The battles for a club’s final roster spots can make for compelling preseason viewing.
In Green Bay, the play of the offense is worth watching for all four quarters whether you’re a Packers fan or not. The Packers have three backup quarterbacks (Vince Young, Graham Harrell, B.J. Coleman) for, at most, two reserve spots. For the 30-year-old Young, this is an opportunity to jump-start his career.
And the interesting storylines don’t stop on offense in Green Bay. The club’s competition for reserve cornerback roles is worth monitoring as well.
The club’s cornerbacks coach, Joe Whitt, told Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that every one of the team’s nine corners can legitimately play.
“This is the first time I would say all nine of my guys deserve to be on an NFL 53,” Whitt told the Journal Sentinel.
One intriguing player to watch is 6-foot-1, 205-pound Brandon Smith, a 26-year-old converted wide receiver whom McGinn reports has fared well when he bodies up receivers but needs to quickly improve in zone coverage.
“He can press better than a lot of guys in the league right now,” Whitt, who’s in his fifth season coaching Green Bay’s corners, told the Journal Sentinel last week. “It’s just the zone stuff for right now.”
There is always something worth watching in the preseason, especially if you are curious about the back end of a roster. Here’s a prime example.
Photo via Matt Becker/ Packers.com