98Redbird
Cheesehead
Alright, so like a few of you I spend the first part of my day pissed because we basically passed on Marshawn Lynch. Then I started thinking, we, the public, don't really know the in's and out's of the deal and what transpired on the phone and behind closed doors. Maybe if we had the whole story we would have agreed with TT on passing on Lynch... Maybe not... I don't know.
I do know that once the details came out recently about the "Randy Moss" situation from back in 07 that most of us went, "Oh, now I understand why TT didn't close the deal with Moss, it makes sense now..." I know that I at least can't be mad at TT for actually wanting to SIGN the player as opposed to RENTING him. Just because the Seahawks got Lynch for a 4th and a conditional 2012 pick, doesn't mean that's what we would have gotten him for....
But enough about Lynch, it's a done deal...
So here's what we're left with, let's make the best of a bad situation and support the team...
Keep in mind that the RB position is really about the easiest position in the NFL to backfill as long as the O-Line is acceptable (That's another issue...)
Dimitri Nance: The Packers signed this guy VERY quickly after Grant went down. So they for sure had their eye on him before Grant's injury and they were very encouraged with what they saw.
Also, Atlanta did not want to let him go... from their practice squad... so they apparently saw a lot of upside in him as well.
If two organizations have that high of an opinion on a guy, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt... Yes, he's taking a while to learn the playbook, but let's be real, it's been two weeks and from what I understand, it's an ENTIRELY different system, so...
James Starks: This guy has an injury history, which is never good, but..
The guy looks impressive to me on tape and I'm not sure if many know this but Mel Kiper had him as a 2nd round prospect before missing his senior year due to injury. Kiper was VERY high on him. Here's the scout on him:
Latest: University of Buffalo running back James Starks will miss the entire 2009-10 season due to a shoulder injury. An all-around athlete who combines size (6’2, 211), to go along with quick burst and acceleration, Starks has quite a bit of upside considering his past durability. The converted quarterback has also flashed the ability to throw and catch the ball during his Bulls career.
Skinny: Starks has great size and acceleration for a running back at 6’2, 205 and near 4.4-timed speed. Entering his senior campaign, the Niagara Falls native has an opportunity to post some big time numbers, coming off a year in which he accumulated 1,333 rushing yards, caught 52 passes for 361 yards and scored 17 total touchdowns. Could Starks be this year’s Donald Brown who skyrockets up the draft board because of his ability to not only run the football, but also catch it?
Starks is built similarly to Grant — both are relatively tall for the position, Grant at 6-foot-1 and Starks at 6-2, and weigh in the 220-pound range. At least in nonpadded practices, Starks also looks the more agile and athletic of the two, but toughness and power are crucial to success for an NFL back, and the Packers won’t get a sense until the preseason games whether Starks comes close to measuring up to Grant in those areas.
“(Starks) is explosive, that’s what jumps out more than anything else,” Edgar Bennett said. “Has tremendous read, very good change of direction. And he has good hands coming out of the backfield. Just like any young guy coming into our system, it takes time.”
Again, apparently TT was high on this guy, as he used one of his coveted draft picks on him. So I'll trust in him until he proves to me that he's worthless. The guy has been attending all of the RB meetings and film studies so he should be pretty well versed in the playbook.
TT has proven to be a pretty good evaluator of talent and we've got two chances here in Nance and Starks. Will either of them be a C. Johnson or A. Peterson? Hell no... But we don't need them to be. Grant wasn't either. We just need them to be able to relieve the pressure from our passing game and be able to pound the ball when the weather sucks at Lambeau. Like Grant did. I could be way off here, and they very well could come out and completely suck donkey balls. But until they do, I'm going to keep the faith and support my team! It'll be a cold day in hell when I act like one of those damn bandwagon jumping fans that we have to the immediate South and to the West! :chisux::viksux:
I do know that once the details came out recently about the "Randy Moss" situation from back in 07 that most of us went, "Oh, now I understand why TT didn't close the deal with Moss, it makes sense now..." I know that I at least can't be mad at TT for actually wanting to SIGN the player as opposed to RENTING him. Just because the Seahawks got Lynch for a 4th and a conditional 2012 pick, doesn't mean that's what we would have gotten him for....
But enough about Lynch, it's a done deal...
So here's what we're left with, let's make the best of a bad situation and support the team...
Keep in mind that the RB position is really about the easiest position in the NFL to backfill as long as the O-Line is acceptable (That's another issue...)
Dimitri Nance: The Packers signed this guy VERY quickly after Grant went down. So they for sure had their eye on him before Grant's injury and they were very encouraged with what they saw.
Also, Atlanta did not want to let him go... from their practice squad... so they apparently saw a lot of upside in him as well.
If two organizations have that high of an opinion on a guy, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt... Yes, he's taking a while to learn the playbook, but let's be real, it's been two weeks and from what I understand, it's an ENTIRELY different system, so...
James Starks: This guy has an injury history, which is never good, but..
The guy looks impressive to me on tape and I'm not sure if many know this but Mel Kiper had him as a 2nd round prospect before missing his senior year due to injury. Kiper was VERY high on him. Here's the scout on him:
Latest: University of Buffalo running back James Starks will miss the entire 2009-10 season due to a shoulder injury. An all-around athlete who combines size (6’2, 211), to go along with quick burst and acceleration, Starks has quite a bit of upside considering his past durability. The converted quarterback has also flashed the ability to throw and catch the ball during his Bulls career.
Skinny: Starks has great size and acceleration for a running back at 6’2, 205 and near 4.4-timed speed. Entering his senior campaign, the Niagara Falls native has an opportunity to post some big time numbers, coming off a year in which he accumulated 1,333 rushing yards, caught 52 passes for 361 yards and scored 17 total touchdowns. Could Starks be this year’s Donald Brown who skyrockets up the draft board because of his ability to not only run the football, but also catch it?
Starks is built similarly to Grant — both are relatively tall for the position, Grant at 6-foot-1 and Starks at 6-2, and weigh in the 220-pound range. At least in nonpadded practices, Starks also looks the more agile and athletic of the two, but toughness and power are crucial to success for an NFL back, and the Packers won’t get a sense until the preseason games whether Starks comes close to measuring up to Grant in those areas.
“(Starks) is explosive, that’s what jumps out more than anything else,” Edgar Bennett said. “Has tremendous read, very good change of direction. And he has good hands coming out of the backfield. Just like any young guy coming into our system, it takes time.”
Again, apparently TT was high on this guy, as he used one of his coveted draft picks on him. So I'll trust in him until he proves to me that he's worthless. The guy has been attending all of the RB meetings and film studies so he should be pretty well versed in the playbook.
TT has proven to be a pretty good evaluator of talent and we've got two chances here in Nance and Starks. Will either of them be a C. Johnson or A. Peterson? Hell no... But we don't need them to be. Grant wasn't either. We just need them to be able to relieve the pressure from our passing game and be able to pound the ball when the weather sucks at Lambeau. Like Grant did. I could be way off here, and they very well could come out and completely suck donkey balls. But until they do, I'm going to keep the faith and support my team! It'll be a cold day in hell when I act like one of those damn bandwagon jumping fans that we have to the immediate South and to the West! :chisux::viksux:
if he was anything like Grant
