Daniels wants defense to match Seahawks’ style
GREEN BAY - Across the Green Bay Packers locker room, the rival Seattle Seahawks are not held in warm regards.
Randall Cobb called them “a bunch of front runners” last December after taking a “cheap” shot from cornerback Jeremy Lane on a kneel-down before halftime. In the same game, since departed guard T.J. Lang accused defensive end Cliff Avril of punching him in a sensitive area.
Annoyance is not universal, however. On the defensive line, where one of the Packers’ leaders, Mike
Daniels, resides, there is respect for the “process” followed in Seattle.
The Packers open their season Sept. 10 when they host the Seahawks. Three days before reporting to training camp last week, Daniels made his admiration public in a tweet responding to an article about Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman slinging practice-field vulgarities at quarterback Russell Wilson.
“If you want a topranked defense,” Daniels tweeted, “then you HAVE to ruffle some feathers!! I respect this team’s process. PC culture is ruining football.”
Further explaining his comments Saturday, Daniels said there are lines not to cross on the practice field. No player, he said, should take cheap shots, and if a teammate is in a “compromising position,” be careful.
“Other than that,” Daniels said, “you want the practice to be spirited, you want guys that call each other out. ‘Hey, we just scored on you guys.’ Or, ‘Hey, you guys can’t move an inch on us.’ And you just want to keep bringing out the best in each other.
“We all have pride, and when you get called out for not doing too well, your pride is going to swell up and you’re going to respond by basically trying to shut your competition up. And if you can do that by challenging each other during practice, then it’s going to be awfully hard for anybody to challenge us on game days.”
Hit parade: The most memorable aspect of the Packers’ first padded practice might have been the sounds. After an entire off-season in helmets and shorts, the repetitive thwack of chest-to-chest contact was audible Saturday in every corner of Ray Nitschke Field.
Had the collisions been ranked by decibel level, fullback Joe Kerridge might have walked away the victor.
“It felt good to have the pads on and hit somebody again,” Kerridge said with a smile. “It’s been a while.”
With the metaphorical torch passing from fan favorite John Kuhn to successor Aaron Ripkowski, the team’s starting fullback last season, fans could be forgiven for not recognizing Kerridge’s name. General manager Ted
Thompson signed Kerridge to the practice squad Oct. 3, 2016, after the former Michigan product began his career with Washington. When Thompson promoted Kerridge to the active roster one month later, the Packers had a pair of fullbacks on their 53-man roster, a peculiarity in today’s NFL.
Kerridge played 21 snaps from scrimmage in addition to 61 on special teams, which was his primary responsibility. Coach
Mike McCarthy even used a two-fullback package in which the running back behind Ripkowski and Kerridge had dual escorts.
Kerridge made a strong first impression when the
Packers donned pads for the first time over the weekend.
In the physical half-line drill, which sharpens the running game by using reduced versions of the offensive and defensive lines, Kerridge unleashed a number of heavy blows that cleared the way for the tailbacks. His targets included inside linebackers Cody Heiman and Derrick Mathews, who was absolutely flattened, and
rookie safety Josh Jones.
Jones was so impressed with Kerridge’s hit that he jumped up and tapped Kerridge on the helmet before trotting back to the huddle — an outward sign of respect for good, clean contact.
“We just work really hard in individual work with our feet, keeping our feet moving, making sure we’re not getting hit and we’re the ones delivering the blow,” Kerridge said. Opportunity knocks:
As an undrafted free agent, Johnathan Calvin will need to make an impression quickly if he wants to make the roster.
Calvin has started out high on the depth chart on special teams, including first team on kickoff return and kick block. It’s rare for undrafted rookies to get those opportunities, but the 6-3, 275-pound Calvin has some ability.
“I led the SEC in field goal blocks,” Calvin said. “I just kind of got a feel for it. It’s something I like to do.”
Calvin also had 55 tackles, seven sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles and 111⁄2 tackles for loss as a senior at Mississippi State last year playing mostly as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.
As much as he’d like to be a pass rusher, special teams is the key to his future right now.
“I’m getting the hang of it,” Calvin said. “I’m getting better at it day by day.”