Packers 2020 WR Corps

[craig]

17 hours ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

Agreed completely. I'll also add that I don't think MVS really fits here. He's playing because he's a markedly better talent than the rest, not because we love him.

I'm not sure.  He, is isn't super instinctive, he doesn't have good hands, he's less coordinated than most NFL players, and I think the coordination/instincts issues sometimes factor in his blocking, too.  So maybe we don't "love" him.  

But his speed gives him a really important fit into the present offense, I think.  Maybe he's gotten so many targets because he's such a good fit? 

• He's pretty much dominated the deep targets, most of which have either succeeded or had the chance to succeed but just missed. 
• Given the complexity of the offense and the attention given to Adams and Jones and elsewhere, MVS has gotten a decent bit of single-coverage, which provides opportunity. 
• And he's not just been the deep ball guy.  He's gotten wide open target crossing, the one he made a difficult catch on a high-throw and made a nice gain on Sunday; and the egregious drop with tons of running space against Vikings. 
• And he's gotten some nice short completions underneath outside, perhaps when his deep-speed induces a corner to give him sizable cushion. 

So I guess it seems to me that he looks to be a really nice complementary fit here.  If you're going to take what the defense gives, it seems like early on that sometimes it's giving opportunities to MVS, deep ones, crossing ones, and big-cushion quick outside ones.   The Packers scheme just has so much else going on, and the respect that Jones and Adams command produces so much defensive attention elsewhere, that MVS seems a really good fit. 

Edited September 23, 2020 by craig

[Uffdaswede]

1 hour ago, craig said:

I'm not sure.  He, is isn't super instinctive, he doesn't have good hands, he's less coordinated than most NFL players, and I think the coordination/instincts issues sometimes factor in his blocking, too.  So maybe we don't "love" him.  

But his speed gives him a really important fit into the present offense, I think.  Maybe he's gotten so many targets because he's such a good fit? 

• He's pretty much dominated the deep targets, most of which have either succeeded or had the chance to succeed but just missed. 
• Given the complexity of the offense and the attention given to Adams and Jones and elsewhere, MVS has gotten a decent bit of single-coverage, which provides opportunity. 
• And he's not just been the deep ball guy.  He's gotten wide open target crossing, the one he made a difficult catch on a high-throw and made a nice gain on Sunday; and the egregious drop with tons of running space against Vikings. 
• And he's gotten some nice short completions underneath outside, perhaps when his deep-speed induces a corner to give him sizable cushion. 

So I guess it seems to me that he looks to be a really nice complementary fit here.  If you're going to take what the defense gives, it seems like early on that sometimes it's giving opportunities to MVS, deep ones, crossing ones, and big-cushion quick outside ones.   The Packers scheme just has so much else going on, and the respect that Jones and Adams command produces so much defensive attention elsewhere, that MVS seems a really good fit. 

I think it may have been a deep ball catch where he stepped out of bounds as the sideline camera caught an excellent view of his running. Honestly, I don't know how he can generate such elite speed with that herky jerky wasted motion unbalanced mess of a stride. And that probably explains why he seems to end up on the ground or out of bounds a lot--tough to balance from that platform. That said, I love the guy.

[Packerraymond]

15 hours ago, {Family Ghost} said:

I want silky smooth wideouts with good hands .. guys that are smart players that can run precise routes at a nice rate of speed.  We currently have one of those in Adams, and maybe a second in ESB, if he can ever get on the field.  Lazard and MVS are not types that I would ever draft.  Greg Jennings in his early years is probably my ideal wideout.  He was a quick study early on, and an excellent route runner with great hands.  He wasn't a speed merchant, but his mind was so good and his skills so precise that he had little trouble getting open.  Also, he was tough as nails, and willing to go to part of the field where you were bound to take a shot. 

Lazard is all those things you listed.

[incognito_man]

22 hours ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

What is a Lazard?

an amphibian? maybe?

been awhile

[Chili]

I'm sure we're looking to add a WR to the roster because If Adams is out this week then we would have only 3 WRs available. Seems likely Shepherd or Foster will be activated either as a weekly PS promotion or added to the 53.

Anyway a tryout guy we brought just a few days ago is intriguing. Jordan Leverette.

He's a highly athletic WR who also did track in college. Forty: 4.47s, Vert: 40", Broad: 129"

He's an extremely long shot guy. Played for a D3 college,  a do it all guy -  WR, KR, PR Gunner, Blocker, DB. Sounds like he was their main WR and did just about everything on ST. He graduated in 2018 but not sure why he didn't latch on to a tryout or UDFA contract. It seems as soon college was over his football career was done. He ended up working as a senior academic advisor at his college for a while.  It appears he very recently decided to give football a shot again. He partook in the National Scouting Combine earlier this year and three of his college highlight videos were added to youtube over the past month. Now he has been rewarded with a tryout opportunity with the Packers.

How he came to the attention of the Packers scouts I do not know! 

Here's his National Scouting Combine report: https://nationalscoutingcombine.com/nsc-scouting-report-jordan-leverette/

If we promote one of our PS receivers then perhaps maybe he might have a shot on our PS.

[MrBobGray]

4 hours ago, Packerraymond said:

Lazard is all those things you listed.

Think a lot of people see Lazard as something he's not.  Again, not to beat this horse too much, but the man had essentially the same workout as Mike Evans at the same size.  He may not be Calvin Johnson, but he's not your average street FA either.  That's a damn good all-around athlete with an even better connection with Rodgers and a great mind for what the offense wants from him.

As for Jennings, people rely on 40 times way to much, but even having said that it's weird people don't think of Jennings as having been real damn fast.  He ran 4.42 with a 6.68 3-cone at 197 lbs, which is absolutely real damn fast.  4.42 would have tied him for 8th at the 2019 combine, and his 6.68 3-cone was way faster than anyone else in that group posted (outside of Miles Boykin, who put up 6.77).  Only one other player came in sub-7.00.  Unexpectedly he also would have done it 10 lbs heavier than four of the guys who posted faster times than him, which trips me up when I picture Greg.  

[AlexGreen#20]

29 minutes ago, MrBobGray said:

Think a lot of people see Lazard as something he's not.  Again, not to beat this horse too much, but the man had essentially the same workout as Mike Evans at the same size.  He may not be Calvin Johnson, but he's not your average street FA either.  That's a damn good all-around athlete with an even better connection with Rodgers and a great mind for what the offense wants from him.

As for Jennings, people rely on 40 times way to much, but even having said that it's weird people don't think of Jennings as having been real damn fast.  He ran 4.42 with a 6.68 3-cone at 197 lbs, which is absolutely real damn fast.  4.42 would have tied him for 8th at the 2019 combine, and his 6.68 3-cone was way faster than anyone else in that group posted (outside of Miles Boykin, who put up 6.77).  Only one other player came in sub-7.00.  Unexpectedly he also would have done it 10 lbs heavier than four of the guys who posted faster times than him, which trips me up when I picture Greg.  

Greg Jennings doesn't get nearly enough credit for being phenomenally talented

[MrBobGray]

2 hours ago, Chili said:

I'm sure we're looking to add a WR to the roster because If Adams is out this week then we would have only 3 WRs available. Seems likely Shepherd or Foster will be activated either as a weekly PS promotion or added to the 53.

Anyway a tryout guy we brought just a few days ago is intriguing. Jordan Leverette.

He's a highly athletic WR who also did track in college. Forty: 4.47s, Vert: 40", Broad: 129"

He's an extremely long shot guy. Played for a D3 college,  a do it all guy -  WR, KR, PR Gunner, Blocker, DB. Sounds like he was their main WR and did just about everything on ST. He graduated in 2018 but not sure why he didn't latch on to a tryout or UDFA contract. It seems as soon college was over his football career was done. He ended up working as a senior academic advisor at his college for a while.  It appears he very recently decided to give football a shot again. He partook in the National Scouting Combine earlier this year and three of his college highlight videos were added to youtube over the past month. Now he has been rewarded with a tryout opportunity with the Packers.

How he came to the attention of the Packers scouts I do not know! 

Here's his National Scouting Combine report: https://nationalscoutingcombine.com/nsc-scouting-report-jordan-leverette/

If we promote one of our PS receivers then perhaps maybe he might have a shot on our PS.

Love the post, but feel I should point out the team is likely plenty happy to roll into a game with only 3 WRs up.  Team runs a lot of 12/13 personnel anyways, and Ervin was cross-training as a receiver all camp.  

[craig]

Ervin not listed on the injury report.  

Agree with earlier posts, Jennings was a tremendous player and an outstanding talent.  Would love to somehow come up with another WR like Jennings.  Under-appreciated.  

[Deps]

Maybe I'm wrong, but even going back to his college days Lazard always struck me as a big receiver who was good at doing big receiver things (run blocking, using his body to shield defenders, etc.), a guy whose physical skills and football skills fit together well enough to allow him to be successful even if he wasn't going to wow with his athleticism.

And yes, Jennings was plenty fast and ultra-quick.

[Joe]

1 hour ago, Deps said:

Maybe I'm wrong, but even going back to his college days Lazard always struck me as a big receiver who was good at doing big receiver things (run blocking, using his body to shield defenders, etc.), a guy whose physical skills and football skills fit together well enough to allow him to be successful even if he wasn't going to wow with his athleticism.

And yes, Jennings was plenty fast and ultra-quick.

Lazard punched down going to Iowa St. but his dad played there so it was a foregone conclusion that he'd go there. He played with horrible QB's and marginal talent around him during the Rhodes years and got a better shot than another Cyclone by the name of Todd Blythe, who was basically the same player, only he was white.

[spilltray]

My favorite type of WR is more in the Jordy Nelson mold. Long, precise, and the body control to create windows even when covered, plus the added benefit of being a good blocker. I'd love MVS if he could have that consistency. 

[{Family Ghost}]

19 hours ago, Packerraymond said:

Lazard is all those things you listed.

You think so?  He's definitely not as polished as a guy like Jennings.  I would say there is almost no comparison between the two, but that's not to say that Lazard is not a useful player.  I wouldn't call him silky smooth, or tab him as a guy that gets much separation out there.  His hands aren't particularly good .. he's got a lot of drops the past two years.  I'm not sure how crisp his route running is .. almost definitely not on par with a guy like Jennings.

[Fl0nkerton]

28 minutes ago, {Family Ghost} said:

You think so?  He's definitely not as polished as a guy like Jennings.  I would say there is almost no comparison between the two, but that's not to say that Lazard is not a useful player.  I wouldn't call him silky smooth, or tab him as a guy that gets much separation out there.  His hands aren't particularly good .. he's got a lot of drops the past two years.  I'm not sure how crisp his route running is .. almost definitely not on par with a guy like Jennings.

he's got 3 drops in 63 career targets according to pfr

[{Family Ghost}]

27 minutes ago, Fl0nkerton said:

he's got 3 drops in 63 career targets according to pfr

I think he has three this year already.  

 

Receiver Allen Lazard (3-for-45) dropped three passes – a corner route that would have picked up a big chunk of yards early in the second quarter, and on back-to-back plays on a third-quarter drive that ended in a punt.3 days ago

 

Green Bay Packers 4 Downs: Dropped passes a potential ...

Edited September 24, 2020 by {Family Ghost}