{image1} With the Brewers only a couple of games out of wild card contention, they have actually held the attention of Milwaukee sports fans into the month of July. In past years, the depth charts of the Green Bay Packers would have already been pinned up on the corkboard.
Training camp has snuck up on us this year. This isn't to say that there is a lack of anticipation for the upcoming football season. The contrary holds true. The Packers are one of the favorites in the NFC, and their preparation for Super Bowl XXXIX begins in less than two weeks.
Before they even put the pads on there are a couple of issues that need to be resolved. Teams that make Super Bowl runs are teams with the least turmoil. The Packers are in a position where what they have built could unravel before play even begins.
Heir Apparent?
Mike Sherman and company has had a busy off-season. After many months, the Packers finally signed Tim Couch to a two-year deal. The former number one overall pick in 1999 will have plenty of time to familiarize himself with the Packer version of the West Coast Offense with hopes of one day becoming the heir apparent to #4. Sherman showed the proper patience in the Couch drama, waiting for the Browns to release Couch and saving the Packers a future draft choice.
Days of Our Lives
The Packers biggest problem going into camp is the ongoing Mike McKenzie soap opera. Not only is there a rift between the Pack and their top cover corner, it is a situation that could divide the team.
At this point the Packers are holding strong--as well they should. Yes, McKenzie is underpaid as far as market value for a corner of his skill goes, but he is the one that signed the long-term deal. Holding out and demanding a trade is not normally what causes the organization to consider restructuring.
It looks like the McKenzie situation has already trickled down throughout the locker room. Bubba Franks is holding his hand out asking where his extension is after the Packers gave Robert Ferguson a raise. Franks' reasoning is that he should be ahead of Ferguson since he was drafted a year earlier and his contract is up at the end of the season--not to mention that he has been named to multiple Pro Bowls. Not bad points, but the aura of selfishness spread by McKenzie can be contagious and tear a team apart.
New Defensive Head
The Packers roll into camp with a familiar face as the new defensive coordinator. Former defensive backs coach Bob Slowik is replacing the jettisoned Ed Donatell. Replacing Slowik as the defensive backs coach is former defensive coordinator of the Redskins and Lions - Kurt Schottenheimer. It will be interesting to see the differences in style that Slowik will implement--especially since there is a good possibility that he may be saddled with a rookie corner.
Slowik has vowed that he will be more aggressive on defense, but there has yet to be a coach in the history of all press conferences that has come and stated that he would like to be passive and sit back in deep soft zones. Slowik got the opportunity because of the debauchery of 4th and 26 in Philadelphia. How far the Packers can go will depend of whether they can defend or not.
Return Help
One of the weaknesses of the 2003-2004 Packers was not having a game breaker in the return game. Antonio Chatman did a fantastic job at handling punts but very little after that. Najeh Davenport developed into a viable threat returning kickoffs. While not a traditional kick returner at 245 lb., Davenport does have 4.5 speed. Who would want to tackle that load at full speed?
One name that could appear on the waiver wire is former Packer Allen Rossum. Rossum left Green Bay two years ago to join the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons drafted DeAngelo Hall with the 8th overall pick and he will most likely take over for Rossum as the Falcons' return man. Packers player personnel director Reggie McKenzie has be quoted as saying that he thought Rossum will most likely be cut and that he would be a guy that the Packers would have interest in brining back.
Rossum was the last returner the Packers had that not only handled the ball well, but also gave them a threat to score every time he touched the ball. One constant of the mid-90s Super Bowl teams was that they absolutely dominated all phases of special teams.
Pass Rush Help
Lastly on the pre-camp docket is the saga of linebacker Jason Gildon. He has narrowed his choices down to the Packers, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills. The Packers are asking Gildon to be a pass rush specialist where both the Bengals and the Bills play are offering a chance at starting. Gildon was very successful in Pittsburgh playing linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. Will he be as successful with his hand on the ground playing a pass-rushing end for the Packers in their 4-3 scheme? Gildon should be making his decision over the next couple of days.
It is mid July, but it is never too early to get excited for the beginning of football season. Every team in the Central Division has made significant improvements to try and keep the Packers from repeating as champions. Many of the pundits are picking the Vikings to dethrone the Pack. The Packers haven't made any significant additions, but are banking on continuity to put them over the top. Regardless of whose picture Chris Hovan has taped to his locker this year it will still be the Packers' division to win or lose. Decisions that are being made now could be the difference between 12-4 and 8-8.
