Wow!!! Colt Lyerla participating in rookie camp

[JBlood]

He's a kid, immature like most of us were at that age. I'm willing to give him some slack, like the Packers. If he's seen the light, he'll be the starting tight end by the end of the season. If he hasn't gotten it, he'll be gone at no expense to the team but at great expense to himself.

 

[SoonerPack]

Zero risk?! You can't be serious. What happens if he stays clean until we sign him and then in his 2nd year goes all in on the cocaine and becomes the next Aaron Hernandez? I'm not saying that will happen, but the idea of "zero risk" is highly naive.

Naive? Really? Ok, I will play your silly little game. Let's say this guy turns into the next Rick Ross. While in the midst of moving pounds and pounds of powder he murders a few people. What's next? He is released. He gets a trial and the court system decides his fate and the Packers begin the search for another TE. Will they have to face the peanut gallery and the "i told you so" crowd? Yes they will. Will they move on and become shells of themselves and stay away from anyone with a checkered past? Man I sure hope not. Failure is a fundamental part of success. I would venture to guess that every single uber successful person/business has had significant failure at some point throughout their journey to the top. Many of their greatest success' would have to be considered calculated risks. Risk, chance for failure and the possibility of facing public scrutiny is part of being a 800 lb gorilla. Those who never take any risk assure themselves of one thing. A boring life. This doesn't mean they won't be successful or content with their lives outcome. I simply believe that the biggest and brightest business people/entrepreneurs/politicians/coaches et al have made the tough decisions more than the middle of the pack cats. Risk/reward is a high stakes game but luckily for the Packers sake there is nothing more than reward in this scenario. Kid gets right, falls in line, balls out and becomes a good-great player or he screws up and hits the bricks. Bottom line is one numbskull won't tar or mar the Packers brand whatsoever. If all of the above makes me naive, so be it. I am OK with taking that risk...

 

[thequick12]

He's gonna be good watch, he is the new Finley. Unfortunately this probably means Finley won't be back, with the packers at least. Aaron Hernandez minus all the murdering. This dude can motion into the backfield and take a handoff out of the gun ala Cobb, harvin, Hernandez. That adds a dimension to the offense. And unlike Richard Rodgers this kid is fast, 4.60 40, 1.61 ten yard split. Tight end group will be Quarless, Lyerla, Bostik, and Rodgers on opening day 53. That will be a strong group especially with Rodgers throwing the ball. Quarless is the only blocker though. Was hoping to get Finley back and maybe we still will mid season or so when his neck has had time to heal. That would give us the best TE group in the nfl.

One thing I know for sure is Lyerla will be better than Rodgers.

 

[Jordyruns]

Josh Hamilton had a lot of skeletons relating to drugs in his closet and he has turned it around, no reason to assume under the right conditions Lyerla could not do the same. I for one am rooting for him.

 

[AmishMafia]

Coke must be amazing stuff. For a man to give up a life of fame and fortune for a temporary high that will ruin your health and finances. Huge huge cost that I can't begin to understand.

The only hope for this dumb ***, is the jail grew him the **** up.

With that said, then why not give him a shot? I would put him on a very short leash and have him under wraps for a while to prove he has developed some maturity. I am shocked that he is getting an opportunity. I really hope he takes advantage of his second and maybe only chance.

My gut tells me that his problems are not of coke, but much deeper rooted. He sounds like he has some attitude issues and that led to the coke and not the other way around.

 

[AmishMafia]

Fails because he has not shown focus in life on what should be important. There is a slim chance that he has grown up. There was the suggestion that he was doing legal dodges to delay the drug charges till after the draft. Maybe the fact that he wasn't drafted and got no UDFA offers will help him understand how important his behavior/attitude is. But the track record for these guys is not good. But then again, Chris Carter was in the same boat and went on to a HOF career. There is a possibility.

 

[TeamTundra]

Kind of reminds me of Vontaze Burfict, the Bengals LB who ended up being undrafted but appears to
have turned his life around. Hopefully he can make a similar change.

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

My gut tells me that his problems are not of coke, but much deeper rooted. He sounds like he has some attitude issues and that led to the coke and not the other way around.

According to what I've read, his parents divorced when he was 9. His father split and his mother wasn't the ideal parent. This led to him being raised "by the streets and coaches of various teams". From what I've read, all of that happening to him at a young age caused him to "act out". His story is pretty interesting when you start reading about him.

 

[Zartan]

Zero risk?! You can't be serious. What happens if he stays clean until we sign him and then in his 2nd year goes all in on the cocaine and becomes the next Aaron Hernandez? I'm not saying that will happen, but the idea of "zero risk" is highly naive.

What if this kid becomes the next Tony Gonzalez? We gotta give him a chance to prove himself. I got a good feeling on this one.

 

[FrankRizzo]

Wide variety of answers already!
Definitely a mystery.

Here in Dallas, they drafted an unbelievably talented young, immature, troubled wideout the pick after we took Bulaga in the 2010 draft.

They've had to have babysitters for him pretty much around the clock.
And it's worked pretty well so far.
Dez Bryant is his name.

I wonder if the Packers will invest in something like that.

 

[jaybadger82]

During the draft when Lyerla came up, I remarked that it's probably hard to score coke in Green Bay.

Glad we're giving him a look. He was at least saying all the right things at the combine:

At the NFL scouting combine in February, Lyerla said his legal issues had been resolved.

"Everything is out on the table, and it's up to me now to make sure I do the right things and stay on the right path," he said at the time.

"I think the biggest thing for me is just to be honest and to show remorse where remorse is due and just to do my best to prove that I've changed and I'm changing and I've matured since I made those mistakes."

 

[GoPGo]

According to what I've read, his parents divorced when he was 9. His father split and his mother wasn't the ideal parent. This led to him being raised "by the streets and coaches of various teams". From what I've read, all of that happening to him at a young age caused him to "act out".

Nonsense. There are countless others who had just as crappy a childhood who don't exhibit his issues.

 

[jaybadger82]

Seems like we're basically placing bets on this kid's ability to stay clean with the poll. I'll pass.

Hope Colt succeeds.

 

[GoPGo]

Naive? Really? Ok, I will play your silly little game. Let's say this guy turns into the next Rick Ross. While in the midst of moving pounds and pounds of powder he murders a few people. What's next? He is released.

Or he can clean up just enough to stick around, become a polarizing presence in the locker room, introduce some bad influence with his teammates in social settings, become another chemistry killing Twitter twit. Those are significant risks that can have a negative impact on the whole team. So don't give me this "zero risk" crap. That said, he seems to be saying a lot of the right things. If we sign him, lets just hope it's from the heart and not from a script given him by his agent.

 

[GoPGo]

You forgot "Thompson does not sign him."

 

[brandon2348]

First of all the Packers have to sign him after the rookie camp, he's only participating as a tryout.

You told me you didn't think TT would take a shot on a guy with his past before camp? I know that was me mocking him as a 7th rounder. You like this move though don't ya?

 

[Deleted member 6794]

You told me you didn't think TT would take a shot on a guy with his past before camp? I know that was me mocking him as a 7th rounder. You like this move though don't ya?

I've never had any doubts about his talent on the field. But I was surprised Thompson brought in a guy with his past. As I said before, if he can stay away from trouble this could turn into a huge move by the Packers.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Coke must be amazing stuff. For a man to give up a life of fame and fortune for a temporary high that will ruin your health and finances. Huge huge cost that I can't begin to understand.

The only hope for this dumb ***, is the jail grew him the **** up.

My gut tells me that his problems are not of coke, but much deeper rooted. He sounds like he has some attitude issues and that led to the coke and not the other way around.

IMO this is a very ignorant statement. First of all drug addiction is a disease, not a life style. He´s had a tough childhood and while a lot kids have to suffer through that and turn out to be great citizens it´s tough for those kids to make it. It seems like Lyerla did pretty fine with the support he received at his high school (http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2012/09/oregon_ducks_colt_lyerla_with.html), but once he got to Oregon the Ducks didn´t surround him with anyone helping him to deal with his issues and he started to run into troubles.

I think the Packers have to be well aware of the fact that he would need some counseling if they decide to sign him.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Or he can clean up just enough to stick around, become a polarizing presence in the locker room, introduce some bad influence with his teammates in social settings, become another chemistry killing Twitter twit. Those are significant risks that can have a negative impact on the whole team.

If something like that happens Thompson would release him immediately.

 

[JBlood]

Lyerla had this to say before the combine:
"I think the biggest thing was just making the choice to move away from home and get myself in a place to where I'm only doing positive things," he said. "Just continuing to stay on the right track. ... Mainly, it was having a big sit-down with my family and coming to an agreement with myself as far as the negative things I was doing and what I need to do to change."

Here's what Aldon Smith, another player with off-field problems, recently had to say about himself: ""I feel good," Smith told CSN Bay Area on Friday. "I've handled a lot of things about me, especially things that are not true. My life is good. I have a son at home. My family is doing good. I'm living day by day and enjoying life."

Just a few words, but if they're sincere it would seem Lyerla has a better grasp of his situation than Smith. I think Green Bay could be the positive place he needs. For his sake, I hope so.

 

[SoonerPack]

Or he can clean up just enough to stick around, become a polarizing presence in the locker room, introduce some bad influence with his teammates in social settings, become another chemistry killing Twitter twit. Those are significant risks that can have a negative impact on the whole team. So don't give me this "zero risk" crap. That said, he seems to be saying a lot of the right things. If we sign him, lets just hope it's from the heart and not from a script given him by his agent.

Again, I understand your concern but the upside is immense. With guys like Rodgers, Nelson, Hawk, Bulaga etc. already in place I think they will let the kid know what is expected of him and just how blessed he is to have this opportunity. Imagine where this kid was at a while back. Now he has a chance to play for one of the greatest organizations in all of sport, catch balls from the best QB in the league and make enough money to take care of his family for generations to come. I don't like to admit it but I hit "rock bottom" about a 13 years ago and thankfully my God, friends and family never left my side and I was able to rise up and become what I believe I was intended to become...a good businessman and a great father/husband. Kid has one shot at this thing and if he screws the pooch then he is as good as gone. But, and yes it is a big but, if he takes this opportunity and runs with it he could be one heckuva player and even more importantly, a upstanding member of society. I guess I have a soft spot for people (mostly youngsters) that have made mistakes and seem to be hungry to show that they have grown up, learned from their mistakes and ready to step up. I hope this is a guy that a decade from now we look back at and say "man what a great turnaround that was..." GPG!!

 

[FrankRizzo]

You forgot "Thompson does not sign him."

That would be choice 1 then for you.

 

[Dylan Hoppe]

Nonsense. There are countless others who had just as crappy a childhood who don't exhibit his issues.

I remember the special on James jones story. That was a good one. He stayed on track and never had any of this sort of "problems"


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[PWT]

JayBadger82 posted "During the draft when Lyerla came up, I remarked that it's probably hard to score coke in Green Bay.

Glad we're giving him a look. He was at least saying all the right things at the combine":

Unfortunately, it is not hard to get drugs of your choice in Green Bay/Brown County .Lately in Green Bay suburb of De Pere, we had had two high school kids die from a over dose of Drugs. Last year in our neighborhood here in De Pere we had young man die from over dose of cocaine. Green Bay/ Brown County has a drug problem, like everywhere in the U.S.A.

 

[Dylan Hoppe]

I don't even know any of his measurables or stats. I'm more interested in that than him staying clean. We can't predict whether he stays clean or not, we just have to assume he does.


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