The Green Bay Packers have resigned the 37 year old
veteran wide receiver Donald Driver to a one year contract worth $2.3 million.
Considering the contract included a $1.2 million roster bonus which has already
been paid, Driver is a virtual lock for a roster spot, come September. To be
sure, the McCarthy, Thompson, Murphy brain trust has shown a willingness to
part ways with well-liked veteran players. This pattern goes well beyond the
obvious example of Brett Favre to include the likes of Corey Williams, Cullen
Jenkins, Aaron Kampman, Scott Wells, and so on. This of course begs the
question, why keep an aging (or perhaps more appropriately, aged) player at an
already loaded position group that includes more than a few intriguing
prospects that have yet to play a snap in the NFL? Packers’ brass (most notably
Ted Thompson) has chosen to go against their standard operating procedures for
perfectly logical reasons. Roster creativity, locker room leadership, and
proven performance have breathed new life into the lengthy career of Green
Bay’s favorite young old man.
Although personnel decisions ultimately rest on the shoulders of Ted Thompson,
there is no doubt that he works in tandem with head coach Mike McCarthy. Both
men have stressed the importance of a fluid and effective relationship between
the two of them since early on in their tenure together. It is precisely this
cooperative relationship that allows the Packers to make creative and sometimes
controversial moves with their 53 man roster. The first such controversial move
(at least the first to be broadly discussed) was the decision to keep only two
quarterbacks on the roster in 2006, when back-up Aaron Rodgers was just a
second year player with a lot of refining to do. The decision worked out, but
more importantly, it gave McCarthy and Thompson another roster spot to fill
with a player they thought could contribute more than a third quarterback
could. This contributed to the fact that the Packers that year used not only a
five wide out offensive package (the Big Five) more than any other team, but
also a three running back package (the Inverted Wishbone) more than any other
team as well. They continued their creative ways by keeping five tight ends on
the roster in multiple years (the only team to do so). McCarthy liked the
flexibility offered by the body type of the typical tight end, in that they
were often able to contribute on special teams in a meaningful way in addition
to their offensive responsibilities. The Packers won the Superbowl in
2010 with five tight ends on the roster. Although the highly touted scout team
talent at the wide receiver position group remains unproven, it is clear that
Diondre Borel, Tori Gurley, and even Shaky Smithson are stating their case for
a roster spot. While no team carried more than five wide receivers on their
roster last year, it seems that the Packers may be headed in that direction
this year. One or all of these talented young players would likely be signed to
an active roster elsewhere if they are once again relegated to the practice
squad in Green Bay. In order to keep the young talent in town without letting
the still productive veteran go, McCarthy and Thompson will likely once again showcase their trademark roster
creativity. Keeping six wideouts goes against conventional football procedure,
but don’t be surprised to see it this year in Green Bay.
Very few people outside the team have access to the true locker room
environment on any NFL team. For me to make definitive statements about
Driver’s mentoring skills or leadership role would be purely conjecture on my
part. That being said, if one pays close attention to the way in which Double D
is described by coaches and teammates alike, it seems clear that he is at the
very least universally revered. One need not look any further than the public
response from players currently on the roster who would have directly
benefitted from Driver moving on. Said Tori Gurley, “I love it, man. Oh yeah.
He’s a great mentor. As soon as he got back, he was out there showing me some
details on plays.” Said second year up-and-comer Randall Cobb, “I’m glad he’s
back. Donald has been like a father figure to me. I’ve learned so much from him
off the field and on the field and having him here for another year is going to
be a great experience for the both of us.” While any NFL player with half a
brain is going to put a positive spin on any situation like this, these two
guys went out of their way to praise Donald’s leadership ability and
willingness to offer guidance to the very men who are trying desperately to
take his job. There’s a lot more to learn about being an NFL player than
mastering route combinations and pre-snap adjustments, and Driver has been
nothing short of exemplary in the way he has handled himself off the field.
In addition to taking over the annual Packers Charity Softball game, he
runs his own charitable organization (The Donald Driver Foundation) which helps
out families in need in both Wisconsin communities and in his home state of
Texas. Although his unconscionably infectious smile and smooth hips on DWTS may
get more media hype, it’s obvious that his character is what shines the most.
The Green Bay Packers have had an air of morality since the days of Vince
Lombardi, and Donald has more than carried that torch during his time as a
Packer. So again, while any attempt to quantify his off-field contributions to
Packer Nation would be destined for failure, it is safe to say that Donald's
accomplishments as a Packer and ongoing contributions to the organization go
far beyond the call of duty.
Any discussion of Driver’s new contract would be woefully incomplete without
taking a good, hard look at his on the field production. Although the accolades
that come along with being a 14 year veteran and the team’s all-time leading
receiver are nice, they tell us very little about what he might be able to
contribute in the coming season. There is no denying the fact that his
production in terms of yardage has waned over the past two seasons. After six
straight 1000-yard seasons, he has posted yardage totals of 565 and 445 in 2010
and 2011 respectively. Add in the fact that this decrease in yardage has
coincided with an increase in overall team passing yards, and the numbers look
a bit grim. A closer inspection reveals another reality. The Packers have what
most consider the most talented group of wide receivers in the league. The
emergence of bona fide stars Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson has relegated
Driver to number three on the depth chart at best. Veteran James Jones,
although frequently struggling with drops and concentration in big moments, has
flashed the ability to be a number one target on more than a few NFL teams.
Furthermore, the precocious Randall Cobb, despite being the youngest player
drafted in NFL history, immediately showed that he belongs at this level by
scoring two touchdowns in his first game as a pro. Although Driver has handled
the quasi-demotion with aplomb, he still must produce in order to hang around.
Luckily for Donald, he has done just that. While his yardage numbers have
decreased markedly, his touchdown totals have stayed on par with his career
average. Driver has proven to be a reliable red zone target, which I believe to
be an intangible skill that holds true value. He has only one fumble over the
past two seasons in an offense that stresses ball security over virtually everything
else. With regard to the decline in yardage, this has directly coincided with a
decline in the amount of opportunities afforded Driver. His targets per season
have declined as follows, starting from the year 2006: 172, 122, 116, 112, 84,
and 56 in 2011. While there is some merit to the argument that the open
receiver gets the ball, that is certainly not always the case. Aaron Rodgers
has shown an obvious on-field rapport with Jennings and Nelson above all other
pass catchers, and has repeatedly called for more opportunities to throw the
ball to Jermichael Finley (who probably should have been mentioned before this
point). That’s not to say that Rodgers is forcing the ball to particular
players, but if both Driver and Nelson get separation on a particular play,
it’s likely that Nelson will get the first look. In other words, there’s only
so many balls to go around. The embarrassment of riches at wide receiver simply
dictates a smaller number of opportunities for the pass catchers on the
Packers, and Driver is no exception.
Finally, the 37-year-old showed no
signs of fatigue last season, and in fact turned in a gem of a performance in
the team’s home playoff loss to the New York Giants. He led the team in
receiving yards and hauled in one of just two receiving touchdowns for the
Packers. The numbers don’t tell the whole story of that performance, as his
three catches were not only badly needed during an otherwise disappointing
offensive performance, but were also not exactly on-target throws. Momentum is
huge in the NFL and Driver was as much a factor in swaying it in that game as
any player on the team. Driver’s reportedly relentless commitment to fitness is
no fabrication. He was not simply blessed with tremendous physical attributes,
but also works tirelessly to maintain peak physical condition. He has
reportedly dropped his body fat percentage from four to two while training for
both Dancing With the Stars and the upcoming season. That is not a misprint. He
REDUCED his body fat percentage from FOUR to TWO. A lack of commitment during
the offseason is clearly no concern with this consummate professional.
The NFL is a business first, with little room for sentimentality. At a glance,
the re-signing of Donald Driver may seem like a romantic move designed to
appease a deeply committed fan base and avoid a potentially ugly situation. As
discussed, that is clearly not the case. Driver has more than earned his spot
on the roster this upcoming season, and the warm fuzzies felt throughout Packer Nation are nothing more than a byproduct of sound football decisions at the
highest level. Congratulations to Donald for not only earning the right to
continue his already illustrious career, but also for showing the young talent
on the team what it means to be a professional and a Green Bay Packer.
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