Ty Montgomery Brings Added Versatility to Packers WR Corps, Special Teams

After their late implosion in the NFC Championship Game, which led to a 28-22 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the Green Bay Packers knew that they had to make some changes.

It wasn't just that game, either, that showed the ugly warts with the special teams play; it was a season full of miscues that had the Packers ranked dead last in that category in the NFL based on the rankings put out by Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News.

The pink slips came quickly after the debacle in Seattle. Special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum was fired. Brandon Bostick was released, as was A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones. All three played key roles in the special teams gaffes in that very painful loss.

DuJuan Harris, last season's primary kickoff returner, was not even offered a contract to return.

General manager Ted Thompson addressed the emphasis on improving special teams with many of his selections in the 2015 NFL draft.

Except for the selection of quarterback Brett Hundley, every selection made by Thompson in the recent draft looks to have a role on special teams.

None more so than wide receiver/kick returner Ty Montgomery, whom the Packers selected in the third round out of Stanford.

The versatility of Montgomery during his time as a member of the Cardinal jumps off the page. The Packers absolutely love players who have that attribute.

In his career at Stanford, Montgomery had 172 receptions for 2,125 yards and 15 touchdowns. When he was used as a running back, the 6'0", 216-pound Montgomery rushed for 334 yards and four more scores.

But it was his exceptional ability as a kick returner that really got people to notice. Montgomery, who will wear No. 88 with the Packers, returned three kickoff returns for touchdowns in his career (27.4 average), plus he returned two punts back for scores (19.8 average) his senior year.

Montgomery, who is built like former Packer great Sterling Sharpe at 6'2" and 216 pounds, was compared to Randall Cobb by West Coast scout Sam Seale.

As Mike Spofford of Packers.com reported, Seale was high in his praise of Montgomery, comparing him to No. 18 of the Packers.

“He’s a bigger Cobb,” Seale said. “I think he’s a bigger Randall. That’s what I see in the kid.”

Cobb is very versatile as well. He can play outside at wide receiver or play in the slot. The 5'10", 192-pound Cobb was also used out of the backfield at times last season, both as a running back and as a receiver.

In addition to that, Cobb is a very good return man, as his three touchdowns returning kickoffs and punts for the Packers suggest.

Montgomery's first focus with the Packers will be to help the special teams units. He looks to be the primary kickoff returner, and he may get some opportunity to return punts as well, although Cobb and especially Micah Hyde (three punt returns for touchdowns the last two seasons) have shown some nice ability in that area.

But Montgomery can help in other areas as well, based on what he did during his time playing football in Palo Alto. Again, he can provide the same skill set as Cobb.

There is only one problem. The Packers won't get to find out more about Montgomery's abilities for a while. Why? Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin chronicles that situation in a recent story.

Stanford still has classes in session, and commencement is scheduled for June 14. NFL rules don't allow rookies to participate in team offseason activities beyond the post-draft rookie camp until their respective colleges finish classes.

That means, except for the rookie camp that was held by the Packers after the draft, Montgomery will miss all of the OTAs and won't be back until the team's mandatory minicamp, which takes place from June 16-18.

That being said, the Packers knew about this when they drafted Montgomery. That didn't hinder them from pulling the trigger and selecting the talented Montgomery.

Montgomery knows that he might need to stay patient, especially with a wide receivers corps that includes Cobb, Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams, Jeff Janis and Jared Abbrederis all on the depth chart ahead of the rookie.

The new No. 88 talked about that in this recent article by Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Montgomery said at the rookie minicamp:

"

The truth, it's up to God whatever happens. I will be ready. But sometimes you've got to wait. Whether you've got to wait because you have some things to learn, or there's a guy ahead of you that's put in his time. Sometimes you've got to go right now because they need you right now. I'll be ready, either way.

"

MIKE ROEMER/Associated Press

Even though the depth chart at wide receiver is deep, one never knows when one may get an opportunity.

Nelson didn't practice yesterday at the OTAs due to offseason hip surgery. No. 87 looks to be just fine in time for training camp, but one never knows.

Injuries happen. Just ask Abbrederis, who suffered an ACL tear early in training camp last summer. Cobb missed 10 games in 2013 due to a leg injury.

Last year, Adams took advantage of the lackluster play of Jarrett Boykin at wide receiver, and he catapulted past him on the depth chart to become the No. 3 wide receiver for quarterback Aaron Rodgers to utilize after Cobb and Nelson.

In the offense of the Packers, Montgomery should thrive in the role that Cobb played when he lined up in the backfield last season. That would keep Cobb as one of the options in the three-receiver set, plus Montgomery has the receiving and running skills to excel in the backfield.

But for now, the Packers will have to be patient about determining how they will utilize Montgomery until he returns for the mandatory minicamp.

That being said, the Packers have a pretty good idea about how to best use the multitalented Montgomery.

It all starts on special teams. At least in the beginning.