Regarding the NFL’s new kickoff rules, Bears ST coordinator Richard Hightower believes WR Velus Jones will excel in the new structure.
“You can only think about a guy like Velus Jones,” Hightower said, via Alex Shapiro of NBC Sports. “A guy like that with his type of skill set, with the speed and the power that he has, and he’s coming full speed ahead at you, it’s like a damn freight train running at you.”
Hightower reiterated his confidence in Jones’ ability to possibly change games on kickoff returns.
“He’s gonna get an opportunity to touch the ball three or four more times a game,” said Hightower. “We all know he’s a very dynamic player with the ball in his hands. But this new rule, because of the landing zone, because of the league incentivizing returns, it’s only going to have a really good effect for not only our whole return team but for a guy like that to really change the game.”
Packers seventh-round QB Michael Pratt is looking forward to putting his head down and getting to work, making a contribution any way he can.
“Just controlling what I can control,” Pratt said, via Packers Wire. “Just controlling my attitude and my effort. Getting better every day but also elevating all the people around me. You know whatever my role is here, fulfilling it to the best of my ability and just taking it day by day.”
Pratt added that he and QB Sean Clifford, who the team spent a fifth-round pick on last year, have a great relationship.
“I believe it actually started at the Manning Passing Academy a couple of years ago,” Pratt explained. “And then we’ve got like a group chat, just other quarterbacks and other people that Sean and I have stayed in touch.”
Pratt added that elevating the play of those around him and being a great teammate are some of the intangibles that comes with being a good quarterback at the professional level.
“At this level, I think the intangibles,” Pratt said. “Everybody at this level has the talent. I don’t think anybody would be here if they didn’t have the talent to be at this level. It really comes down to leadership, how you get the guys around you to elevate, getting the locker room to buy in, being a leader – all those kind of things because, essentially, you can’t do everything by yourself. At lower levels – in high school and sometimes in college – you can make stuff happen by yourself. At this level, it’s about what you do, what you get the guys around you to do.”
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