Medical team says ailment no problem
By BOB McGINN
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers cleared the final hurdle to a possible first-round selection of running back Marshawn Lynch when the team's medical staff signed off Friday on what has been described by National Football League club officials as a congenital disc abnormality in his lower back.
General manager Ted Thompson departed from his normal protocol of not inviting potential top picks to the team's facility in this case mainly because he wanted Lynch's back examined.
On Saturday, agent Doug Hendrickson indicated that, although it was his understanding no magnetic resonance imaging test was performed on Lynch, the Packers were satisfied and passed him on his physical.
"It was first reported at Cal back in '02," Hendrickson said Saturday. "No team is really concerned about it. All he does is exercises for it to strengthen it."
Lynch, a junior from the University of California, is a consensus pick as the No. 2 running back in the draft behind Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson. For months, he has been a popular projection for the Packers with their 16th overall selection.
Green Bay was the ninth and final team that Lynch visited this month. Others were Detroit (second pick), Cleveland (3), Atlanta (8), Buffalo (12), St. Louis (13), Tennessee (19), Kansas City (23) and Baltimore (29).
Officials from four of those teams told the Journal Sentinel after visits by Lynch that their medical staffs had cleared his back. A personnel director for an AFC team that met with Lynch visit said, "We checked it out and we're fine with it. It's like a disc. We gave him an MRI. He said he was able to do all his lifts and it hasn't precluded him from doing anything."
Lynch underwent an MRI at the combine in late February. Based on those findings, another personnel director said he would be off his board. That team reversed its conclusions after a visit in which its doctors performed their own tests.
"I know that there's some teams that will red-flag him," one NFC executive said. "But I don't know that it will (prompt) a lot of teams from staying away from him."
In college, Lynch has been able to play through his back problems.
Lynch arrived in Green Bay on Thursday after a visit in Buffalo and spent most of Friday with the Packers. It was the final day for visits by draft-eligible players.
"I talked to Ted Thompson Friday," Hendrickson said. "He said everyone in the organization was very impressed by him. Obviously, they'd love to have him as a Packer. I've known Ted for a long time and he's always very forthright."
Lynch, according to the agent, met with Thompson, coach Mike McCarthy, running backs Edgar Bennett and many others, including former teammate Aaron Rodgers.
"If he was chosen by Green Bay, he'd love it," Hendrickson said. "Kind of in the back of his mind he's kind of always thought he's going to Green Bay. He grew up in Oakland and hasn't been to a lot of places. He kind of is a home-body. He obviously loves the tradition of Green Bay."
After meeting Lynch during visits, two personnel men from different teams offered similar appraisals.
"He was fine," one scout said. "He's from Oakland and he's got an Oakland personality. But he came off as a good kid and very personable."
"He's proud of his heritage," said another scout. "There's no phoniness about him. The kid's OK."
Clearly, the Packers must get a running back to join Vernand Morency. Besides Lynch, their best options would be trading up for Peterson or taking a runner with picks in the second (No. 47) or third rounds (No. 78).
On Saturday, Peterson said he hadn't thought much about playing for the Packers but wouldn't rule out the possibility of that occurring.
"They definitely have a need for a running back," Peterson said. "I really don't know too much if they're going to try to trade up for a back. I knew they had some interest in Marshawn Lynch."
Peterson's visits were to Detroit (2), Cleveland (3), Tampa Bay (4), Washington (6), Minnesota (7) and Atlanta (8).
Each team is permitted to bring 30 players to town for visits but, unlike some teams, the Packers announce nothing. Other than Lynch, the only other first-day player known to have visited was Eric Wright of Nevada-Las Vegas, a cornerback regarded as a major character risk by many teams.
Among players saying they had not visited Green Bay were tight end Greg Olsen of Miami; running back Michael Bush of Louisville; defensive linemen Jamaal Anderson of Arkansas, Adam Carriker of Nebraska, Justin Harrell of Tennessee and Alan Branch of Michigan; linebacker Patrick Willis of Mississippi; and cornerback Darrelle Revis of Pittsburgh.
"Some teams do a lot of visits, some do a few and some do none," said Olsen, adding he wouldn't be shocked to be taken as high as 16th. "If they feel they met a guy and know enough about him, and he doesn't have any injuries, I guess they don't feel they have to bring them in to waste one of their spots."
In 2005, Willis' position coach was Shawn Slocum, now the Packers' assistant special teams coach.
"He really wishes I can get up there," Willis said. "He said people talk about me all the time there."
If the Packers remain at No. 16 and Lynch isn't their choice, they could select one from a sizable group of players.
Even now, six days before the draft, there appear to be just six players that have no chance to reach the 16th pick: wide receiver Calvin Johnson of Georgia Tech, tackle Joe Thomas of Wisconsin, quarterback JaMarcus Russell of Louisiana State, defensive end Gaines Adams of Clemson, safety LaRon Landry of LSU and Peterson.
Olsen, the only deep threat at tight end, surely would interest them. So could wide receivers such as Ted Ginn Jr. of Ohio State, Robert Meachem of Tennessee and Dwayne Bowe of LSU. And what if Penn State tackle Levi Brown slips?
On defense, linemen such as Louisville's Amobi Okoye, Anderson, Carriker, Harrell and Branch certainly would have appeal.
The Packers could possible field the finest linebacking corps in the league with the pick of Willis, Penn State's Paul Posluszny, Miami's Jon Beason or Florida State's Lawrence Timmons. All four are better athletically than Brady Poppinga.
In the secondary, cornerbacks Leon Hall of Michigan, Aaron Ross of Texas A&M and Revis would fill a need. And safeties Reggie Nelson of Florida, Brandon Meriweather of Miami and Michael Griffin of Texas would start immediately.
In all, the Packers have nine selections, including two extra in the seventh round: one compensatory and one from the New York Jets for tackle Steve Morley.
