TC4 Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 Looks like with DT Gilbert Brown out for the season, the Packers need some DT help as well: http://www.jsonline.com/packer/news/aug03/161426.asp Brown done for the season Biceps tear seals fate; Wilkinson to visit Packers Brown done for the season Biceps tear seals fate; Wilkinson to visit Packers Green Bay - Nose tackle Gilbert Brown, the shock-absorbing anchor of the Green Bay Packers' run defenses for almost a decade, has played his final snap this season and possibly in his career. Brown suffered a torn right biceps muscle on a freak play Saturday night in the Packers' 27-21 exhibition victory over the Atlanta Falcons and coach Mike Sherman announced Sunday that he was out for the year. Today, the Packers will bring in Dan Wilkinson, Brown's possible replacement, for a visit and physical examination. The 30-year-old Wilkinson, a career underachiever after being the first player selected in the 1994 draft, played four seasons for Cincinnati and the last five for Washington before being waived by the Redskins July 29 in a cost-cutting move. Coupled with the season-ending loss of safety Brian Westbrook to a torn Achilles' tendon, it was understandable why few people were talking much Sunday at 1265 Lombardi Ave. "Just something you deal with," vice president of football operations Mark Hatley said. "Just part of it. It's a shame." It was only two weeks ago that Brown turned down a more lucrative offer from the Redskins to sign a four-year, $3.35 million contract to remain with the Packers. The Packers gambled by paying Brown a $400,000 signing bonus, given his long history of injury and being overweight. They did so because of their desperate need for a nose tackle to shore up the second-worst run defense in the league a year ago. Brown will undergo surgery soon to repair the biceps, an injury from which many players have returned. However, Brown will be 33 in February and at some point the Packers will have to say enough is enough and part ways with one of their most popular players. When Brown is placed on injured reserve, he will continue to count $755,000 against the team's salary cap this season. In future years, the $300,000 remaining on his prorated signing bonus will have to count against the cap. Debuting a new plan of moderation for keeping Brown healthy for the entire season, coach Mike Sherman exposed Brown for only six plays and one series in the exhibition opener. On Saturday night, Brown still was on the field with the No. 1 defense early in the second quarter on the Falcons' fourth possession when quarterback Doug Johnson dropped back and looked for George Layne on a screen pass. As Layne began slipping out to the left, Brown instinctively diagnosed the play just as he has done hundreds of times before. Reaching out with his right arm, he knocked the fullback off stride by grabbing him around the shoulder pads and Johnson was forced to dump the ball to the other side. That's when the enormous biceps in Brown's arm gave way. Diagnostic testing in Green Bay revealed the tear. The Packers immediately called Wilkinson because their situation at nose tackle is bleak even though they have five players at the position. Rod Walker, who actually played 87 more snaps than Brown in 2002, hasn't practiced since the first day or two of camp and the Packers still don't know if he'll be available Sept. 7 against Minnesota, according to Hatley. Walker had shoulder surgery Jan. 16 to repair a labral tear. Squatty Steve Warren, a four-year veteran, is more of a pass-rush specialist than a run stuffer. When journeyman Steve Martin joined the Packers July 22, they became his sixth team. Rookie James Lee, a fifth-round draft choice, wasn't savvy enough to start even one game at Oregon State and hasn't practiced for almost three weeks with a hip injury. Free agent Terdell Sands is a giant but hasn't practiced much, either, because of a balky ankle. The need for a massive man in the middle is even more critical because middle linebacker Nick Barnett is undersized and a rookie. Wilkinson, 6 feet 31/2 inches and an estimated 345 pounds, is head and shoulders better than any other defensive tackle on the market. The Packers have no interest in Michael Myers, James Cannida, Sean Gilbert, Shane Dronett, Christian Peter, Al Lucas or Leif Larsen. Although Wilkinson has played more three-technique tackle than nose tackle during his career, and told an interviewer last year that he didn't like playing the nose, his job in Green Bay would be to hold the fort next to three-technique Cletidus Hunt. "He can play some three-technique but he's a better nose," Hatley said. "I think he'll play our scheme better. They moved and slanted him. I think he's still a powerful guy at the point." Wilkinson, however, isn't without options. He has visited Detroit, which hopes to get three-technique Luther Elliss back by the opener from a chest muscle injury. The Lions reportedly offered Wilkinson slightly more than $1 million for 2003. New England also appears to have interest. The Packers might be in a state of emergency but Wilkinson doesn't have to be. He has four children in Maryland schools and has said he would prefer playing for a team on the East Coast or in Florida. He might just wait for another team to suffer a major injury, especially if the cap-strapped Packers can't make it worth his while financially. In June, Pro Football Weekly ranked Wilkinson No. 18 among defensive tackles. He might have had his finest season in 2001 before his production and performance slipped dramatically last year. "He's strong and fairly light on his feet," Hatley said. "Systems, attitude, organizations, they're all factors with players." Wilkinson was compared by some scouts to Reggie White, Randy White and Cortez Kennedy when he left Ohio State after his sophomore season and ran 40 yards in 4.8 seconds at 313 pounds. In nine seasons, "Big Daddy" has 48 sacks, but the knock on him is that he never pushed himself to become a great player. At this point, the Packers would settle for the belly-bumping presence that Brown generally provided since joining them on waivers in August 1993. On that website they also had a fan poll asking people if they would lioke to see Wilkinson in a Packers uniform. So far, about 72% said they would like to see him in one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golgo-13 Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 A torn bicep sounds pretty painful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 "Wilkinson, 6 feet 31/2 inches and an estimated 345 pounds, is head and shoulders better than any other defensive tackle on the market. The Packers have no interest in Michael Myers, James Cannida, Sean Gilbert, Shane Dronett, Christian Peter, Al Lucas or Leif Larsen" ____________________________________________________ well, it seems as if this one is turning out to be a battle between Hatley and Cerrato. Cerrato signed Cannida whom the Packers didn't think was worth much evidently. And Wilkinson could be the Packers first move now that Brown is injured. Interesting Anyone into giving Sean Gilbert a second chance? :laugh: Thought not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awesome Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 No, but I'm dying to give BDW a sixth chance... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen-like Todd Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 Sigh.... Sean Gilbert, anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsLegacy44 Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 Lets hope BDW weighs in the convenience of staying in the same city & not having to move to a much cooler & 'dull' city such as Green Bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 Come on, guys. Wilkinson's gone. He's never been the answer to our run stopping problems and he will never be. Don't fool yourself. And why all of sudden we need him so badly? Davis ran for 1000 yards against our defense? But he didn't just run against defensive linemen; he ran against linebacker and safeties and yet nobody saying - "let's bring another linebacker or db". IMHO opinion the offense's 0 is much more alarming then defense's 20. I kinda expected our defense allow people to score 20 on them, but I expected our offense to score 28-35 (at least). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bccdc Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 While our DT talent is bleak right now, I don't think the FO should freak and start signing overpriced/old/broken/untalented free agents at this point. We should wait until first/second cuts and see what type of talent comes about. The guys that are available right now are NOT in camps for a reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 Are we still offering $2 mil? It doesn't sound like ANYBODY is offering THAT kind of mony to BDW. I'm thinking that he will end up bak in the Burgandy and Gold after a significant portion of Training Camp is over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom [Giants fan] Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 If Christian Peter is available, the Redskins should seriously consider signing him. He played pretty well when with the Giants. And if they can get him to go full speed, not only will he help with the run, but he could even provide a pass rush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen-like Todd Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 Tom, is Christian Peter the wife-beater, or am I thinking of someone else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Williams Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 the only way i can imagine stretching your bicep so much it tears is if you dislocate your elbow and it goes the other way..... and then you have 2 injuries!!...how can you just tear your bicep... ? if you stick out your arm you can feel the tension...but enough to tear your bicep and not dislocate your elbow thats weird? how? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom [Giants fan] Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 Cranky, He did do something while with the Patriots which got him cuty by Parcells. The Giants picked him up thinking they could straighten him out. I'm not exactly sure why they got rid of him after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sisko Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 If Gilbert has stopped listening to "God" and is still in something close to football shape, he could be a decent DT for us as a stopgap measure until the next draft. Let's hope that come next draftday we use all our picks on the best DT's and DE's available. Watching other teams run it up the gut on our D just makes me want to :puke: in a major way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthcat Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 Gilbert's gone, my bet is Green Bay will sign him, and he'll probably take less than we offer to save face. ( is that an oxymoron?) And we should no longer offer 2M! I say drop it down to 1.5 or so and up the incentives. Gotta motivate the big men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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