for him," Rodgers said.
And Rodgers reiterated a point brought up repeatedly by McCarthy and new defensive coordinator Dom Capers: Kampman's position switch might not be as drastic as it seems, given the fact he generally will go back to being a traditional defensive end when the Packers deviate from their base defense with a "sub" package with extra defensive backs.
"He's not going to be standing up as much as maybe people think he is," Rodgers said. "So I think he's going to make the transition very smoothly, and we've got a lot of guys pushing him."
Still, Kampman will have to learn how to rush the passer from a standing position — as opposed to the three-point stance at defensive end, with his hand on the ground. He'll sometimes drop into pass coverage, a staple of the 3-4 scheme intended to confuse offenses.
"I give him credit because that's a big transition, going from 'D-end' all the time to standing up and having to think a lot more and do different things,"
Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk said. "He's really transitioned well."
Capers said rushing the passer from a standing position could make Kampman even more dangerous once he gets comfortable with it. In certain situations, players in Capers' defense can choose to line up in a three-point stance or stand up — and Capers said they often choose to stand up.
"There's a lot more information you can process on the football field as a stand-up pass rusher as opposed to a pass rusher down in a three-point stance," said new outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene. "I would know that, playing 15 years. He's going to have a lot more information to process to help him get off on the ball and blossom. We have all the plans in the world to improve his play, not to degrade his play at all, and he will be fine."
Capers downplayed talk of hesitancy on Kampman's part, describing Kampman as "very professional" and saying he is making good progress in his transition.
"He's obviously a very, very conscientious guy that's going to attempt to do things exactly the way you want them done," Capers said. "He's a smart player, you can see that right now in the transition."
But is Kampman enthusiastic about the switch or just being a good soldier doing what his coaches tell him to do?
"I don't get into that part of it, OK? All I know is, everything we've asked him to do, he's done, and he's certainly not been resistant to anything we've asked him to do," Capers said.
Notes: Wide receiver Donald Driver was not present, and the Wisconsin State Journal reported on its Web site his absence is related to a desire to renegotiate his contract. "Donald is training in Texas and the Packers know this," agent Jordan Woy said, in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "It is not a mandatory camp." ... CB Tramon Williams, an exclusive-rights free agent, signed a one-year deal with the team. ... Other high-profile veterans not attending Thursday's practice were S Nick Collins and CB Charles Woodson.
