Cheesehead
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- Mar 19, 2019
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GREEN BAY – Linebacker James Crawford wasn’t even in Green Bay at this time last year.
In fact, he didn’t arrive until Aug. 8, no less than 10 practices into training camp and the day before the first preseason game.
Yet Crawford, an undrafted rookie from Illinois in 2018, still managed to make the 53-man roster out of camp by proving to be a quick study on special teams. Practically overnight, he became a dynamo in the game’s third phase, leading the Packers in an otherwise down year on special teams with 13 coverage tackles and a fumble recovery.
In that context, it comes as no surprise that with a full offseason to learn defensive coordinator Mike Pettine’s playbook, and get snaps on the practice field throughout OTAs, that Crawford is starting to show up again.
Earlier this week during the Packers’ public practice, Crawford slipped out into the flat in pass coverage, made a break on the ball, and picked off backup QB Tim Boyle’s poorly thrown pass.
He was off to the races, and the second-year pro is off to a heck of a start in trying to nail down a roster spot once again. This time he’s making waves as a more viable option on defense at inside linebacker, working with the second string behind starters Blake Martinez and Oren Burks.
“I’ve just got to, first off, do my job, which I did, and then just catch the ball when they throw it to us,” Crawford said in describing his highlight-reel interception. “So I just capitalized on that. It’s not my first one.”