The “next man up” concept is more than a little overrated. As much as teams and fans would like to believe that the loss of one player can easily be offset by reshuffling the depth chart, in practice it’s significantly more complicated.
The Packers experienced both the highs and lows of turning to the next man last season. After cutting Jordy Nelson loose last offseason, Geronimo Allison started the season hot in Nelson’s absence. But injuries derailed his season, and none of the Packers’ three rookie receivers could fully replace Allison.
Now, as Nelson calls it a career, Allison and the three now second-year receivers will get another shot at a role as Davante Adams’s running mate. Whether any of them succeed is still an open question, but the process alone is a good reminder of how difficult it is to replace a great player, however diminished by age he may be.
Geronimo Allison: ‘Still G-Mo’ even after injury that’ll make a man wince | ESPN
Rob Demovsky describes the affliction that ruined Allison’s 2018 season as one requiring “core muscle surgery.” Allison uses more colorful language: “I tell people that it honestly felt like my testicles twisted.”
Matt LaFleur sees benefits in switching Packers to more traditional practice week | Packers News
Based on GPS data, Mike McCarthy went with a non-traditional practice schedule over his last few years at the helm in Green Bay. In his first year on the job, Matt LaFleur is switching things back. Here’s some more detail on the reasons behind the change.
Packers Tailgate Tour begins April 9; limited tickets still available | Packers.com
Mark your calendars, Wisconsin-based Packers fans. The Tailgate Tour is launching April 9.
Garfield phones beach mystery finally solved after 35 years | BBC
It sounds like a premise out of an extremely low-tension science fiction/horror movie: since the 1980s, Garfield phones have been washing up on the coast of France. Now, a local explorer has figured out why.