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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers are critical about upgrading a particular groups unit that has struggled for a number of years and had quite a few breakdowns in a playoff loss final season.
If that wasn’t already evident from the rent of former Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Rich Bisaccia as particular groups coordinator, the Packers’ selections as they put collectively their 53-man roster make the emphasis much more obvious.
“I think we’ve done a little bit of things that might be out of character for us, as far as some of the guys we brought in that maybe don’t play as big a role on offense or defense, but maybe they’re more heavy special teams players,” basic supervisor Brian Gutekunst mentioned. “We’ll kind of see how that goes.”
That technique continued Wednesday because the Packers signed security Rudy Ford sooner or later after the Jacksonville Jaguars lower him. Gutekunst known as Ford “one of the better gunners in the league,” referring to the position of the participant who sometimes will get downfield the quickest on punt return protection.
The Packers launched security Micah Abernathy to make room for Ford, whose given title is definitely Johnathan. Ford mentioned his household gave him the nickname “Rudy,” and that he believes it was based mostly on the film of the identical title about former Notre Dame walk-on Rudy Ruettiger.
“If you watch that movie, you know he’s got heart,” Ford mentioned. “So I also have that, too. So I can definitely see that trait.”
The Packers are on the lookout for extra guys with that attribute as they search to improve their particular groups.
Green Bay had the worst particular groups unit within the NFL final season in accordance with effectivity metrics from Football Outsiders. In their 13-10 NFC divisional playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Packers allowed a game-tying landing on a blocked punt, had a field-goal try blocked simply earlier than halftime and had solely 10 males on the sector when Robbie Gould kicked a game-winning subject purpose as time expired.
“We’ve got to get better there to accomplish the goals that this team wants to accomplish,” Gutekunst mentioned. “We have to be better.”
They’ve made that clear all through the offseason.
“We definitely made some decisions that came down solely to that,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur mentioned.
The adjustments on particular groups started shortly after the playoff loss.
The Packers fired Maurice Drayton as particular groups coordinator and employed Bisaccia, a longtime particular groups coordinator who led the Raiders to a playoff berth as interim head coach final season. They signed security Dallin Leavitt and cornerback Keisean Nixon, who each had main particular groups roles whereas taking part in for Bisaccia in Las Vegas.
They allowed punter Corey Bojorquez to depart by way of free company and introduced in former Chicago Bears punter Pat O’Donnell to exchange him, noting that O’Donnell was a greater holder. They lower incumbent lengthy snapper Steven Wirtel to clear the best way for Jack Coco.
Green Bay officers targeted on particular groups once more this week whereas deciding on the ultimate roster spots. Gutekunst acknowledged that retaining some gamers primarily due to their particular groups abilities might scale back the Packers’ depth on offense and protection, however he was keen to take that danger.
“We needed to kind of get outside our comfort zone and do something different,” Gutekunst mentioned.
NOTES: The Packers signed QB Danny Etling, WR Travis Fulgham, CB Rico Gafford, RB Tyler Goodson, LB La’Darius Hamilton, DL Jack Heflin, OT Caleb Jones, LB Kobe Jones, DL Chris Slayton, RB Patrick Taylor, CB Kiondre Thomas and LB Ray Winborn to their observe squad. Juwann Winfree’s agent tweeted that the huge receiver additionally has signed with the observe squad. … S Morgan Burnett, who hasn’t performed since 2019, formally retired as a Packer on Wednesday. Burnett performed for the Packers from 2010-17.
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