Johnny Roland, now coaching Green Bay’s running backs, was Thomas Jones’ first pro coach in Arizona. He believes the Bears’ new running back has matured as a runner.
“He was always a cutback runner in college,” Roland said. “My biggest complaint I had with him is he saw too much. He was always cutting. He had good vision, but he saw too much.
“I wanted him to be more patient and press the hole more. I think he’s learned to do that. He was ready to bolt. If it was cloudy at the line of scrimmage, he was ready to bolt. He would cut it back, or cut it outside. He never would trust his line to block at the point of attack.”
The Packers are well aware of Jones’ ability. With Tampa Bay last year, Jones carried nine times for 134 yards, including a 61-yard gain, in a 20-13 Green Bay win Nov. 16. Roland was still in Arizona, where the Cardinals and Jones had mutually given up on each other.
Roland, however, hadn’t given up. He remembers Jones getting 173 yards against Seattle in Game 2 of 2002, his third season. That was 100 more than his next best game in Arizona.
“He was coming,” Roland said. “He’s a great kid. Then he broke his hand and all of a sudden Marcel Shipp was the guy.”
The Cardinals and Jones got into a money hassle and it was all downhill. Although it’s unusual for a running back to blossom in his fifth year, Roland agrees there are “slight similarities” between Jones and Priest Holmes, the running back who emerged with Kansas City in his fifth year after four years in Baltimore.
Holmes, however, gained 1,000 yards in his second season before the Ravens decided to go with a bigger back and eventually drafted Jamal Lewis.
Bear connections
Roland used to coach Walter Payton in Chicago. Now he’s coaching Ahman Green, who idolizes Payton and watches videos of his hero before every game.
“I gave him more videos of Walter this week,” Roland said. “He’s always asking how he practiced, his training routine. He revels in it.”
Roland joins Packers coaches Bob Slowik and Vince Tobin as ex-Bears now plotting to beat the Bears. Slowik, former defensive coordinator under Dave Wannstedt, took over as Packers defensive coordinator. That means the Bears will be facing ex-Bears defensive coaches in their first two games, Detroit’s Dick Jauron and Slowik.
Tobin, who drafted Jones in his final year as head coach of the Cardinals in 2000, has joined Mike Sherman’s Green Bay staff as a special assistant.
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Tobin will analyze third-down tendencies of opponents a week ahead of the schedule to give other coaches a head start.
“You’re always fighting time,” Tobin said.
Tobin also will serve as a “consultant” to Sherman on game day, an extra set of eyes to help weigh decisions. They will be objective eyes.
“The defensive coordinator, he has an interest he’s looking out for. The linebacker coach has an interest he’s looking out for. To have someone who can give an objective observation and has been in that type of situation can help,” Tobin said.
Tobin will be one of four coaches with defensive coordinator experience on Sherman’s staff, joining Slowik, Mark Duffner (Cincinnati) and Kurt Schottenheimer (Kansas City, Washington, Detroit).
Different strokes
Almost all NFL player contracts are guaranteed only in the amount of the signing bonus. Kellen Winslow’s six-year, $40 million deal with Cleveland has $29 million guaranteed, and relatively easy incentives make it likely Winslow will make the entire $40 million.
For example, Winslow triggers escalator clauses if he catches 45 passes his first year, or 50 in his second, 55 in his third, etc.; if he nets 700 receiving yards; if he averages 12.5 yards a catch; if he makes the Pro Bowl in any year; or if the Browns make the playoffs in any year.
Contrast that with the offer by the San Diego Chargers that sent No. 1 draft choice Philip Rivers back home unsigned.
In addition to the basic contract and signing bonus, Rivers would get a $5 million bonus if he appeared in four Pro Bowls and won four Super Bowls in his first six seasons. He would get another $7.5 million if he appeared in five Pro Bowls and won five Super Bowls during that time. And he would get an additional $10 million if he appeared in six Pro Bowls and won six Super Bowl in his first six seasons.
That’s a total of $22.5 million for six Pro Bowl appearances and six Super Bowl wins in six seasons. Never been done, obviously.
Offensive world
A lot of defensive coaches and players are fighting mad about the NFL’s renewed “emphasis” on enforcing the no-contact rule past the 5-yard legal jamming area. Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer is making his defensive backs wear boxing gloves during one-on-one pass drills.
“It’s something to help us be attentive to the new point of emphasis in pass defense,” Schottenheimer said. “It’s virtually impossible to grab someone with those gloves on. Hopefully, this will keep us mindful.”
It’ll cost you
Buying numbers is becoming a popular sideshow in NFL camps.
In Buffalo, tight end Mark Campbell sold his No. 83 to rookie receiver Lee Evans for $20,000.
In Washington, running back Clinton Portis considered challenging safety Ifeanyi Ohalete to a boxing match to wrest No. 26 before securing it for a reported $25,000.
Cleveland’s Winslow is wearing No. 11 but is “negotiating” with fellow tight end Aaron Shea for No. 80. A poll on the Browns Web site suggested a price of $40,000.
Then there’s the Philadelphia Eagles, where linebacker Jeremiah Trotter got his old No. 54 back from linebacker Nate Wayne when he rejoined the team recently. Wayne offered to trade for Trotter’s No. 51. In gratitude, Trotter told Wayne he could have a year’s supply of car washes at “Trot’s Spot,” his Cherry Hill, N.J., car wash.
Patriot ways
In winning two of the last three Super Bowls, the New England Patriots have overcome injury and roster shuffling. One way is to develop versatility.
After 12 years as a wide receiver/punt returner, Troy Brown is getting work at defensive back.
Coach Bill Belichick said it’s possible Brown could join teammates Mike Vrabel, Richard Seymour, David Givens and Dan Klecko as two-way players.
“The idea is to add to his value and to the team’s versatility,” Belichick said. “You can’t back up every spot, especially when you get into multiple receiver and tight end sets.
“We saw many situations last year when we had to move people around and that comes from having a background in it. Training camp is the best time to do it, and Troy is a pretty experienced player on offense. Not that he doesn’t need the practice over there, but I think he can afford a little bit of time trying to learn to do something else.”
Brown said: “I’m an employee here, so I do what the boss tells me. It was like, `Get a few reps with the defense.’ He’s trying to build a little depth at that position and I told him I’d give him the best I had.”
Fellow receivers have been very supportive.
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“They called me traitor and Little Benedict,” Brown said.
“When I’m on defense I feel like I’m a rookie again. I was real nervous because I want to do well. Every time I’m on defense I get nervous, but it makes me feel young again.”