Green Bay Packers Who Have Turned Heads in Offseason Workouts
The Green Bay Packers have had two of their three sets of OTAs (May 27-29 and June 2-4) and will have their third and final one from June 9-12.
Though OTAs are especially essential for rookies and undrafted free agents to learn the playbook and show off their skills before training camp, it's also an opportunity for second-year players and veterans to show how they've grown and raise their esteem in coaches' eyes.
A few rookies have stood out during OTAs, but so too have some returning players. We'll break down the standouts from OTAs and look at who could have a monster first season or earn a bigger role in 2015.
CB Quinten Rollins
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Basketball-star-turned-cornerback Quinten Rollins is a raw prospect and something of a project, but if he reaches his potential in Green Bay, then he could develop into a solid cornerback.
Rollins boasts versatility and innate athletic ability, both of which have been on display early on in OTAs.
He will not likely beat out veteran Casey Hayward for the starting outside corner job opposite Sam Shields in 2015, but he could see many snaps on the inside in the nickel and dime sub-packages.
During OTAs, Rollins has played both on second-team reps, per Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
Per Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin, Rollins has been impressing cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt:
"A very animated CBs coach Joe Whitt on #Packers sideline. Gives a "That's what I'm talking about!" and butt slap to rookie Quinten Rollins.
— Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde) May 28, 2015"
Rollins also got some reps returning punts during OTAs, along with Micah Hyde, Randall Cobb and Jared Abbrederis, per Wood.
The corner made headlines during the rookie minicamp in May when he picked off a Brett Hundley pass and returned it for a touchdown.
S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
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2014 rookie Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was thrust into a starting role in his first year with the Packers, but that doesn't mean offseason practices aren't important for him.
He met expectations as a rookie in 2014, but he certainly has room to improve. He had 15 missed tackles, per Pro Football Focus, which tied for eighth-most in the league among safeties, and only one interception in the regular season.
However, Clinton-Dix had two interceptions in the conference championship game against the Seattle Seahawks, as well as three passes defensed (his regular-season total was six). This proved that he can deliver when the stakes are high, which is what a team can hope for but not expect from a young player.
During OTAs, he has gotten off to a strong start. Having a year of experience in the system has given him the confidence to trust his instincts rather than overthink his play.
"You feel a lot more free," Clinton-Dix said after one practice, per Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "You feel a lot more comfortable. You don't have to think as much. You can just go out and play fast. ... People rely on you to make the call. Be comfortable with it. Go with it."
Hopefully, that confidence carries through into the regular season, where the playmaker might have performances like he did against Seattle more frequently.
WR Davante Adams
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When Davante Adams joined the Packers in 2014 along with two other wide receivers in his draft class, it wasn't clear how many snaps he'd get during the 2014-15 season. He didn't get any during the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, as the Packers elected to go with Jarrett Boykin.
Through the season, however, Adams stepped up to the challenges presented to him and established himself as a trusted target for Aaron Rodgers. He finished his rookie season with 38 receptions for 446 yards and three touchdowns.
In the postseason, he added another 124 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Now, Adams enters offseason practices as the most likely option for the No. 3 receiver, a role that will allow him to see plenty of action in 2015 as Rodgers turns to him early and often when defenses try to blanket more established playmakers in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb.
Like his fellow second-year player Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, having some in-game experience and knowledge of the playbook has allowed Adams to grow and has given him confidence heading into his second season.
"You have to have that mindset," Adams, who had four connections with Aaron Rodgers during OTAs on June 2, said, per Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "You have to win your one-on-one matchups and that will take you to the next level."
The Packers have a young group of receivers nipping at Adams' heels for playing time in 2015, including fellow 2014 rookies Jared Abbrederis and Jeff Janis, 2015 third-round pick Ty Montgomery and practice squad holdover Myles White. Adams will have to reach and stay on that next level to keep his snaps.
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LB Sam Barrington
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It's welcome news to Packers fans: Sam Barrington, who began earning more snaps in 2014 as the Packers grew unsatisfied with A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones' play, has been taking all the starting snaps with the defense during OTAs.
He suddenly became important to the Packers this offseason when they cut Hawk and Jones and declined to re-sign Jamari Lattimore in free agency. Suddenly, a former seventh-round pick was the likely, and almost the only, candidate for the starting middle linebacker job in 2015.
He has been joined in the middle during OTAs by Clay Matthews, who looks to spend more snaps inside in 2015, likely on running downs. Competing with them for snaps will be fourth-round draft pick Jake Ryan and second-year player Carl Bradford, as well as Nate Palmer, Joe Thomas and Josh Francis.
Defensive lineman Mike Daniels, a leader on the Packers defense, had some praise for Barrington during OTAs.
"I can't make any predictions," Daniels said, per Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, "but I like what he's done so far, and I like what he's doing."
WR Jeff Janis
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Another offseason, another eye-popping performance by Packers 2014 seventh-round draft pick Jeff Janis.
He developed a loyal following after the 2014 offseason, in which he had a few noteworthy plays in training camp and a pair of touchdowns in the preseason.
However, he was not ready for an increased role on the offense last season, receiving only 15 snaps, per Pro Football Focus. He had two receptions for 16 yards and no touchdowns.
In 2015, he'll have even more competition for snaps as Jared Abbrederis returns from a torn ACL and rookie Ty Montgomery tries to make an impression on coaches.
However, early in 2015 OTAs, head coach Mike McCarthy is impressed with Janis' play.
"Jeff Janis is definitely moving forward," the coach said after OTAs on June 2, per ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky.
"I thought he really came on at the end of last year. He was definitely ready to play at that point."
Janis received some snaps with the No. 1 offense while Jordy Nelson recovers from offseason hip surgery. He made the most of that experience, with a seven-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers during a two-minute drill on 4th-and-goal with no time remaining on the clock, per Demovsky.
McCarthy attributes those snaps with Rodgers as a boon to Janis' confidence.
"...Any time you get reps with the No. 1 offense, particularly [with] Aaron Rodgers and being on the same page and connecting, it definitely boosts your confidence," McCarthy said, per Demovsky.
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