Published Thursday July 31, 2008
NFL: Former Husker Jackson blasts off in Packers' camp
BY TOM SILVERSTEIN
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
GREEN BAY, Wis. - The similarity between Brett Favre and Ryan Grant is that both want to attend the Packers' training camp.
The difference is that when Grant finally comes in, he'll be a starter.
Seeking a long-term deal from the Packers, the running back remains at home without a contract, waiting for negotiations to kick into gear so he can move his workouts from his New Jersey home to Clarke Hinkle Field. The sides remain far apart on a deal, and it could be weeks before Grant is in camp.
Grant's starting job seems to be secure, but backup Brandon Jackson has been impressive. With every carry the former Nebraska player has received in training camp, he has made a case for getting the ball. When Grant returns, Jackson might be entrenched far enough that the two will share the starting position.
"As far as everything we thought this kid was capable of being and doing, we're starting to see more of that," running backs coach Edgar Bennett said. "We saw that last year, but now you're seeing it more on a consistent basis. The sky's the limit for him. I'm not going to say it just to say it. I mean it."
What happens to Jackson will depend some on when Grant arrives and how quickly he can assimilate himself back into the offense. The one thing going for Grant is that he had a half-season as a starter and developed a good feel for what the Packers try to get done in the running game.
Grant still has a ways to go to be a polished runner and receiver, so there's no question he's suffering from being away from training camp. Bennett said he and Grant talked often, never about the contract situation but just about what's going on in training camp.
"We kind of leave the business side of it out," Bennett said. "It's more making sure that we're still in our book going over assignments. He's doing a fantastic job as far as staying in shape, working out. Actually, he works out on our schedule. He has the schedule so that when we're on the field he's working out, he's running routes and working with his trainers."
Bennett doesn't seem to be too concerned about Grant's absence, given it's just the first week of training camp. At some point, he'll start to fall behind and might lose ground to Jackson, the 2007 second-round pick who began the season as a starter last year.
Jackson, who came out of Nebraska as a junior, didn't make the transition to the pro game very well. He spent a month as the starter but suffered an injured shin and missed the next four games, giving up his starting job to DeShawn Wynn and then Grant.
It wasn't until the end of the season that he started to show himself. He rushed for 113 yards in 20 carries against Detroit and then had 34 yards in eight carries and caught a 13-yard touchdown pass in the Seattle playoff game.
During the offseason, Jackson hit the weight room and put on eight pounds of muscle to help him deal with the wear and tear of the National Football League. At just 22 years old, he's still learning the ins and outs of the game, but he's light years away from where he was at this time last year, when he was forced into the starting role because of injuries.
Referring to Jackson's tough rookie year, Bennett said: "He benefited from that, learning from those examples. It won't get any more difficult than when he first got here.
"You look at him now, when he stepped out on the practice field you could see his confidence level."
As far as practice repetitions go, Jackson is getting the starter's portion, although Bennett sometimes rotates veteran Vernand Morency into that spot. Wynn, a second-year pro, remains third along with Noah Herron and rookie free agent Kregg Lumpkin. All of them are getting more snaps than they normally would because of Grant's absence.
Wynn got his act together in the offseason after a disappointing rookie year and firmed up his body, going from 232 pounds to 238. He probably has the best feet of any of the backs on the roster. With his size, Wynn could be a punishing runner.
But until he shows the maturity necessary to play in the NFL, he'll be a tease.
"He looks good," Bennett said. "He did a fantastic job this offseason. He put in a lot of time and got his body right. He's in a good situation, and now he has to take advantage of this opportunity."
Love to see your logic behind either one of these claims. Waits for the "Did you see how great he did in that meaningless game in the last week of the season vs the superpower detroit lions?"
Classic example of why pre-season hype should be taken with a very large grain of salt. Please let people be stupid enough to draft Jackson while Grant slides down the board.
Classic example of why pre-season hype should be taken with a very large grain of salt. Please let people be stupid enough to draft Jackson while Grant slides down the board.
Classic example of why pre-season hype should be taken with a very large grain of salt. Please let people be stupid enough to draft Jackson while Grant slides down the board.
