NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Julio Jones, WR, Alabama, 6′4 220

Position Ranking: #2

Strengths: Very good size for an NFL wide receiver. Releases smooth and quick off the line and quickly establishes his route. Physical against press coverage and uses arms and strength to beat the jam. Shows a nice, short stride and runs with good balance and acceleration for his 6′4 frame; not a long strider or high-cut with his movement. Has a great feel for the ball in the air on deep routes and fades, making sharp adjustments and putting himself in the best position to make the catch. Comes out of his breaks crisply for his size. Uses his body very well to shield defenders and outmuscles cornerbacks with regularity. Knows how to gain leverage on deep routes with tight coverage, stacking the defender, and only allowing himself the position to make a play.

Has improved progressively in his route running. Uses head nods and feet to sell his routes at the stem and push the cornerback away. A good stalk-blocker in run support and is aggressive in the run game. Blocks to the whistle. Tough and plays through injuries. Doesn’t show a prima donna attitude that talented receivers carry or beg for attention.

Needs Improvement: Isn’t a natural hands catcher and often uses body for assistance; better when he’s chasing the ball than when he’s coming back to it. Doesn’t have great downfield speed to separate at the top of his break. Strength is only adequate after the catch, doesn’t run through square tackles or show a strong leg churn on contact. Still learning how to understand coverage and settle in zones or break off his routes. Concentration is off/on at times, leading to dropped passes.

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The Bears will not use their franchise tag on any player this offseason according to the Sun-Times. The paper reports that if the team wanted to use the tag, they would have to do it by late this month, as the CBA expires on March the 4th.

The team hasn’t used the tag since 2007, the only time they have used it since 2001. That year they used it on LB Lance Briggs.

The franchise tag requires a team to pay a player a one-year salary that’s equal to the average of the top five highest paid at the position. The Bears have more than a dozen free agents but none who would merit the franchise tag.

Three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Shaun Rogers has officially talked to the Skins, a couple days after he was dumped by Cleveland on the verge of making $5.5 mil in 2011.

Rogers met with team officials at Redskins Park on Friday as he begins his search for a new team following three seasons in Cleveland.

Rogers was cut Wednesday after playing sparingly during the 2010 season due to ankle, hip and elbow injuries. He had been scheduled to make $5.5 million in 2011 with a $500,000 roster bonus.

NFL free agency is scheduled to begin March 4—pending the outcome of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement—but Rogers is free to sign with a new team now because the Browns terminated his contract early.

Senior writer jclombardi presents Packers team grades.

PASS OFFENSE: A. Led by elite QB Rodgers, the Packers were fifth in passing yards per game (257.8), third in yards per completion (8.0), fourth (tied) in touchdown passes (31), and third in overall passer rating (98). QB Rodgers matured to elite status leading the Packers to win the Super Bowl and MVP award. The wide receivers showed development led by Greg Jennings, James Jones, and Jordy Nelson. The tight-end position suffered the loss of all-pro Finley, to injury, but rookie TE Quarless showed promise to be a good backup.

RUSH OFFENSE: D. In the first game of the year, the Packers lost RB Ryan Grant. The running game was never the same. The Packers finished 24th in rushing yards per game (100.4) and 25th in yards per carry (3.8). RB Brandon Jackson is just too pedestrian. Fortunately, while inactive until Dec. 5, rookie James Starks saved the Packers running game. In his first start against the Eagles, he rushed for a franchise playoff history of 123 yards. He became a Packers postseason star. FB Kuhn is a good all-around player for special schemes.

PASS DEFENSE: A. The Packers stellar defense ranked first in opposing quarterback passer rating (67.2), second in points allowed (15.0 per game), second with 24 interceptions, fifth in passing yards per game (194.2), and seventh in yards per attempt (6.5). Further, with a solid front seven led by NT Raji and OLB Matthews, the Packers had a pass rush tying second in sacks (47). CB Tramon Williams and CB Sam Shields solidified the secondary, while strong safety Charlie Peprah solidified the deep end. Veterans all-pro Charles Woodson and Nick Collins led the defensive team.

RUSH DEFENSE: D+. The Packers regressed from a first rush defense ranking in 2009 (83.3) to 18^th in 2010 (114.9). Even a worse statistic, the Packers' average yield per rush increased from 3.6 in 2009 (3^rd) to 4.7 in 2010 (30^th). However, the timely additions of DE Green and OLB Walden helped the Packers to improve the rush defense throughout the playoffs to win the Super Bowl. With the injury to ILB Barnett, the stellar performance of LB Bishop solidified the interior linebackers. In 2011, the Packers face hard choices at linebacker positions, including whether to keep Hawk and Barnett. Overall, the Packers were more of a bend defense that never broke, but they must improve in this area for 2011.

SPECIAL TEAMS: D. The Packers' return units are simply pedestrian as each week became nearly a weekly D-grade horror show. The Packers ranked an awful 26th in kick returns (20.1) and 22nd in punt returns (7.9). The Packers’ coverage units ranked 12^th (tied) on kickoff returns (21.8) and 25th on punt returns (11.0). The bright spot was punter Tim Masthay who won several games with his field position punts. Kicker Mason Crosby had a good year making 78.6% of his kicks, but he must improve his kickoffs.

MANAGEMENT: A-. GM Thompson made impressive personnel moves using the draft and free agency to add depth in several key positions. The rookies included RT Bryan Bulaga, RB James Starks, CB Sam Shields, DE Mike Neal, OLB Frank Zombo, TE Tom Crabtree, and punter Tim Masthay. The timely veteran pickups of safety Charlie Peprah, OLB Erik Walden, DE Howard Green, and ILB Matt Wilhelm helped the team deal with a season full of key injuries. The decision to let go veteran CB Harris and DE Aaron Kampman were good ones, although they both will be Packers Hall of Famers.

COACHING: A-. McCarthy has problems with clock management, proper challenges, and game plan adjustments. Yet, his steadiness and confidence in his team endured making solid adjustments from key injuries and winning the Super Bowl. McCarthy is a great offensive schemer, but he was wise enough to bring in Dom Capers to run the stellar defense. However, he must find a new special teams coordinator.

OVERALL: A. The Packers had the mettle and resiliency to survive a tough schedule, key injuries, and bad losses winning the Super Bowl. The Packers repeated the performance of the 2007 New York Giants as the only NFC teams to win three straight road games to get to the Super Bowl and to win it. The Packers got their fourth Super Bowl trophy in five appearances and their NFL-high 13th NFL championship.

COMMENTARY: We apologize being away for several days. These reviews are hard work requiring intense research. We have mixed feelings about the 2010 season seeing many important personnel and coaching moves over the offseason. The 2010 Packers season fulfilled Super Bowl expectations, although not in the same way as the prognosticators saw it. The Packers were very lucky getting huge timely personnel moves, blossoming superstars from Rodgers to Sparks to Bishop to Williams, outstanding performances from initial backup players who became stars, and intervening destiny to win the Super Bowl.  The Packers have a strong nucleus, solid coaching staff, and strong organization to blossom into several more Super Bowl appearances. It’s called a dynasty.

The Cowboys hired another piece of their coaching staff puzzle today.  Jimmy Robinson was signed to be their wide receivers coach.  Robinson, formerly of the Super Bowl Champion Packers, was not available to comment after being announced today.  The Cowboys had to wait to the conclusion of the Super Bowl before they could enter into talks with Robinson, according to NFL rules.

The Cowboys become Robinson's sixth team, having coached at Green Bay, New Orleans, New York Giants, Indianapolis, and Atlanta.  Robinson has left an imprint on the league through his influence in receivers like Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Marvin Harrison, Amani Toomer, and even as far back as Andre "Bad Moon" Rison.  Head Coach Jason Garrett was a quarterback with the New York Giants during Robinson's time there.  It is that connection which likely lead to Robinson coming to Dallas.

Robinson did some impressive work in Green Bay with Greg Jennings coming into his own, not too mention the development of Jordy Nelson and James Jones.  Now Robinson will set his sights on veterans Roy Williams, Sam Hurd, and Miles Austin; and will try to develop Dez Bryant, Kevin Ogletree, and Manny Johnson.

While Robinson was signed to fill that last open staff spot, there are still rumors of more personnel being added to the Cowboys staff.  Mike Woicik as strength and conditioning coach taking over for Joe Jurasek who is on medical leave.  Also, the Cowboys have an interest in bringing in Ben Bloom as a defensive assistant.