Bakhtiari, Banjo, Barrington, Bostick, Boyd, Dorsey, Franklin, Harper, Harris, Hill, Hyde, Jones (Datone),
Lacy, Mulumba, Palmer, Stoneburner, Taylor (Lane), Tiller, Tretter, White (Myles).
Recognize this list? It’s a list of Packers heading into their second NFL season. As excited as we are about the draftees and UDFAs, McCarthy is no doubt counting on players on this list more than the newcomers. He has frequently talked about the jump players can make from year one to year two. Jason Wilde has a story about the jump Mike Daniels made from his rookie year to last year. “When you know what you’re doing, it makes things a heck of a lot easier,” Daniels said when asked about his improvement in his second season. "And there’s a reason you have to respect veteran players. They’ve been there, they’ve done that, they know how to play this game. I could be just as fast as I was [as a rookie], but I’ll be playing faster because I know things where I can tell where I might get a draw play, a run, a play-action pass."
http://www.espnwisconsin.com/common/page.php?feed=2&id=14271&is_corp=1
It makes sense after acclimating to Green Bay, the Packers’ locker room and of course the rigors of the NFL, players would be in a position to make the jump.
So who on the list do you expect to make that jump? Lacy has made the jump and IMO is exempt from this discussion: I expect him to improve a little - the nuances of blitz pickup and more in tune with Rodgers on outlet passes - but all he has to do is replicate his rookie season. His biggest challenge will be just staying healthy. Bakhtiari got valuable starting experience last season but he needs to improve to keep his job going forward, and I expect he will. For the rest, the position they play will be a factor in the opportunities they’ll have to contribute. Hyde’s prospects are good even though there may not be a starting spot for him – he’s got the HC calling for him to be on the field more. Tretter will get a chance to grab the starting OC job and he’s got the size to hang onto it for the foreseeable future (although I am glad Linsley was drafted to challenge him).
McCarthy said this about Jones: “Datone is a very talented young man. His injury at the end of training camp set him back. I’m looking forward to getting him back in the offseason. I think he’s one of those players that make a huge jump.”
http://www.packers.com/news-and-eve...ne-Jones/de16d499-8422-4ef0-9705-05e71156b6e6
Jones and Boyd will get plenty opportunities to join Daniels as a difference makers along the DL which is in need of them. Obviously the HC isn’t going to say anything negative but I don’t think he was blowing smoke about Jones – I expect him to make that huge jump too.
Mulumba’s chances for PT took a hit with the additions of Peppers and perhaps Bradford. I would
love to see Barrington take a huge step up at ILB but at this point that’s more of a hope than an expectation. Franklin and Harris may be battling for one spot. Bostick certainly has a good shot to stick but with the additions at that position I’m guessing Stoneburner’s days are numbered. The WRs have a huge mountain to climb because of the competition – and there’s already a thread devoted to them. Banjo and Taylor will be battling for backup spots.
One rookie will be expected to step and start and the others will have the advantage of their draft status, but if the Packers are to go deep into the playoffs, IMO it will likely be due to the “develop” portion of the “draft and develop” philosophy.