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Name: BigE
Email: BigE@idatasports.com
Date: Mon Aug 5 23:01:22 2002

Headline: Packers Receivers Under the Microscope

The Green Bay Packers have opened training camp with huge expectations for the upcoming season. With these huge expectations the Packer brass will undoubtedly have some serious question marks that will have to be answered during camp. Most glaring need will be in the receiving corps. The Packers will feature 2 new starters, and will need to have one or both of them to step up for the Packers to make a serious run at the Super Bowl.

First and foremost, the Packers will need to have Terry Glenn return to his all-pro form. The 5'-11", 195 lb. receiver, in his 7th season out of Ohio State, started out his NFL career with 90 receptions for 1123 yards and 6 TD's in his rookie campaign. Glenn then became somewhat of an enigma, spending a great deal of time on injured reserve. Then he went through some highly publicized personal problems, which no doubt hindered his progress as a professional. When Glenn is on the field, he is considered one of the top receivers in the game. There is no question that Brett Favre has not had a receiver this good since Sterling Sharpe. Glenn proved in mini-camp that he is a fluid athlete, with very soft hands. When he was running his patterns, you can see that he is the fastest man on the field on any given play.

Now the coaches must figure out how they're going to get the ball in Glenn's hands. This job will be made much easier with the emergence of one of the other receivers. Starting opposite of Glenn, will be Robert Ferguson, the 2nd year player out of Texas A&M. Ferguson, who stands 6'-1" a weighs 209 lbs., has all the tools necessary to make plays at this level. But in his 2nd training camp, Ferguson will have to show that he has fully grasped the offense, something he failed to do all last season. Having Ferguson grasp the offense will be very important because this kid has the best hands on the team. He can also bench press a small bus, so it's easy to see why the Packer brass took a gamble on him. Still, Ferguson has made at least as many bad plays in camp, as he has made good plays.

First round draft choice Javon Walker has been a pleasant surprise early in camp. There is no question Walker will be pushing to get on the field in his first year, and so far he performance in camp has dictated that will be sooner than later. He has been remarkable in beating the defensive backs that have tried to jam him at the line of scrimmage. Walker stands 6'-3" and weighs 215 lbs., and is able to run a 4.3 in the 40-yard dash. I can understand why the Packer brass traded up to get this young man, I personally cannot stop drooling over his obvious talent, and so far he is having a spectacular camp.

And let's not forget Donald Driver. I always save him for last because he always seems to be an after thought going into the season. Before the end of the season, Driver will be starting opposite of Terry Glenn. We would all like to see Robert Ferguson turn into a pro-bowler, but Driver is now the leader of the receiving corps. He has been with the Packers the longest and knows the system better than any of the current receivers. He is a leader in the locker room and on the field. And Driver is the consummate team player. He often leads the hoots and hollers during practice, a sign that he wants his teammates to do well. Driver has been the most consistent receiver on the team in camp, and his good attitude will hopefully rub off on his fellow receivers.

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