Award #5: Green Bay Packer Most Likely to Win Comeback Player of the Year:
(Be sure to place your vote in the poll below.)
Adam: Grant — I’ve always like Grant, even though he basically just runs straight ahead as fast as he can. The Packers offensive line took a major step forward last season, which helps Grant’s cause.
Al: I really wanted to go with an off-beat pick here, and was leaning towards Mike Neal. I really think he was on his way to establishing himself as a full-time starter before being lost for the year. Then I was considering Grant, but with McCarthy’s token commitment to the running game and 3 options at RB, I don’t see Grant getting enough snaps. However, there’s one guy at a skill position that is sure to have more of an impact on the team if he stays healthy – TGIFinley. It can be nobody else.
Chad: When I started looking for a “comeback player” for 2011, I had to find someone who is a great player, had a drop in production the past year or two, and is in a position to return to his former glory next season. First and foremost, it’s a testament to the coaching staff and front office that I couldn’t find any players whose decreased performance wasn’t due to injury. So that left me with guys like Jermichael Finley, Donald Driver, and Ryan Grant who could fit the category. Of these three, I’d put my money on Jermichael Finley. He was on pace to have over 1,000 yards receiving before his injury last year, and you can bet he’ll be coming back strong in 2011. He’s just too good of a player to be a disappointment.
Kris: Finley and it won’t be close. Every fiber of my being says the man is in for a monster 2011. If he keeps his head on straight, the sky is the limit. He is an athletic freak of nature and a bad matchup for any defense. If he stays healthy, 2011 is the real YOTTO (year of the takeover, used by Finley on Twitter).
Thomas: Ryan Grant – My reason for picking Grant over Finley is that the Packers are a passing team and Finley was the focal point until he went onto IR. Considering that, defenses are probably going to double team him constantly, which should dampen his production. Add to that the fact that Finley needs to stay healthy through the entire season and Grant might have a better shot. Also the offensive line has gone through a major upgrade with 2 1st rounders and Josh Sitton becoming a Pro Bowl caliber player.
Zach: Finley: Doesn’t it have to be Finley? If—and we have to consider it a big “if” at this point—he stays healthy for the majority of next season, Finley will put up big numbers. He’s one of the bigger mismatches in football for a defense, and Rodgers clearly felt comfortable with him last season. Remember, he was on track for 84 catches and 1,204 yards in 2010. If he gets even close to those numbers, this will be an easy pick.
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Jersey Al Bracco is the founder and editor of AllGreenBayPackers.com, and the co-founder of Packers Talk Radio Network. He can be heard as one of the Co-Hosts on Cheesehead Radio and is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com.
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Al, no shortage of candidates with 15 finishing the year on IR. I’m going to go in another direction (surprise – surprise). TJ Lang will get the start at LG and have a stellar year.
I know, I know my obsession overwhelems all other thought.
if lang plays to his potential at LG, it would certainly help grant’s cause. lang should be a mauler in the running if he is healthy has his mind right.
i would go with mike neal. the guy just looked stronger than everyone else when he was playing. kind of like when raji was a rookie. he just got a push that the other guys were not getting.
Neal was getting beastier with every game. he was outstanding in the Wash game, leading Shanahan to comment how good the Packers DL were.
I think I would consider a good 2011 season by Mike Neal to be more of a “breakout” than a “comeback” performance.
But that’s just me being picky. 🙂
Very wishful thinking, Ron. Although I do hope Lang progresses this year.
I would say Neal, but I have a feeling that Raji will be so dominating, that nobody else is gonna be talked about in the DL.
So I’m going with Finley. I think he stays healthy and has a monstruous year.
I’m going with Barnett, But it will be with another team and they will be saying how it was worth the 3rd round pick they spent on him? And the pack will still have a beastier (pinching that word of Jersey Al becouse it is a cool word) defense.
Since I’m not sure of what the situation is entirely with the Packers or the NFL(Goodell)but if Jolly plays here or elsewhere,I would cast my vote at him.
If he,Jolly is not eligible than how about Burnett?
What about Starks, he was hurt most of last year but played well in the playoffs. I think Starks has a better chance of comeback player of the year than Grant. Of course some of this might depend on what is your definition of what is comeback player of the year. One could say both Starks and Neal never really were top notch status in the first place so how do they fit the comeback scenario.
Starks doesn’t qualify because he finished the season out playing – even starting in several games…