Excellent GB WR Article

[hoffdaddy 1]

This was a great read. Goes to show a couple things:

 

1. Donald Driver is STILL extremely underrated.

 

2. Robert Ferguson's days are numbered in Green Bay.

 

3. The loser of the Ferguson/Gardner battle is probably going to be waived.

 

4. Greg Jennings played in a similar offense in college, and they have high hopes for him.

 

5. Outside of Driver, this is a freaking mess.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=471223

From the penthouse to street free agents

After Driver, rest of unit must step up

 

By ROB REISCHEL

Special to Packer Plus

 

Posted: July 19, 2006

Green Bay - It was just 12 short months ago that James Franklin - then Green Bay's wide receivers coach - was salivating over the riches he had inherited.

 

Franklin insisted he had three No. 1 receivers in Javon Walker, Donald Driver and Robert Ferguson. Rookie Terrence Murphy had coaches giddy and veteran Antonio Chatman provided reliable depth.

 

Today, no one around 1265 Lombardi Ave. is nearly as excited about a group of wide receivers that has changed dramatically.

 

The disgruntled Walker was traded to Denver this off-season after tearing his right ACL in last year's season-opener. Chatman left in free agency and Murphy's promising career was cut short by a neck injury.

 

In addition, Ferguson flopped when given a chance to prove himself. So today, the only proven commodity the Packers have at the position is Driver.

 

"Hey, guys have to step up," Packers offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said. "They've got to be productive. Those guys have to be productive. We have to have the guys that are the unknown quantity right now step up to another level."

 

To date, though, Driver's the only one who has done that.

 

Considered too small and primarily a track athlete coming out of Alcorn State as a seventh-round draft pick in 1999, Driver has gotten more out of his career than anyone could have dared to dream.

 

Driver set career-highs last season in receptions (86) and receiving yards (1,221). Even more impressive was he did it against constant double teams.

 

Driver, 31, is in remarkable physical condition with body fat in the 4% range. Despite suffering a sprained neck in the 2003 opener, Driver's downright fearless and does most of his damage over the middle. His hands have gotten better through the years and he hasn't lost much of his world-class high-jump skills that once saw him reach 7-feet 6½ inches.

 

Driver has moved into seventh place on the Packers' all-time receptions list (329) and sits just 26 shy of Max McGee at No. 6. And over the last four seasons, Driver's 4,114 receiving yards rank 11th in the NFL.

 

Because of his diminutive stature (6-0, 190), many scouts still see Driver as a No. 2 wide receiver. In fact, "Pro Football Weekly" recently ranked Driver as just the 27th-best wide receiver in football. But on a Green Bay team lacking other weapons, Driver will be the unquestioned No. 1 this fall.

 

"I love guys like Donald Driver," Packers receivers coach Jimmy Robinson said shortly after getting the job. "He's tough and gutty and does what you ask. And he's been extremely productive."

 

The problem Green Bay faces is no one else among its remaining wide receivers has been very productive.

 

Journeyman Rod Gardner and Ferguson have had largely disappointing five-year careers. Free-agent Marc Boerigter has done little since a big rookie season in 2002. And the rest of the group is littered with rookies and street free agents.

 

"That whole position group is wide open. Wide open," Jagodzinski said. "And the more wide open, the better it is. The guy that really wants that position is going to step up. He's got to. And the more competition the better. I've never seen a man that wanted something back down from competition, ever."

 

Ferguson (6-1, 210) had the chance of a lifetime last season after Walker's injury. Instead, Ferguson failed to capitalize on his big break, then spent the final four games on injured reserve (knee).

 

Ferguson finished with just 27 catches in 11 games, which ranked sixth on the team, and managed but three touchdowns. Ferguson also drew the wrath of quarterback Brett Favre on a Monday night in Carolina when he couldn't control a pass, then was out-muscled for the ball by the Panthers Ken Lucas.

 

"Fergie? He's got to stay healthy," Jagodzinski said. "And he's got to step it up. He's another one of these guys that has to step up."

 

Ferguson, now in his sixth season, talked openly throughout last pre-season that he could be a No. 1 wide receiver. And the Packers, who thought they had great depth at the position, engaged in trade talks with Philadelphia. Today, Green Bay probably wishes it had pulled the trigger.

 

On a playoff team, Ferguson probably wouldn't be anything more than a No. 4 wide receiver. And there's no guarantee he'll make Green Bay's final roster.

 

Ferguson was a favorite of former coach Mike Sherman, but the new staff has no ties to him. So unless Ferguson excels in camp, he could be playing elsewhere in 2006.

 

New Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy was asked recently whether it's make or break time for Ferguson.

 

"No. It's our first year," McCarthy said. "Everybody's got a clean slate and we're going to build the best football team possible."

 

Gardner, a first-round draft choice in 2000, is another veteran fighting for a job. Gardner is on his third team since 2004 and certainly didn't do himself any favors by missing the majority of Green Bay's 14 voluntary practices in June.

 

Gardner (6-2, 215) did impress at the end of the 2005 season after he was waived by Carolina. Green Bay claimed Gardner on Dec. 20, and over the final two games, he caught four passes for 67 yards.

 

Gardner has 240 career catches, including 71 for 1,006 yards in 2002 with Washington. He has outstanding size, although his speed is suspect. With Gardner and Ferguson in their sixth seasons, though, neither player has substantial upside remaining. So the loser of the battle to start opposite Driver could very easily be waived.

 

Click the link at the top to read more.....

[Young_Grasshopper 0]

Good article. I still don't see how Driver is extremely underrated: he's currently the 16th WR in the ADP at antsports, with proven vets like Galloway and Horn below him. I think he'll have another 1100 yard, 9 TD year, but that doesn't elevate him into Steve Smith territory.

 

Lousy Ferguson, step it up, your supposed to be my 15th round sleeper!

[hoffdaddy 1]

Good article. I still don't see how Driver is extremely underrated: he's currently the 16th WR in the ADP at antsports, with proven vets like Galloway and Horn below him. I think he'll have another 1100 yard, 9 TD year, but that doesn't elevate him into Steve Smith territory.

 

Lousy Ferguson, step it up, your supposed to be my 15th round sleeper!

 

When I say underrated, I mean as an NFL wide receiver, not in Fantasy. Though some could make the case there too.

[kristv 0]

I was quite surprised to see that FFToday's Cheatsheet compiler has Driver ranked 5th for WR's. I just checked again to make sure I wasn't seeing things! They have him ranked above Harrison and T.O.! What?!

 

Don't get me wrong. I'm a Packers fan, and Driver is one of my favorite players on the team (second only to Favre, really). I consider him our version of Hines Ward. Tough as nails, underrated, and a hard worker. But I just don't see him being a top-5 with the way the Packers' offense is looking at the moment. If Favre could return to his SB 31 form, the O-line was solid, and our RB situation wasn't such a question mark, MAYBE Driver could be a top-5. But not the way it stands right now.

 

Anyway, good article (nothing new really, but a nice read). Thanks for sharing!

[Jarvis Basnight 119]

I had high hopes for Ferguson coming out of college but he's a waste of space. He's proven every year in one way or another that he is not worth a roster spot. I'd say to give Gardner his spot because he can't do worse.

 

I hope Jennings turns into a solid wr. They could use a stud wr which they just lost in Walker.

[hoffdaddy 1]

I was quite surprised to see that FFToday's Cheatsheet compiler has Driver ranked 5th for WR's. I just checked again to make sure I wasn't seeing things! They have him ranked above Harrison and T.O.! What?!

 

Don't get me wrong. I'm a Packers fan, and Driver is one of my favorite players on the team (second only to Favre, really). I consider him our version of Hines Ward. Tough as nails, underrated, and a hard worker. But I just don't see him being a top-5 with the way the Packers' offense is looking at the moment. If Favre could return to his SB 31 form, the O-line was solid, and our RB situation wasn't such a question mark, MAYBE Driver could be a top-5. But not the way it stands right now.

 

Anyway, good article (nothing new really, but a nice read). Thanks for sharing!

 

Haven't seen that yet. Wow, that is quite a ranking. While I love Driver, I think top ten is reasonable, and that may or may not be ahead of Harrison. Heck, do we know anything about how TO will be used yet in Dallas? Not exactly a gun slinging team down there right?

 

I can't say I fault them too much, because Harrison appears to be declining slightly, and his team has just as many RB questions.

[swamp dog 0]

since when is driver underrated? he's the best they've got, their one and only hope at wr this year.

[hoffdaddy 1]

since when is driver underrated? he's the best they've got, their one and only hope at wr this year.

 

Since this:

Driver has moved into seventh place on the Packers' all-time receptions list (329) and sits just 26 shy of Max McGee at No. 6. And over the last four seasons, Driver's 4,114 receiving yards rank 11th in the NFL.

 

Because of his diminutive stature (6-0, 190), many scouts still see Driver as a No. 2 wide receiver. In fact, "Pro Football Weekly" recently ranked Driver as just the 27th-best wide receiver in football. But on a Green Bay team lacking other weapons, Driver will be the unquestioned No. 1 this fall.

[kristv 0]

since when is driver underrated? he's the best they've got, their one and only hope at wr this year.

 

 

What hoffdaddy said. It doesn't have anything to do with what we ff'ers think about him, it's what the 'pundits' seem to say about him. He's too slim. He lacks consistency. He's not tall enough. Etc., ad nausium. We here all know he is a good WR, but the 'experts' don't seem to think so. They can keep saying whatever they want as far as I'm concerned. He's one of my favorite players in the NFL because he's proven the critics wrong and done things the right way during his career at Green Bay. I, for one, believed he deserved every penny of the extension he just got. I'm happy for him, and happy for the Packers.

[GobbleDog 822]

They need to step it up. They'll have a chance to step it up. If they step it up, they'll be great.

 

Step.

[cmh6476 767]

Boerigter is doing that well, huh?

[jgcrawfish 232]

Average of 3 sites has Driver as the #11 projected WR. On average he goes off the board as the 17th receiver picked. He's underrated in FF because you can get 12-team #1 WR performance out of a #2 WR selection. He's underrated in NFL football because he's the ONLY offense the Pack has.

[Phurfur 70]

I still remember when the Packers drafted Ferguson. Every Packer fan I know was upset because they passed on Chris Chambers. For once the fans did know more than management.

[Jarvis Basnight 119]

I still remember when the Packers drafted Ferguson. Every Packer fan I know was upset because they passed on Chris Chambers. For once the fans did know more than management.

 

Favre to Chambers the past few years would have been great. There would have been no need for Javon Walker. Chambers would be a 1300 yd double digit wr every year.

 

Too bad Green Bay didn't go with the homer Wisconsin pick.