Monday, August 08, 2005

Memo to offense: You don't want to punt

The Green Bay Packers looked like crap in Friday's scrimmage, as the first-team offense did virtually nothing, while the second-team defense looked as bad as Green Bay Preble would have against the Buffalo Bills.

Now comes word that the Packers have released rookie punter Bryce Benekos, leaving the job in the somewhat-shaky hands of second-year pro B.J. Sander.

Ouch.

Sander, you might remember, was the Packers' third-round pick in 2004 out of THE Ohio State University. Oh, yeah, and the Packers traded up in the third round to get him.

You read it right. The Packers traded up in the third round to draft a punter. And you wonder why Mike Sherman is just the coach now.

Anyway, Sander was so sharp in the preseason last year that they signed Brian Barker, who was driving a steamroller or something at the time. Barker punted all year (poorly) while Sander spent his season with the third quarterback and second-string long snapper on the weekly inactive list.

And now Sander is the team's starting punter. Pardon me if I don't screech in excitement at the prospects.

3 comments:

John Burzynski said...

Yes, punting is a problem for the Pack.

Then again, the defensive backfield doesn't seem like it is in good shape, either.

Bruce Ciskie said...

Ah, yes. The defense. The other reason why the team should never punt. They should do more onside kicks, too.

Anonymous said...

Once Sander gets settled in this year, you guys will love him. OSU fans went through the same thing with sander before his Ray Guy year. The guy is a deadly accurate punter that somehow has the ability to stop a football like a Mickelson flop-shot. You will appreciate him with the field position-battle in the next few years.