A year ago at this time, Green Bay Packers defensive end Jarius Wynn was playing himself off the 53-man roster.
Lacking vigor and basically melding in with those who weren't going to make the team, Wynn found himself getting a pink slip before the regular-season started. It may have come as a surprise to him, but not to defensive line coach Mike Trgovac.
Wynn was struggling with a lot of things.
Fast forward a year, and the third-year pro has a roster spot locked up. He got second life when injuries caused the Packers to call him up during last season and he has progressed to the point where he should split some time with linemen B.J. Raji and Mike Neal in the much-used nickel package this year.
"In this defense, they spend the first whole year trying to learn what we're doing because we do a lot," Trgovac said. "Secondly, they're trying to change their stances because they're different than what they were doing. So they're concentrated so much on that in their first year, they're not really focusing on the pass rush as much.
"Last year, he started doing more and this year he and B.J. have started teaming up and done a nice job of studying. He's seeing things a lot faster this year."
Wynn has had some solid practices in training camp and became a starter in the nickel when Neal went down with a knee injury Aug. 16. Against the Cardinals last Friday, he didn't have a sack, but he was flashing moves he didn't have a year ago.
"Jarius played well," Trgovac said. "He had some good rushes that he was coming clean on. The ball was just out before he got there. He had a couple moves where he beat the guy with a move and was coming clean."
The 6-3, 285-pound Wynn can play end in the 3-4, although you wouldn't want him lining head up over the tackle as a Ryan Pickett, Howard Green or C.J. Wilson might. Wynn is more of an edge rusher who has been working like crazy to improve his pass rush ability up the middle.
When he and Raji line up in the nickel they can line up anywhere across the guard's outside shoulder to either side of the center's shoulders to just outside the tackle. Sometimes he's trying to eat up blockers to allow others to get free and sometimes it's his job to get into the backfield.
"We don't rush as much outside particularly in nickel," Trgovac said. "He's getting better at his inside rush. He has long arms so he has a good mixture of finesse moves and he can use power inside, too."
Wynn should get a lot of snaps against Indianapolis with both Neal (knee) and Wilson (concussion) out.
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