Injury Concern Won't Stop Packers' Ty Montgomery From Being Competitive

-- With all of the promise shown by the Green Bay Packers' young stable of running backs, it's easy to forget that Ty Montgomery once showed just as much, if not more promise before said running backs were even on the team.

Montgomery has fallen behind the pack after converting from receiver to tailback during the 2016 season and proceeding to carry the ball 77 times for 457 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 5.9 yards per touch all the while.

It was after a few nagging injuries and skepticism with the situation behind Montgomery on the depth chart prompted the Packers to draft three running backs in last year's draft: Jamaal Williams in the fourth round (134th), Aaron Jones in the fifth round (182nd) and Devante Mays in the seventh round (238th).

While Montgomery's 2017 season ended on injured reserve after just eight games of cycling in and out of the backfield on a rotation, Williams and Jones shouldered the load for a majority of the campaign and provided a glimpse into the future of what the Packers' backfield may very well look like.

But Montgomery can still be in those plans -- and he should be -- if he can stay upright.

"I know that I can be a really good football player; I just need to stay healthy," Montgomery told ESPN's Rob Demovsky from the Packers' annual Tailgate Tour. "It's something I haven't been able to do my rookie season and last season. Two seasons before that, I wasn't playing for almost half the season. I'm looking forward to getting one full healthy season under my belt. That'll tell."

Montgomery ended his 2015 rookie season on injured reserve due to an ankle injury and had playing time limited in 2016 because of a sickle-cell trait. Later that season, he left two of the Packers' three playoff games early with a knee and rib injury, respectively. In 2017, Montgomery broke his ribs in late-September, returned six weeks later and reinjured his ribs again.

While there are no plans in the immediate future to move Montgomery back to his original position of wide receiver where he played at Stanford, coach Mike McCarthy has made it abundantly clear anytime that Montgomery is mentioned that he's a running back.

The last time McCarthy was asked about Montgomery's position was at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, where he said that if Montgomery can stay healthy, he can be more of a hybrid running back/wide receiver. That seems more the likely avenue now with Jones and Williams spearheading a majority of the carries.

"I think it's pretty apparent, with what they were able to do last season after I went out," Montgomery said of the Packers' starting tailback duo. "Then, with what I've shown to be able to do, I think it's really apparent how good we can be."

If Montgomery isn't exclusively utilized as a running back, the Packers can always offer quarterback Aaron Rodgers another versatile receiving threat. Montgomery would be a fine piece of weaponry to motion out of the backfield and either split out-wide or in the slot to create defensive mismatches.

Montgomery has always been a matchup nightmare, and health concerns or not, there's no secret that's the primary route new offensive coordinator -- sorta -- Joe Philbin should take in utilizing him.

All it takes is the right opportunity for Montgomery, who may not be the lead running back at the moment, but that shouldn't stop the ball from being in his hands.

"I don't think guys would be in that room if they weren't competitive. Even if a starter had been named, we're always competing all the time, because when your number is called, just because you're not the starter doesn't mean you can't score touchdowns and you can't make plays. It's all about winning football games and doing what you're supposed to do when you're called on."

__________________________

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 (20)

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cheesehead1's picture

April 12, 2018 at 11:48 am

Really like Montgomery, but, he must stay healthy. If not, time to move on. Same for Perry as well.

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Lare's picture

April 12, 2018 at 12:04 pm

I agree. Unfortunately for TY, while he was in the training room the team moved on. He's already 4th on the depth chart at RB when healthy (something he has struggled to do) and who knows where he'll be on the WR depth chart at the beginning of the season.

Ty might be fighting for a roster spot this season.

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TarynsEyes's picture

April 12, 2018 at 01:04 pm

Time to move on from Perry has passed with his new deal. However, if the Pack go to a more conventional 4-3, maybe they get their value back on the investment starting with the 1st rd pick selection they used on him.
Hope-10
Reality-4

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SpudRapids's picture

April 12, 2018 at 03:25 pm

Man... you hate Perry

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TarynsEyes's picture

April 12, 2018 at 07:16 pm

NO...I hate him as a OLB but always said he'd be better in a 4-3 as I said again in my comment.

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holmesmd's picture

April 13, 2018 at 12:23 am

Is Fackrell better? SMH. Perry is an above average OLB when on the field. He’s played well with a club. Your draft crush Fackrell that you you’ve gone on and on about over the last few years is an absolute BUST. So give Perry his due.

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jeremyjjbrown's picture

April 13, 2018 at 09:49 am

Better than Fackrell is a lousy metric. Although Fackrell did seam to improve a bit end of last season.

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DD's picture

April 13, 2018 at 08:18 am

Cheesehead1:Ty is not a true running back. Not durable enough. Also MM had not put his players in the right positions and schemes to be successful. The offense is fairly easy to read for defenses based on who is in the backfield or da, an empty backfield. You're right about healthy with Ty and Perry too. Least we forget Matthews, Baluga, Cobb, Beigel, d-backs? Think any you mentioned and Imentioned will make a full, productive season? I'm highly doubtfull. I'd bet some are injured or on the PUP list before our first regular game. Mark it.

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stockholder's picture

April 12, 2018 at 12:12 pm

Monty no longer has the speed to be a WR. He's a gadget player. A miss match coming out of the backfield. To bad he can't play TE. He needs a big year.

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cpitt's picture

April 12, 2018 at 02:07 pm

If ty were on the Pats he'd probably have 800 yards rushing, 800 recieving, and 75 catches 10tds, but because of MM ineptitude with rbs and gbs injury curse, we have a guy who is a jag at best. If McCarthy doesnt change his extreme predictability and shunning of the screen game this year with this incredible stable of backs, he should be burned at the stake. 1. Jones 2. Ty 3. Jamaal 4. Devante. Any other ordwr than that and i will call for MMs head.

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SpudRapids's picture

April 12, 2018 at 03:29 pm

Well your McCarthy assessment is misguided. I don't know how you call McCarthy predictable without understanding that Rodgers has full control to change plays. Does that mean Rodgers is checking into predictable plays or not checking out of them? I think McCarthy using Montgomery was brilliant and what restarted the offense in their down year. Heck Monty said a Pack record for receptions in back to back games.

https://247sports.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/Bolt/Ty-Montgomery-sets-Pack...

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DD's picture

April 13, 2018 at 08:36 am

Spud: let me enlighten you. You are correct on Rodgers, but it's hard to check out of something when your formations don't change and schemes remain the same. So get to the line, change the play? Nothing changes. Defenses don't even move. Watch the film. Run maybe, if a backs even in the backfield, or 7-10 yards and out. What do you see? Any end around for play or deception, many slants, down the middle, back motion and use, receiver rubs, draw plays, wuick outside pitches to backs? Far and few. Not much creativity with playbook! Defenses don't have to adjust or prepare much. Easy. Yes Rodgers then in scramble mode most of the time. See Brady scramble much? Brees? Manning boys? Montana? Akiman? Young? Starr? Going back I know. Point is, our playbook, schemes, and formations lack creativity and the ability to change. MM?????

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SpudRapids's picture

April 12, 2018 at 03:29 pm

FYI the broken record of comparing everything Packers to the Patriots get's old

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

April 12, 2018 at 08:30 pm

But it doesn't make cpitt one whit less correct.

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PatrickGB's picture

April 12, 2018 at 04:23 pm

But can he learn to pass protect? THAT will be key in him getting on to the field.

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Johnblood27's picture

April 12, 2018 at 04:31 pm

defenses manipulate Rodgers to move into one of his "hot" reads.

MM may be predictable in the game plans he installs, however the defense "knowing" what GB will run is a 2-way street and those guys aren't stoopid.

BTW, Rodgers isnt the end all and be all either, he can be had. Just ask Urlacher, he had AR's number.

The first step in outsmarting someone is telling them how much smarter they are than you. People have been doing that to Rodgers forever and he still falls for it. E-G-O

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holmesmd's picture

April 13, 2018 at 12:36 am

That was completely silly. Urllacher had nothing but respect for both Favre & Rodgers. The game is very different now. Your premise is dated.

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DD's picture

April 13, 2018 at 08:21 am

The queens defense completely stifles and confuses Rodgers. Rodgers has seen them enough, so why can't he figure them out then?

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Johnblood27's picture

April 13, 2018 at 04:34 pm

WOW, RODGERS SYCOPHANTS CHIME IN WITH DOWN VOTES!

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Demon's picture

April 14, 2018 at 12:16 pm

Time to move on from Monty. Just another of TT's draft picks thats as tough as a roll of Charmin. Theres an old phrase in football, "injured players tend to stay injured" this is certainly the case here.

I do not know what Montys salary is , frankly i dont care. When the only conceivable way that you could keep him available for a whole season is to only give him a few snaps a game seems like a waste of a roster spit and a waste of salary.

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