Life on the Bubble
GREEN BAY, Wis. – For the players on the Green Bay Packers’ roster bubble, years and years of hard work, sweat and tears will either be met with the agony of being released or the thrill of making the roster on Saturday afternoon.
Here’s their view with the potential of just three more practices to go in their professional careers.
The Seventh-Round Picks
Outside linebacker Jonathan Garvin is relying on his father’s advice of “be who you are.”
“Camp, for me, I would say it’s going well. It’s going well in the sense you’re getting better every day. That’s all you can do. So no matter what, just get better, don’t repeat the same mistakes. As far as in that sense, camp has been going really well for me. The one thing you can’t do is you can’t half-do a move. You have to do it correctly. If you don’t do the move correctly, it’s not going to work. These are elite guys that are up her with in the NFL so you can’t half-do a move and expect to win to get a sack or shed the block an get a tackle for loss or something like that.”
PACKER CENTRAL'S 53-MAN ROSTER PROJECTION
Safety Vernon Scott said he’s “so grateful for this opportunity” with the Packers.
I know that plays have to be made but I don’t try to overthink it because, if I try to do that, then I’ll be pressing towards trying to make a play other than trying to do my job and not busting any coverages. [It’s] just reading my keys and making the plays that come to me and using my athleticism and playing my game. I feel like I’m a big playmaker, so if I just bring that to the table and do that right within our scheme and make the right calls, make the right checks, read my keys, I feel like I should be fine. I don’t necessarily press myself ever to make plays. I want to go out there and just give my all and just give it effort and hopefully it just pays off. Not hopefully. It’s going to pay off.”
The Undrafted “Rookie”
After three seasons in Canada, receiver Reggie Begelton is a 26-year-old in his first training camp.
“I wake up every day knowing I can only control what I can control. You have to go with that mind-set or you will really drive yourself crazy, because you’re going to make mistakes. We are human. It’s human nature to make mistakes, but can you learn from those mistakes? That’s what the coaches want to see. I don’t pull the strings. Honestly, I’m just going out there and just giving the best of my ability and hopefully, by the end of the day, I’ll still get that opportunity.”
The Former Undrafted Rookie
Lucas Patrick is used to life on the bubble. He went undrafted in 2016, failed to make the roster and spent his rookie year on the practice squad. He’s played in 40 games with six starts the past three seasons. The Packers extended his contract through 2021 just before the end of last season. So, for once, he’s not on the bubble.
“I’ve been treating it the same. I think it’s what’s gotten me this far. This league’s pretty black and white and cut and dried. If you’re not performing or if you’re not doing well, they’re going to find somebody else. The contract was great. Honored to be here, honored to be a guy this team sees a future with, but it’s not going to change my mentality – or it hasn’t changed mentality. I’m still going to come in every day, the same kid who showed up in 2016 for a tryout.”
