Tag: speed

Packers ‘got a lot faster’ on defense with Edgerrin Cooper and Javon Bullard

The Packers wanted to get faster on defense in the 2024 NFL draft, and Edgerrin Cooper and Javon Bullard were two of the fastest defensive prospects in the class.

The Green Bay Packers had roster holes to fill at linebacker and safety entering Day 2 of the NFL draft, and general manager Brian Gutekunst checked both boxes with two of the fastest defensive players at their respective positions in linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and safety Javon Bullard.

By design. Gutekunst said he went into this draft wanted to get faster on defense. Mission accomplished?

“They bring a lot of speed,” Gutekunst said of Cooper and Bullard Friday night. “I think we got a lot faster, which I wanted to do this weekend.”

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Cooper ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds — with a 1.54-second 10-yard split — at 6-2 and 230 pounds. Gutekunst said he has “rare” speed. Relative to size, Cooper produced 95th percentile speed or better in the 10-yard split (95th percentile) and 40-yard dash (97th percentile) among linebackers. His 4.51-second 40 was the third fastest among off-ball linebackers at the combine. His 10-yard split was tied for the fastest.

Cooper will now team with 2022 first-round pick Quay Walker, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds at 6-3 and 241 pounds coming out of Georgia, giving the Packers one of the fastest linebacker duos in football. Gutekunst said speed at linebacker is “the name of the game now.”

The secondary received a big influx of speed as well.

Bullard’s 4.47-second 40-yard dash time was the sixth-fastest among safeties at the combine. Like Cooper, Bullard had an elite 10-yard split at 1.51 seconds, the fastest among all safeties in the draft class and a 97th percentile time at his size and position. He also finished the short shuttle in 3.97 at Georgia’s pro day, which would have been the fastest time among safeties at the combine.

Gutekunst said the Packers got two impact defenders who can run and hit in Cooper and Bullard, who could be Week 1 starters for Jeff Hafley’s new defense.

The Packers also took Missouri linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper in the third round. Gutekunst said the Packers clocked Hopper in the high 4.5s in the 40-yard dash at his pro day. He checked both boxes in terms of running fast on tape and measuring fast on the stopwatch.

5 essential, expert-recommended tips on how to run faster

Step it up!

The need for speed is one that runners of all experience levels can understand. As famed video game character Sonic the Hedgehog says, sometimes you just “gotta go fast.” But how can a runner get faster? What does it take to improve your speed?

If you want to learn how to run faster, you might look to the greats for inspiration. How do record-setters like Usain Bolt train? What tricks do people like Sha’Carri Richardson use to gain speed? Well, while numerous factors determine how fast a person can run, there are some expert-recommended tips you can follow to shave seconds off your mile time. Find some tried and true methods in the list below.

Chiefs DB Bryan Cook reached impressive top speed during fumble return vs. Dolphins

#Chiefs DB Bryan Cook was clocked running faster than 20 miles per hour during his fumble return touchdown against the #Dolphins in Week 9.

Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Bryan Cook showed off some serious wheels during his touchdown scamper against the Miami Dolphins in Week 9, and reached an impressive top speed, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats.

During the insane play that featured a Tyreek Hill fumble, Mike Edwards recovery and lateral to Cook, the second-year safety managed to run 21.31 miles per hour to paydirt to give Kansas City a 21-point lead.

The play occurred with just seconds remaining in the first half and ended up being a decisive factor in the Chiefs’ 21-14 win. If Cook hadn’t run like the wind on the return, Kansas City may have been unable to seize victory from the clutches of the Dolphins, who made a serious comeback in the second and third quarters.

Cook is becoming an unsung hero for the Chiefs’ defense, and figures to play a key role for the unit as Kansas City makes its push for the top seed in the AFC playoff picture.

WATCH: Patrick Mahomes connects with Travis Kelce, who shows off speed after catch

#Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce found an extra gear after hauling in a pass from Patrick Mahomes at Kansas City’s Wednesday practice.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has built a legendary chemistry with tight end Travis Kelce, and the dynamic duo is hard at work in St. Joseph as they prepare for the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2023 season at training camp.

One play from Wednesday’s practice showed a glimpse of big gains to come when Mahomes completed a pass to Kelce on a crossing route, leaving plenty of room for the All-Pro tight end to show off his remarkable speed as he headed downfield.

Kelce was eventually chased out of bounds by safety Bryan Cook, but only after gaining a huge chunk of yards against the Chiefs defense. Though not exactly known for his raw footspeed, the 11-year veteran really got moving on this particular play, and opposing defenders who see the highlight are sure to dread the day they have to try tackling Kelce when he has a full head of steam behind him.

Watch for the Mahomes to Kelce connection to continue bearing fruit for Kansas City’s offense next season, and don’t be surprised if the universally acclaimed pass catcher seems to find another gear with the ball in his hands in 2023.

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Packers WR Christian Watson is one of top 10 fastest players on ‘Madden NFL 24’

Speed. Kills. Packers WR Christian Watson has 96 speed in the new “Madden NFL 24” video game.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson will be one of the fastest virtual players in “Madden NFL 24.”

Watson, who has 96 speed, is tied with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Jets receiver Mecole Hardman, Browns receiver Anthony Schwartz, Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett, Jets cornerback Javelin Gaudry, Vikings cornerback Kalon Barnes and Patriots receiver Tyquan Thornton for the eighth-fastest speed rating in the video game at launch. He is the fastest Packers player on the game.

Watson ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds despite standing 6-4 and weighing over 200 pounds at the 2022 combine. By size, Watson’s 40-yard dash time ranks in the 97th percentile by Relative Athletic Score. His 10-yard split of 1.45 seconds ranks in the 99th percentile.

Watson used his blazing speed to create a number of big plays as a rookie, including a 63-yard catch-and-run touchdown from quarterback Jordan Love in Philadelphia. He had nine plays over 20 yards, including four touchdowns of at least 39 yards.

Expect to create plenty of long touchdowns when playing with Watson and the Packers in this year’s Madden:

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Packers clocked rookie WR Jayden Reed at 4.37 in the 40-yard dash

Running 4.37 at 191 pounds would put Packers rookie WR Jayden Reed in the 97th percentile for speed.

The Green Bay Packers clocked receiver Jayden Reed at 4.37 seconds in the 40-yard dash before taking him in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft.

The impressive straight-line speed is one part of why the Packers think Reed can play both in the slot and on the perimeter at the next level.

“He’s strong and he’s fast. He’s got exceptional strength for a smaller-framed player. And then he can run. He’s got good tempo. I believe we had him at 4.37,” vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan said. “More importantly, he plays fast. He’s quick. He can get out of breaks. Obviously outside the numbers, speed comes into play, but inside, he’s strong and he can get in and out of breaks, which will help him get separation.”

The Packers think Reed’s versatility and speed make him an ideal complement to Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, two other speedsters who can threaten deep but also play inside.

Reed was officially timed at 4.45 seconds in the 40 at the combine, but the Packers generally prefer their own measurements on players.

Among receivers, a time of 4.37 seconds would have ranked tied for the third-fastest in the 40 at the combine.

According to Relative Athletic Score, 4.37 seconds at 191 pounds (pro day weight) puts Reed in the 97th percentile for speed.

While quickness is king from the slot, speed rules on the outside, where a receiver must threaten down the field to soften coverages and create separation on a variety of routes.

“I do think he’s very good in the slot, but I do think because of his speed he’ll be able to play outside,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said.

Reed caught 11 passes thrown 20 yards or more in the air last season.

The speed is also a factor on returns. At Michigan State and Western Michigan, Reed returned three punts for scores. The Packers believe he will give them another special teams option, especially on punt returns.

The Packers are building one of the fastest offenses in football, especially in the passing game. Watson (4.36), Reed (4.37), Bo Melton (4.34) and Jeff Cotton (4.38) all ran under 4.4, Doubs and Samori Toure both ran in the 4.4-range at pro days and rookie tight ends Luke Musgrave (4.61) and Tucker Kraft (4.68) both ran fast times at the combine.

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Luke Musgrave’s speed separates him for Packers in deep TE class

New Packers TE Luke Musgrave ran the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds at 253 pounds and had the best 10-yard split at the position.

In a loaded tight end draft class, it was Luke Musgrave’s speed that separated him from the rest of his counterparts for the Green Bay Packers.

Even as members of the tight end class started to come off the board as the Packers patiently waited with the 42nd pick, Green Bay still wasn’t short on high-end options. Prior to the draft, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah had a whopping 11 tight ends with a third-round grade or better. However, with Dalton Kincaid, Michael Mayer, and Sam LaPorta off the board, the Packers still got their guy in Musgrave.

Unfortunately, Musgrave’s 2022 season was cut short due to a knee injury that he suffered early on. Before that point, it looked like he was about to have a breakout season, with 11 receptions at 15.4 yards per catch and a touchdown in just two games. Overall, he is a relatively inexperienced player with 1,128 career snaps and only 44 receptions in four seasons. But he has two things that Green Bay loves, upside and speed.

“There are a lot of good players in this draft class at the tight end position,” said Director of Player Personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan. “If you ask me what separates him, it’s his speed. You’ve got to see it; everybody’s talked about it. That’s not to take away from the other guys in this class; everybody has a different skill set, but what kind of sets him apart from the rest of the class is that vertical speed to stretch the field.”

Musgrave finished with the fourth-highest Relative Athletic Score at the tight end position, which included a 4.61-second 40-yard dash and a 10-yard split of 1.54 that was the fastest at the position. During the Senior Bowl, Musgrave was also clocked at over 20 miles per hour with the ball in his hands.

This speed was an element that the Packers were very much missing last season at tight end. The only true pass-catching threat on the roster was Robert Tonyan, and while he was a reliable option for Rodgers, his average depth of target was within six yards of the line of scrimmage, and he ranked 34th out of 43 tight ends in average yards per catch with just 8.9. There was no big play threat at tight end for the Packers, like there was on many of this year’s NFL playoff teams.

Musgrave’s speed, combined with his ability to move around the formation, will help create mismatches for the Packers’ offense, which should lead to big-play opportunities over the middle, down the seam, and in the red zone, where the Packers struggled in 2022 as a team. His presence with this skill set will also help create opportunities for other pass catchers with the attention that Musgrave draws from defenders.

History says that most rookie tight ends won’t make a significant impact in that first season. But given the construction of the tight end room, the Packers are going to need Musgrave to break that mold. Having elite speed will certainty help.

“It’s always a projection with all these guys,” Sullivan said. “We really liked the skill set. Watching that kid move around, watching him block, watching him run routes. We feel like where he is now and where he can go is exciting. He will only grow and get better as time evolves.”

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Chargers GM Tom Telesco emphasizes importance of having speed at every position

Tom Telesco is valuing speed in his evaluations of draft prospects.

The Chargers’ slow grind of an offseason is about to get hectic with the NFL draft set to take place this week.

The team held a pre-draft press conference on Monday ahead of the annual selection meeting wherein general manager Tom Telesco gave reporters insight regarding Los Angeles’ draft strategy.

Speed, he said, would be a focal point for the Chargers. Asked about the role that speed plays in the evaluation process, Telesco made it known that he is looking for athletes who are fleet of foot in this year’s class.

“I’ve never met a coach who didn’t want speed,” He explained. “I’ve never been a GM who didn’t want speed, not a scout. We want it at every position, same with Derrick [Ansley] and, certainly, with [Special Teams Coordinator] Ryan Ficken. It’s all the same.”

In specific, the Chargers need more speed and explosiveness at the wide receiver position even after the re-signing of Jalen Guyton, who tore his ACL in Week 3 of the 2022 season.

If they could add a receiver with some juice for Justin Herbert to target and more speed on defense, Los Angeles could see their position in the top-heavy AFC rise next year.

The 5 best Keanu Reeves movies to stream, from The Matrix to Bill & Ted

It’s time to stream some Keanu Reeves movies. John Wick would be proud if you did.

Keanu Reeves has spent a career’s worth in Hollywood thrilling audiences with some of the best action movies of anyone’s generation.

From battling machines in The Matrix to saving passengers aboard a runaway bus in Speed, Reeves is one of the most trusted movie stars around when it comes to action-packed cinema.

His latest film, John Wick: Chapter 4, is now playing in theaters nationwide.

The next installment in the assassin-filled action saga has debuted to stellar reviews as Reeves now gets another chance to implement his signature brand of Wick-y justice on those who try to defeat him.

If you need to catch up on the series, the first three John Wick movies are available to stream on Peacock.

As you get into the John Wick spirit, what are some other Keanu Reeves films that you can check out on streaming?

Packers have a need for team speed in 2023

According to tracking from Next Gen Stats, the Packers were the second-slowest team during the 2022 season.

The Green Bay Packers need to get faster this offseason. According to Brian Burke, who does sports analytics at ESPN, the Packers were the second-slowest team (only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were slower) in terms of overall team speed in the NFL in 2022.

Here is a look at the team-by-team rankings:

To compile the data, Burke got some help from Next Gen Stats’ tracking system and took the mean of each player’s 2nd through 6th fastest max speeds on all non-special teams plays, noting that “fastest speed is often a blip in the data.”

The average of each team’s top 2 QBs, 3 WRs, 2 TEs, 4 DBs, and 3 LBs were then weighted by snaps. Team speed is evenly weighted by offense and defense.

The unit to measure player speed is yards covered per second. Because miles per hour is almost exactly double, that would mean 10 yards per second is approximately 20mph.

Looking at Burke’s chart, defensive backs were Green Bay’s fastest position. Tight end was the slowest, with linebacker and quarterback not far behind.

To their credit, the Packers have tried to add speed in recent years. In 2021, they drafted Eric Stokes in the first round after he ran a 4.25 in the 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. Then last year, they traded up to select Christian Watson with the 34th overall after he displayed some freakish testing. Watson ran a 4.36 at the NFL Combine and was later responsible for the fifth-fastest play of the 2022 season, according to Next Gen Stats.

Overall, Green Bay has prioritized bringing in good athletes, whether it be through the draft or free agency, but clearly, it hasn’t been enough.

They could certainly use another speed threat opposite Watson, and it also wouldn’t hurt to add a speedster at running back. Aaron Jones is quicker than he is fast, and AJ Dillon is a 250-pound power back who runs through guys more than he runs away from them. Drafting a burner may be the finishing touch this backfield needs.

Tight end should be an easy position to solve. If 38-year-old Marcedes Lewis retires, that would trim off some of the sluggishness. There’s also a good chance the Packers will address the position through the draft, which comes at a great time seeing that this year’s batch of tight ends is filled with athletes.

Quarterback will tougher to fix, especially if Aaron Rodgers returns. At 39, Rodgers can’t run like he used to, but thankfully, Jordan Love would give the team some fresher legs if he becomes the starter.

Defensively, it’s interesting that Green Bay’s linebackers were the slowest in the league, if Burke only measured inside linebackers. Quay Walker was the first linebacker off the board in 2022 and ran a 4.52. That said, it’s possible his timed speed is different than his play speed. Meanwhile, De’Vondre Campbell is also decently fast (ran a 4.58 in 2016) but suffered a knee injury halfway through the season. Hopefully, Walker will start to play faster with more experience, and Campbell will come back healthy next season to recapture his 2021 form.

Of course, speed isn’t everything, and doesn’t necessarily equate to wins, but it definitely helps.

This year’s Super Bowl Champion, the Kansas City Chiefs, finished 11th in Burke’s rankings, while their opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles, finished 7th.

Luckily, speed is relatively easy to find and should be a priority for the Packers this offseason.

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