Time’s Running Short for Two Packers Draft Picks

An NFL Draft pick represents a four-year investment. That’s why they almost always make the Green Bay Packers’ roster as rookies.

So, time isn’t necessarily running out on fifth-round defensive end Collin Oliver and seventh-round offensive lineman John Williams, even though they haven’t participated in a full-squad practice since they were drafted in April.

“I don’t think so, no,” the man who drafted those players, general manager Brian Gutekunst, said on Tuesday morning.

Nonetheless, time is running short for Oliver, who missed most of his final season at Oklahoma State with an injured foot and has missed training camp with a hamstring injury, and Williams, who is out following back surgery. At least Oliver was running up and down the far sideline at practice on Tuesday. All Williams has done at practice is listen to the calls and watch the action.

“Missing this amount of time is tough on rookies but, hopefully, particularly with Oliver, hopefully we can get him out there before camp ends and see how he might be able to help us,” Gutekunst said. “Williams is probably going to be a little longer than that.”

The highest hopes, as you might expect based on the round in which they were drafted, were for Oliver.

Last year, the pass rush ran Green Bay-in-the-summer hot and Frozen Tundra cold. Maybe Oliver, based on his superb production in college, could help.

Penn State’s Abdul Carter was the third overall pick in this year’s draft and the first defensive player selected. In 42 games in three seasons, he had 23 sacks and 41 tackles for losses. In 43 games at Oklahoma State, Oliver had 23.5 sacks and 42 tackles for losses.

Everywhere the Packers looked, they saw potential. Maybe he could be a designated pass rusher. Maybe he could provide depth at defensive end. Maybe he could float between end and linebacker. Maybe he could be a weapon on special teams.

“Another versatile player, can play inside backer and edge,” Gutekunst said earlier in camp. “We drafted him as an edge guy because of his ability to come off the corner and rush the passer with speed. We haven’t had a ton of those guys like that. But I think the versatility, as well, the ability to rush the passer with his hand down, stand up and do some of those things as an inside/outbacker and then also special teams, I just think his skill-set was really intriguing to us.”

With less than two weeks until roster cuts, who knows if Oliver is even an NFL-caliber player, let alone someone who can impact a game this season.

“I hope he’ll be ready,” defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said on Monday. “I’m not sure when he’ll be able to come back just yet, but I hope it’s soon. Obviously, we liked him in the draft process. I know he’s working really hard. 

“He’s disappointed that he can’t be out here, but there’s going to be a time where we’re going to need him, so he’s got to be locked in, he’s got to be focused. But you’ve got to go out and practice. There’s no substitute for that. Just like there’s no substitute for what we did” on Saturday against the Jets.

It’s been up to the new defensive line coach, DeMarcus Covington, to keep Oliver mentally sharp so he can hit the ground running once he’s cleared for 11-on-11 drills.

“I think with him, it’s easy for him to stay engaged,” defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington said of Oliver. “It’s just making sure that even in the classroom calling on him, making him answer different things and taking him through mental exercises since he can’t do anything physical with us.”

There are just a handful of opportunities remaining before roster cuts on Aug. 26. The Packers will face the Colts in a joint practice on Thursday and a game on Saturday. The following week, they will have a few practices, including a joint practice against the Seahawks next Thursday, before the final preseason game against Seattle on that Saturday.

Judging by Gutekunst’s comments, maybe Oliver will get some work next week while Williams seems more likely to start the regular season on the physically unable to perform list. If that’s the case, Williams would be eligible to start practicing after Week 4.