Rodgers sees improvement in Packers' young WRs
-- For much of Aaron Rodgers' career, the Green Bay Packers quarterback has enjoyed the luxury of a wide receiver room littered with talent and veteran savvy who knew exactly what he wanted on the field and where he wanted it.
While he entered the 14th season of his career -- or the 10th as the team's starting quarterback -- things were a little different.
The Packers were entering the regular season with high expectations for their three newly-drafted rookie receivers in J'Mon Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown. While the latter two were playing significant snaps on offense throughout the season, Moore struggled to see the field.
But before the season even began, Rodgers was struggling to get on the same page as his newfound targets. Even with Davante Adams at his disposal spearheading the unit and continuing his career ascension -- it took some time before the young players knew what to expect from Rodgers as far as practicing goes.
Their "piss poor" effort in practice, per Rodgers' words last summer, seemed to have been exercised, however. Now, Valdes-Scantling is primed for a massive leap in his second season, St Brown is radiating consistency through the team's first seven training camp practices this summer and Moore's hands have become more reliable.
Of course, with Adams taking on a leadership role and Geronimo Allison -- from undrafted in 2016 to one of Rodgers' most trusted targets -- in the room as well, that can certainly help expedite the process.
"I think some of the biggest issues with young players and mistakes is just watching the guy in front of you," Rodgers said after Thursday's practice, via Packers.com. "If you don't have a great guy in front of you, you might not know what to do."
Adams, who played in 15 games last season before being forced to sit out of the week 17 meeting with the Detroit Lions due to the Packers' failed playoff hopes, is coming off of a career year. He set career-highs in targets, catches, yards, touchdowns and catch percentage.
He's also second in the league in receiving touchdowns since 2016. His 35 receptions rank just behind Antonio Brown's 36. In the midst of his convincing play on the field, he's managed to wedge his way into any conversation involving some of the league's most lethal receiving threats.
"The way that Davante practices sets the tone for the entire group. That's why his leadership is so important to that group. That being said, a guy like Marquez, who went through some spells last year where he wasn't practicing all the time the right way, has totally changed. Now, he's a leader when it comes to practicing the right way, and I think he's done a great job.
"Geronimo Allison being back also helped because from his first day here, he's done it the right way. [Equanimeous] is a very steady guy. He's the same guy every day. He's a very smart, intuitive, attentive, detail-oriented guy and I think he practices the right way."
The Packers opted not to draft or acquire another addition to their wide receiver group this spring, speaking to the high levels of confidence general manager Brian Gutekunst has in the current state of his roster on offense.
Ideally, a new offensive system implemented by head coach Matt LaFleur may be imperative in helping both Rodgers and the young room of receivers find success. A silver lining is that, while they may be entering their second years in the league and Rodgers his 15th, each and every player has been learning the new offense from the ground-up.
At the moment, that's a competitive room to be in. Even while some of the finer details are ironed out.
"The receiving group is interesting because there's a lot of guys that have started off camp hot, on both ends of the field," Rodgers said. "Besides the top guys, I think Allen [Lazard] has had a really nice camp, Jake [Kumerow] has had a really nice camp, Trevor [Davis] has had a really nice camp. I think Teo [Redding] has made a bunch of plays on the other end."
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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].
Comments (64)
IceBowl
August 02, 2019 at 12:03 pm
All they have to do is want it.
That will separate the players. A real want to.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
August 03, 2019 at 02:31 pm
Combined with health and good special teams play!
Packers2020
August 02, 2019 at 12:28 pm
A lot of you may not agree with me but I still think we need to draft a WR high in next years draft.
We have not drafted a WR in the 1st or 2nd round since 2014 when we drafted Adams. AR was at his best when we had Jennings, Jordy and Jones. Jennings and Jordy were drafted in the 2nd rounds. Jones in the 3rd. Of course we had a the bonus of Donald Driver too.
My point is we need 2nd WR. I might be wrong and the 2nd year WR's will step up; however, I just do not trust Allison, MVS, and St Brown as of yet.
IceBowl
August 02, 2019 at 01:23 pm
I trust Allison and Kumerow. Both were doing well before injuries.
Lots of talent to like behind them too.
Rak43
August 02, 2019 at 01:52 pm
I trust MVS, and ESB to eventually rise above the others in the pecking order. That includes Allison,Kumerow, and Moore, By eventually I mean over the next 2 seasons.
Leatherhead
August 02, 2019 at 01:58 pm
I'd agree, but I think if Allison can stay healthy he'll get quite a few snaps and that's a pretty good group if your top 4 are Adams, MSV, ESB, and Allison. I think if your QB is as good as Rodgers, you should be able to move the ball through the air with this bunch. Plus you've got Graham, Jones, and Williams to help. If our O-line is even AVERAGE we should be score enough points.
Rak43
August 02, 2019 at 02:22 pm
Indeed! I am a big fan of G-Mo, Kumerow, and Moore, and I can also see the talent level of all 5 of them. I just think with the progression they've all shown MVS, and ESB seem to me to be the most well rounded of the bunch and are both among the top 3 in that group athletically. I kinda look at Kumerow and Allison in the same mold as heady veterans whom Rodgers trusts to be in the right spot and make plays. I also think both are above average athletes but not at the level of MVS, ESB, and Moore.
Rak43
August 02, 2019 at 01:48 pm
Definitely count me among those who disagree with you. The entire point of this article is about the talent level in the room and how deep it is. I'm not sure who you think coming out of college is going to be better than the athletically gifted young and experienced receivers already on the roster.
Coldworld
August 02, 2019 at 02:15 pm
Since the draft is after the season, the only thing that one can say with certainty is that we will have a much better idea of what our draft needs are at WR or anywhere else in plenty of time to plan accordingly.
dobber
August 02, 2019 at 03:05 pm
^^THIS^^
PAPackerbacker
August 02, 2019 at 03:21 pm
GMO is a master at coming back to the ball when the QB is forced out of the pocket and scrambling. He is an excellent route runner and a smart player with hard work ethics and great hands. May not be the fastest receiver but can catch the ball and keep the sticks moving. He leads by example. This guy will have a great season if he can remain healthy. MVS has great size and speed and an intelligent player. He will do well. ESB has good size and ability and pretty good hands. Kumerow has the trust of Rodgers and great hands. Even Trevor Davis has shown improvement this year. A lot of talent at WR for the Packers. They will do well. And of course they have Davante Adams, one of the best.
WestCoastPackerBacker
August 02, 2019 at 05:12 pm
This year will tell whether your idea has merit. No reason to worry about drafting a WR high next year until we see how these guys develop.
jannesbjornson
August 02, 2019 at 05:55 pm
I agree, someone from the number two to three spot.
Lare
August 02, 2019 at 12:29 pm
A lot of rookies come into the league after having gotten by on sheer athleticism for years. Once they reach the NFL they learn they have to work hard as every player there has elite athleticism.
Coldworld
August 02, 2019 at 07:03 pm
Others come from an offense that asks and teaches few if any of the concepts and ancillary skills. Moore is an example. Takes time.
JohnnyLogan
August 02, 2019 at 01:21 pm
I know it's the second year for most of our young WR's but we need to have at least two of them become reliable NFL receivers against the best CB's in the world. Each of our guys is lacking in some skill or he wouldn't have been drafted so late. We're all buying into the spring hype but look around the league and every team has guys like this who are being hyped. What we had in the glory years were legitimate studs; Jordy, Jennings, Cobb, Driver, Jones... three or four of them at a time. This current group will take time to further develop, maybe the entire year, but to come anywhere close to what Rodgers once had at his disposal is a pipe dream, at least for this year. Hopefully, we won't have to see balls getting thrown into the fifth row every set of downs, but Rodgers is still likely to lead the league in that ignominious category. I would have liked us to draft a WR in the 2nd round. Gute ignoring that position reminds me of Stearns of the Brewers ignoring the starting pitching because he had what he thought were three young studs. One developed, the other two bombed, and Stearns had no backup plan. Hope this isn't the case with the Pack.
holmesmd
August 02, 2019 at 01:36 pm
Its takes an average of 3 yrs for even high draft WR’s to develop. Have some patience.
ShanghaiKid
August 02, 2019 at 01:57 pm
Ah..The OP has some good points. There's a reason the offense is getting dominated in camp, look at where all the draft and FA resources are being spent. That's just to catch the defense back up from years of misses and letting talented guys walk out the door.
Offense needs attention. Rodgers isn't a spring chicken anymore, the plan can no longer be, "Well we have Aaron Rodgers." Get him difference makers.
Coldworld
August 02, 2019 at 04:22 pm
Yes, they are learning a new system with new calls and route trees and new coaches and techniques. There is a reason: it was expected.
Relax. Right now the problem may be which playmakers to keep on O.
Leatherhead
August 02, 2019 at 02:06 pm
Here's how I figure it.
We want to run more and throw less, and we want to throw to the TE and the RBs more. Adams is your primary target and he commands double teams. You have to have a guy on the field who can guard Jimmy Graham. That means that the other WR on the field is going to be in a nearly perpetual state single coverage.
So you need to have a guy who can cover a guy like Allison, or MSV, or ESB. That's a "tall order" (pun intended). And IMO, that's where a lot of our biggest plays on offense will come. If you're lining up some UDFA rookie at corner (as we had to last year) then there are going to be problems.
ShanghaiKid
August 02, 2019 at 02:47 pm
Hey Old School, those are some good points. I don’t disagree that the current group has some upside. And if the current group can prove they can win 1v1 consistently, I’ll war my crow.
My counterpoint would be that we’re not hearing about the big plays from the offense so far. Tony Brown who is an UDFA is locking guys up. There’s a lot of factors to that as well, I get that. My point is it would be nice to find a compliment like AB had in JuJu the last years with the Steelers.
Leatherhead
August 02, 2019 at 02:56 pm
That is a good counterpoint....that the defense is thwarting the offense with the existing talent in training camp. If Tony Brown is locking up our WRs, that's not a real strong endorsement of the WRs.
I kind of think we should try to run it 30 times and throw it 30 times on offense, and of the 30 throws I'd want at least 10 of them to go to Adams because commands double teams and still wins. About 7 will go to the TE. Another 4 or 5 to the RB and we're . We're down to 8 targets/ game for Allison-ESB-MSV.
Coldworld
August 02, 2019 at 04:28 pm
Tony Brown has played well. But then I think Tony Brown is a pretty good prospect, but I don’t know where the idea comes from that he has been locking down receivers any more than Alexander or King have.
The D has made some good plays and the DBs look good, but the O has scored a ton of completions despite not yet being in sync. We’re that nit the case, with the current rules, there would be something drastically wrong. Fortunately it’s nit true if Brown or anyone. For a bit of fun dig up the clip of Shepherd torching Jaire for a TD.
Coldworld
August 02, 2019 at 04:29 pm
I can see this WR crop having a higher upside than that group for the brief period it was together and all at their peak.
No guarantees of course, but In any case, for the most part the Packers never blessed Favre or Rodgers with a consistently deep WR corps, which this could perhaps evolve into.
Leatherhead
August 02, 2019 at 02:44 pm
Well, that group that had Driver, Jennings, James Jones and Jordy Nelson was pretty good. Then we added Cobb.
Favre had a lot of good football players around him during his time in Green Bay, and when we didn't have enough of them we went 4-12.
We should slow our roll. We have one guy who has proven he can start the whole season and get open and make catches. His name is Davante Adams. After that, we've got 'promising' guys and a guy coming off injury.
Coldworld
August 02, 2019 at 04:36 pm
I take your point. I think we need to realize that there is a lot of youth and inexperience on both O and D and that that will lead to mistakes.
I suppose my point is that I believe we have a lot of high ceiling players and that thus far they are showing signs of growth.
I am particularly happy that players like Brown (in season pick up) and maybe a Shepherd, Bolton or Redding seem to showcase potential to be more than just the normal back end. If we pick up one of those a season that tilts the game in our favor. That’s what I love about camp.
baldski
August 02, 2019 at 04:59 pm
Yes, I remember Ron Wolfe saying his regrets for not getting Favre top notch receivers.
holmesmd
August 02, 2019 at 10:06 pm
Freeman, Sharpe, and Javon Walker weren’t top notch receivers?! Huh? You must be kidding. SMH
Coldworld
August 03, 2019 at 09:31 am
Talking about a group as opposed to the top one or even 2.
holmesmd
August 03, 2019 at 11:44 am
Robert Brooks...all of his TE’s..Chewy, Bubba...No idea wha Ron said but Favre had very good receiver talent across the entire offense! Their offensive production was insane. Aside from what Ron “thought” at the time of the statement...history has proven him wrong.;)
WestCoastPackerBacker
August 02, 2019 at 05:23 pm
I think I'll trust the talent evaluators GB has. If they felt they were so lacking in talent, they would have done something about it. Adding a rookie again wouldn't have made much difference this year. They needed another G/C as well. If Rodgers is high on these guys right now, and the offense is one that schemes players free, then we could have a great year.
Walter Football, a draft site I follow, says EQ might have been a first rounder if he'd come out a year earlier. His big issues was the awful play at QB at Notre Dame once Kizer left.
And the NFL draft site says this about Moore: "Moore is still raw and will need time to expand his knowledge and feel for the position, but he has the talent to become a WR3 or WR2 within the first two or three years."
I think the talent is there. And they will develop this year and we'll see it.
BoHunter
August 02, 2019 at 01:41 pm
Tom Brady would win ring #7 with our receivers. Rodgers just needs to throw them the ball and quit worrying so much about an interception. I also get sick of hearing Rodgers won’t throw guys a ball unless they earn his trust in practice, yeah I get it, but get over yourself diva! If you see someone open in a game throw them the F@#%ing ball !! 12 pretty much ran Janis out of town because he wouldn’t throw him the ball and thought he was a redneck. He gave Adams 100 times more second chances after he couldn’t catch a cold his second year and look how that turned out.
Leatherhead
August 02, 2019 at 02:47 pm
If a coach trusts a guy enough to put him on the field then the QB needs to trust the coach and execute.
PAPackerbacker
August 02, 2019 at 03:26 pm
I couldn't agree more Old School. Well stated.
Coldworld
August 02, 2019 at 04:36 pm
Without a doubt
ottscay
August 02, 2019 at 03:28 pm
Sigh, this old cannard again? "Not trusting" a receiver isn't about whether Rodgers would let a teammate house sit for him, it's about whether they were correctly running the route tree. McCarthy's offense was based on a route tree where you had to be able to run the correct version of the route based on what the defense did after the snap - done correctly this helps space denders and gets receivers open. It also is what determines the timing and location of back shoulder passes. It frequently requires throwing the ball before the receiver makes his break, so if the receiver doesn't understand where and when he is supposed to break, the ball is already in the air (and quite possibly an easy interception) by the time the QB realizes the receiver messed up. THAT is why Janis couldn't cut it, he never could learn the proper way to read the defense. The fact that he sometimes looked open after the ball was supposed to be thrown (but in the wrong part of the field) doesn't mean Rodgers was avoiding him because he didn't like him. Also, FWIW Janis has been quick to come to Rodgers defense on QB1 being a good leader on the team, even though Janis is out of football and selling tires for a living.
This myth about Janis not getting a fair shot, or Rodgers picking on him because he likes to hunt and fish is absolutely ridiculous.
Coldworld
August 02, 2019 at 04:38 pm
MM barely put Janis on O.
ottscay
August 02, 2019 at 10:00 pm
Right. Because Janis couldn't reliably run the correct routes. Notice Janis was pretty much only in when they had too many injuries at the position, or to set up a jet sweep (which Janis was quite good at!). Even Jordy Nelson has said it took him 3 years before he could run the correct routes without thinking about them, so it's hardly a surprise that some never get it.
To be fair to Janis, there are other offensive schemes, and quite possibly he would have been more successful if he'd been drafted by a team running one with less complicated route trees. But regardless, this had nothing to do with Rodgers not liking Janis personally, or being a diva - Janis simply was never consistently in the right place, and that impacts not just his route, but the routes of other receivers that are running them correctly on the same side of the field.
flackcatcher
August 03, 2019 at 01:17 pm
JANIS! (sob......:) OK, lets not over look what Rodgers did. Most of Rodgers problems vs the WR was on Rodgers himself. McCarthy had tore down most of his route tree and gave Rodgers far more options in his system. Or to be blunt, Rodger's offensive scheme in McCarthy system. That Rodgers could not, or would not throw to the youngsters is strictly on him. The new offensive system puts everybody on the same page, no more excuses from QB1 on that point. Two: Most of the critics hammered Rodgers for not taking responsibility for his calls on the field. Video tells the tale. The number of WR who were open on slants and curl and wheel routes in the past system were the same as previous years. The difference is Rodgers got greedy, and went full Farve. The failure of the Packer offense to execute rested on the shoulders of one Aaron Charles Rodgers, and the league knew it. That's why it was Rodgers, not McCarthy that got roasted over this past off season. Lets hope that Rodgers has learned his lesson, and puts his ego away, and gives his WR the chance in MLF system.
holmesmd
August 03, 2019 at 01:10 am
Are you an NFL coach or coordinator? Just curious
WestCoastPackerBacker
August 02, 2019 at 05:28 pm
How does a turnover help our offense? One of the worst plays, most game-changing plays on the field is a turnover, giving the opponent another possession and taking one away from the offense.
That's why the WRs have to gain Rodgers' trust. Because they have to be where they are expected to be, b/c often the ball is headed that way before they make their breaks. And if they can't be consistent, then that throw and be picked off. Not because he is a diva. Because protecting the ball is a big way to keeping winning games.
All the other successful WRs learned it. These young guys can too and by all accounts they are doing so.
I think a Hall of Fame QB knows more whet he needs to see from a WR than you sitting there swearing on the internet. Part of the proof is Jeff Janis. He could never get on the same page and earn #12's trust. And when he was let go, he did nothing in CLE and he's out of the league. Meanwhile all the clueless fans crying b/c McCarthy wouldn't play him.
holmesmd
August 03, 2019 at 01:09 am
Not sounding very objective with that rhetoric dude ChillOUT!!
PatrickGB
August 02, 2019 at 04:50 pm
Different Coaches different scheme and plays. Healthy Rodgers and more experienced receivers. It’s going to be different. Can’t wait.
Coldworld
August 02, 2019 at 07:08 pm
And better O line and hopefully deeper.
GatorJason
August 02, 2019 at 06:38 pm
My current WR pecking order and Value:
10 D. Adams: All Pro. Enough said.
8.0 T. Davis: VG Speed WR. VG punt returner.
8.0 G. Allison: 2nd best WR but limited ST value
7.5 J. Kumerow: 3rd best WR. Good ST value.
7.5 MVS: G-VG Size/Speed WR. G kick returner.
7.5 ESB: G-VG Size/Speed WR. G-VG ST coverage.
7.0 J. Moore: VG elusive WR. Dependability?
6.5 D. Shepherd: Elusive slot WR. Potential PS.
6.5 A. Lazard: Big WR who can play. Potential PS.
6.0 T. Redding: Good WR. No standout traits
6.0 M. Taylor: Good WR. No standout traits.
5.5 J. Davis: No standout traits shown.
Packers cannot keep seven WRs even though they have seven who belong on a 53. Trade someone in top seven and keep Shepherd or Lazard on Practice Squad. Packers GM drafted three WR in 2018 hoping two would stick. Problem is that all three look like winners and FA’s Allison and Kumerow both play like savvy, very reliable veterans who are more reliable than all other WRs not named Davante Adams. T. Davis will play limited snaps but will draw immediate attention whenever he is on the field. MVS has highest ceiling with ESB not far behind.
Coldworld
August 02, 2019 at 07:11 pm
I can’t agree that Kumerow is third best receiver and in a fan due to his ability to do everything pretty well. On Redding: might have the best hands in camp and has a heck of a vertical.
We need to see these guys play. There is a ton of talent diversity and a ton of potential. Which ones make it happen in games?
GatorJason
August 02, 2019 at 10:54 pm
My ratings are based on body of work to date. I'll redo it again after preseason games are played. Potential is always captivating. Performance on game day is what really counts. Kumerow delivers consistently when on the field. Others may pass him due to their higher athletic ceiling but they are not there yet. For now, believe your lying eyes instead of what your brain logically says should be the right answer.
Samson
August 02, 2019 at 11:16 pm
"based on body of work to date"
Your list looks like a "personal favorites" list...... Most on your list have very little to base anything on... except Adams.... The rest are in the very early stages of their careers.
GatorJason
August 03, 2019 at 01:37 am
It's based on information to date including last year. What else is there to go by? Ratings can change with more data. The best performers go to top. Some of the lower rated players can improve their status with better or more consistent performances. I like the potential of some receivers but they need to step up when given opportunity. Rankings may change after Packers go live against other teams but this is how they shake out now IMO. You don't have to agree but I do not base value assessment on "who I like best" but rather who performs better on the field as WR and ST player. I expect MVS, ESB and maybe Shepherd to increase their value/rating during preseason. Until that happens though, I stand by my ratings.
holmesmd
August 03, 2019 at 11:50 am
He’s your crush. Allison does what you’re fawning over with JK. You’re being bias, purposefully or accidentally. Just sayin
AgrippaLII
August 02, 2019 at 09:12 pm
I think the WR talent is very promising...so much so that whoever doesn't make the 53 man roster won't be on the practice squad long!
BoHunter
August 02, 2019 at 10:41 pm
And Janis only had one of the best playoff performances in recent years because he was a stiff off the street who got lucky. I get your point gentlemen but the truth lies somewhere in the middle. You don’t have to have a difficult route tree sometimes for a receiver to be effective. Sometimes Run Forrest Run works just fine, look at Willie Gault with the 85 FIBs
ottscay
August 03, 2019 at 12:25 am
He did, but those in fact were "run like hell and catch a bomb" plays against the Cardinals. It had nothing to do with how the offense was normally run, and it was in fact quite lucky (though full props to his athleticism, and coming down with the ball).
I also agree that there are ways to construct an offense that could better use his abilities, but there isn't really in more traditional West Coast offenses (and especially the way McCarthy ran it). In point of fact the jet sweeps Janis was used on were probably McCarthy's attempt to use Janis to his strengths. You can also once in a while use them ona pure go route, but you can't do that too often or else the CB just sits on the route (and anything more complicated than that means you are back to a route tree). At the very least McCarthy wasn't willing to shift his entire offense around Janis' abilities. But whether that's good or bad doesn't really matter - the main point is it had nothing to do with Rodgers opinion of Janis as a person, and "trust" had to do with basic competence within the requirements of the offense. We need to move past the notion that Rodgers didn't throw to someone who was open because he didn't like him, which is not true.
flackcatcher
August 03, 2019 at 01:50 pm
Disagree on Rodgers. His actions on the field last year put the 'he throws to the open man' to bed. And the west coast offense went away in 2012 and came back briefly in 2014 and the second half of 2016. I have my theory on why, but I'll leave that for another post. As for the NFL, the reason Janis is no longer in the league is simple. Money. Teams no longer have the option to carry a specialist ST outside of Kicker or Punter. The push to a pass game has made changed the rosters all over the league, and not in a good way. Janis became expendable when there were cheaper players who were a step below but decent on special teams. Janis was a 'blue chip' ST in a league that devalued special teams in general. Just like ILB and FB he did not fit in the 'new NFL'. Both Moore and Davis and to a lesser degree Kumerow all face the same issue Janis faced. We'll know what kind of WR the Packers want in heir new system soon enough.
BoHunter
August 02, 2019 at 10:41 pm
And Janis only had one of the best playoff performances in recent years because he was a stiff off the street who got lucky. I get your point gentlemen but the truth lies somewhere in the middle. You don’t have to have a difficult route tree sometimes for a receiver to be effective. Sometimes Run Forrest Run works just fine, look at Willie Gault with the 85 FIBs
Fastenerpuller
August 03, 2019 at 02:38 am
Has anyone else noticed that most of Davis’ standout plays seem to be coming from Boyle or Kizer, not #12?
Hematite
August 03, 2019 at 07:15 am
Kumero and Davis looked very good during the Family Night practice.
Adams looked great!
Jmon Moore not good at all.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
August 03, 2019 at 10:05 am
Moore didnt get the opportunities...I was there watching him.
Davis had the most receptions from my unofficial count.
Donster
August 03, 2019 at 07:49 am
I'm am quite surprised about how much improvement Davis has made in his route running and it seems he may have benefited because of the new offense. I'm curious how well he does in next weeks pre-season game. If he continues to play well in that game, he may prove he really belongs as a receiver, not just a punt returner.
It will be a crime if Kumerow doesn't make the 53, especially if he continues at the pace he has so far, and plays like he did on Family night.
I still do not trust J'mon Moore. He still is inconsistent. He is still dropping passes and not running routes well. He had trouble learning MM's offense last year. He has to learn another this year. He needs to go to the practice squad. I'm sure Gute doesn't want to cut him because he drafted him. But there is no shame in doing so when you know is just doesn't have it. Gute doesn't need to be another TT and keep guys around that suck, but since he drafted them, he kept them around to long, taking up a roster spot for someone who could play and contribute.
LambeauPlain
August 03, 2019 at 09:01 am
I think at this point...and still a LONG way to go...Kumerow has made the 53 and is moving up the depth chart. He'd likely be on the field when the Packers go with 4 WR sets: Adams, MVS, Allison (slot) and Kumerow.
And I think he would take some snaps from MVS as the 3rd wideout in some 3 WR sets.
Like Adams, Rodgers targets him as his #1 or #2 read because he trusts him to be in the exact right spot and he rarely disappoints.
flackcatcher
August 03, 2019 at 01:57 pm
Kumerow just can not stay healthy. If he can make thru the season, then he has value. He is a good football player. But the Packers will cut him if he can not get on the field. Youth is the watch word for this team, and like Ted, Gute protects his draft choices.
jeepingmakooi
August 03, 2019 at 08:05 am
At family night I watched alot of three recover sets.. even when running the ball. I still see at a minimum 6 making this roster. O don't see the depth as an issue yet.. time will tell as the season grinds on and when injury takes its hold
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
August 03, 2019 at 03:30 pm
Jeep,
Agreed!
Let me just say I like Kumerow as much as anyone! I know my thoughts below will not be popular.
Having said that if Pack only keep 6 WR's I think Kumerow is at risk. Everything points to Davis (having a hell of a camp and Family Night at WR), and Jmon coming on. Jmon very raw but extremely talented and according to camp reports having a very good camp.
Kumerow at best at #6 WR but IMHO #7 when calculating he will be 28-years old this year. He is what he is which is a very good receiver. However, there is no more upside! He is a good steady ball control receiver who is a try hard type. Jmon, ESB and MVS have significantly more upside with experience, athletism, and youth. None of those 3 would stay on Practice Squad.
It sounds like Kumerow might still be a Practice Squad possibility based on some info.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
August 03, 2019 at 03:26 pm
Duplication deleted!