Williams gets edge over Carson at backup RB
One of Brian Gutekunst’s big roster decisions next week in the cutdown to 53 will be at backup running back.
Gutekunst, the Green Bay Packers general manager, has to determine whether he can keep only four backs, including a fullback, or if, because Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams have already missed big chunks of training camp with hamstring injuries, he needs to keep five.
With the final few roster spots at a premium, the guess here is Gutekunst will go with four, which then means a choice between a dependable but limited third-year pro, Tra Carson, or a more talented but erratic sixth-round draft pick, Dexter Williams.
Carson has been working ahead of Dexter Williams for most of camp and started Thursday night against the Oakland Raiders with Jones and Jamaal Williams sitting out. Dexter Williams worked into the rotation in the second quarter, but Carson played almost twice as many snaps (33 to 17).
Still, both played enough to provide a decent read.
Carson (nine carries for 32 yards, 3.6yard average) performed as he has all camp. He lacks burst but has OK lean and is a reliable blocker. He’s not as powerful a runner as you’d like for a guy who’s not fast and shifty. He does fine as a protector and receiver in the passing game, but not well enough to surpass Jamaal Williams and fullback Danny Vitale as the main third-down backs.
Dexter Williams (11-for-27, 2.5-yard average) is the more talented runner of the two. He’s a good fit with coach Matt LaFleur’s zone-run scheme because of his ability to plant and burst. He’s shiftier than Carson, has more top-end speed and finishes runs a little better.
He also has bad hands as a receiver and is shaky at best in pass protection.
If Gutekunst and LaFleur would rather use the extra roster spot on another position (cornerback, outside linebacker, receiver, offensive line), they then have to decide at running back whether they need the reliability in the passing game more than the pure talent in the running game.
After watching both backs get their share of action against Oakland, Dexter Williams looks like the better option.
That’s based purely on running ability and upside. Running backs can get better at catching the ball and picking up blitzes. But Williams has talent as a runner that Carson can never match. Williams has more downhill speed, and he’s quicker making cuts.
Williams’ shortcomings in the passing game are real and of concern. But with their roster as is, the Packers need running talent more than another thirddown back.
Poise in the pocket
One of the differences between Tim Boyle and DeShone Kizer in their battle for the No. 2 quarterback job is poise in the pocket.
Boyle is plenty athletic but prefers staying in the pocket, making his reads and getting the ball out. Kizer, while improved from last year, still has a first instinct to bolt the pocket when he doesn’t like what he sees. That’s one reason Boyle now is the clear favorite for the No. 2 job after his performance against Oakland.
Boyle had a big night while putting up three touchdowns and 113.9 rating in six possessions. But one of the plays that stood out and showed his maturity wasn’t much of a play at all. It came early, on the game’s first series, when on a second down LaFleur called a middle screen pass to Carson.
As Boyle dropped back he had a couple of rushers bearing down on him before the play had a chance to develop. So Boyle just threw the ball at Carson’s feet for the incompletion. Rather than trying to escape and taking a sack or risking an interception, Boyle lived to fight another day. It was a great decision and showed he’s learned the value of taking care of the ball.
Boyle was far from perfect despite his good overall play. After stumbling on a bootleg he threw a risky sidearm pass to tight end Robert Tonyan that was nearly intercepted — in fact, that might have been the reminder he needed to throw the screen pass away two plays later.
He also missed on two downfield throws in the first quarter. On one, he threw inside to Jake Kumerow when Kumerow had outside leverage against one-on-one coverage. On the other, he threw outside to Trevor Davis when Davis had inside leverage.
Still, after several weeks of camp in which neither backup quarterback distinguished himself, Boyle clearly did so Thursday.
There’s still one game to go, but the main question at this point is whether the Packers should keep Kizer as the No. 3, or go with only two quarterbacks on their final 53. The better move probably is going with two quarterbacks.
One other possibility cropped up Thursday. With rookie Jarrett Stidham looking good for New England in the preseason, there’s a chance Brian Hoyer will become available as a salary-cap casualty, either via trade or if New England cuts him. Hoyer played for LaFleur’s mentor, Kyle Shanahan, in Cleveland in 2014 (7-6 as a starter) and San Francisco (0-6) in ’17. He knows LaFleur’s offense and is an 11-year veteran with a 16-21 record as a starter if a veteran backup appeals to Gutekunst and LaFleur.
Hoyer didn’t play in the Patriots’ preseason game Thursday, which prompted this tweet from Ben Volin of the Boston Globe: “Hmm, Brian Hoyer not getting into the third preseason game. That was the kiss of death for (Jacoby) Brissett in 2017 and (Tim) Tebow in 2013.”
Extra points
Hard not to think first-round pick Rashan Gary got a chewing out during film sessions last week for a couple of plays of weak effort at Baltimore. Because against the Raiders, Gary played with purpose before he left the game in the second quarter after his head snapped back while assisting on a tackle.
Brady Sheldon is a roster dark horse to keep an eye on in the preseason finale next week. The first-year pro has played deep in the rotation at inside linebacker but with a big game against Kansas City just might have a shot at a roster spot after another inside linebacker, Curtis Bolton, injured his knee Thursday night.
Sheldon has great height (6-feet-5) and length for an inside linebacker and ran a 4.49 40 coming out of college. On Thursday he showed the closing speed of a cornerback when he dropped running back Mack Brown for a 3-yard loss on a checkdown pass (Sheldon was penalized for lowering his helmet on the tackle). He chased down quarterback Nathan Peterman for a sack and intercepted a tipped pass on a two-point conversion attempt.
Sheldon needs to get stronger and stouter as a run defender — he’s listed at only 231 pounds — but has flashed ability in 50 snaps this preseason. James Crawford, another inside linebacker, was a good special teams player last year, but at linebacker Sheldon made more plays in about a quarter Thursday night than Crawford has the last two preseasons combined.