Geronimo Allison: Packers have 'good, well-rounded group' at WR

-- It's a funny story. Undrafted, picked up by the Green Bay Packers, released during final roster cut-downs and then signed to the practice squad a couple days later.

Little did the Packers know that wide receiver Geronimo Allison would be preparing for an extensive role in their offensive plans not even two years later.

Even funnier, Allison's role would include serving as somewhat of a guiding presence -- despite just entering his third season -- to a trio of young rookie receivers, just drafted by the Packers in April.

One of them, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, was the only receiver in week one of the preseason to top 100 receiving yards. He did so during the Packers' 31-17 win over the Tennesee Titans, flashing spurts of brilliance and potential in a fifth-round pick.

"It’s always exciting to see guys like that," Allison told Packers.com on Monday. "They put in so much work over the offseason, and when you get into game mode, you’re actually playing against an opponent. It’s time to put all your fundamentals, all your techniques that you’ve been learning to use. And those guys went out there, flew around and made plays all night."

After Davante Adams, Randall Cobb and Allison -- the Packers' primary triad atop the depth chart -- there's a steep dropoff in not just experience, but essentially every other facet of their game as well.

Allison has earned the trust of his quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, which has been a driving force behind why he was able to stick to the roster early on. Entering year three, he's the only thing separating the Packers from disaster at the receiver position and potential incompetency should one of the aforementioned three receivers suffer an injury.

It shouldn't come to that, but if the inevitable fate of injury rears its ugly head on, the hope is that young players will be prepared to step into any void they need to fill. Preparation, of course, begins in the receivers room.

"A lot of stuff that goes on in there is confidential, but we have a good, well-rounded group," Allison said. "We communicate with one another. We want to see everybody succeed. We communicate back and forth, sometimes when they’re going through things or they need extra information, they come to each and every one of us.

"There’s nothing that we can’t really talk about amongst our room without everybody being there, everybody’s open, coach is open with us and we have good communication."

The "coach" Allison refers to is first-year receivers coach David Raih, who was promoted from his post of offensive perimeter coach in January when the Packers underwent a complete overhaul of their staff.

It's a change for Allison; a change that puts him on the same level of learning as the other 10 receivers on the Packers' roster.

"It’s different, it’s new. But he’s an awesome coach, he cares about us all. He makes sure everybody knows the information beforehand going into the day and then going into different periods. He makes sure we’re prepared.

"He’s a stickler on technique and on fundamentals, so that’s something we harp on and pride each other on to really be on top of every day. And when the young guys take that coaching and take it from the classroom to the field, it just makes everybody on board and feels like we’re doing the right thing."

Much like the dropoff in experience behind Allison, there's also a significant gap in the number of snaps played a season ago.

Jordy Nelson (77.0%), Adams (74.1%) and Cobb (70.9%) dominated the snap percentage in 2017, and while Allison was well behind at 32.8 percent, the next-closest was Trevor Davis at 9.8 percent.

Allison's number should rise significantly in 2018, especially considering Nelson is now in Oakland catching passes from Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. That means he'd have a chance to at least double his single-season high for receiving yards set a year ago at 253.

"For our offense to go and have success, we have to be able to sling the ball around," Allison said. "It’s going to be able to open up the run game and the big fellas will be able to move the line and get the run game going. It’s a team effort, and as long as everything is clicking on all cylinders, we’ll be fine."

__________________________

Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].

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Comments (15)

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DD's picture

August 14, 2018 at 08:04 pm

Letting Jordy go was a mistake. Cobb will get hurt, Jordy would have been perfect in the slot.

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Turophile's picture

August 15, 2018 at 03:40 am

Let's let that play out. If Jordy has slowed to where he is no longer effective, then letting him go was no mistake. We'll see how that plays out over the year, with him on the Raiders.

The NFL has never been a "What did you do for me yesterday" league, it's always a "What can you do for me tomorrow" one. Is that harsh, cold, yes. Is is also true ? Also yes.

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Koosh's picture

August 15, 2018 at 01:18 pm

There is no seeing how it plays out. Nothing is equal, and what can be done on the raiders is not what can be done on the Packers.

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Koosh's picture

August 15, 2018 at 01:22 pm

I was of the thought that Cobb, while better as a #3 WR than Jordy as a #1 WR, Jordy would have been the better guy to keep and move from the 1 to the 3. Just take the need for his speed away, the guy is too freaking good...

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Bret Iverson's picture

August 14, 2018 at 08:17 pm

They need one rookie to step forward. Davis being out has hurt his chances to make the team. Many fans have shared with me their sadness for letting Jordy go. He was asked to comeback at a lower price but all signs point to a good year with the Raiders.

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Johnblood27's picture

August 15, 2018 at 09:27 am

jordy didnt so much slow as he quit.

he looked for a place to lay down immediately after a catch and didnt work as hard to get open.

hundley cut jordy.

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Rebecca's picture

August 15, 2018 at 04:41 pm

I had the same feeling watching Nelson trying to look involved while Hundley was being chased around and not going through his progressions. It was painful to watch, but it looked like Jordy had had enough of the Hundley shit show.

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PatrickGB's picture

August 14, 2018 at 08:43 pm

In my opinion, Jordy was on the downside. He remains a good but not great player. Jake k. is somewhat younger, and has the same measurables as Jordy. And HIS chance to remain on the roster is slim. So, why do we still pine for JN? I think it’s because of Jordys past history with the team, not his future. G-mo is a good fourth WR and that’s not bad but he is JAG. For better or worse, the three draft picks are our future. Yancey and Davis will probably be cut. There may be a drop off in KR with Davis gone, but maybe with our better defense there won’t be as much of a need there anyway.

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wertvert's picture

August 15, 2018 at 09:19 am

@ Patrick: What do you mean calling G-mo a JAG??

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Oppy's picture

August 15, 2018 at 01:38 pm

JAG = (J)ust (A) (G)uy

Not anything special; replaceable talent.

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Mibster's picture

August 15, 2018 at 04:44 am

Players will come, play, be loved and eventually be released or retire. I will remember with happiness all the TD's Jordy has done with the Packers and I hope he will continue to do great things in Oakland. The same I feel when I think about all other WRs from the past (for example D Driver, G Jennings (not counting the trash talk after) It just part of the game. Now its time for new blood and I'm certain Packers will do just fine at the WR position this year. No worries for me.

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PatrickGB's picture

August 15, 2018 at 11:57 am

Wert, I am sorry it took so long to respond. JAG...just a guy. He is good, a hard worker and seems smart. It’s the standard for a good NFL player. It’s not a knock on him as a person. Yet, he is a fourth WR,at best, because he has probably come close to his ceiling. Love to have him yet would not mind if we lost him.
Does that answer?

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Koosh's picture

August 15, 2018 at 01:12 pm

Trevor Davis played 10% of snaps, but saw only SEVEN freaking targets!!

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Oppy's picture

August 15, 2018 at 03:01 pm

*Packers ran 1040 snaps on offense last year.
That means Davis was in on 104 snaps

*Most of the time in the NFL, offense has 3 WRs and a TE on the field.

*Davis would most likely be on the field with 2 of the 3 following WRs:
Adams, Nelson, Cobb

*Some of those 104 snaps may have been running plays, or ended without the ball being thrown for some other reason (QB sacked, etc)

How many targets should a bottom-of-the-depth-chart WR be expected to have in 104 snaps?

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SpudRapids's picture

August 15, 2018 at 02:07 pm

I think we all forget that we essentially got Jimmy Graham by letting Jordy go with the cap room. That will be big because it will allow Cobb to be better underneath thus increasing Cobb's value.

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