Jones was sure he'd be back

The Journal Sentinel staff

Green Bay Green Bay Packers defensive end Sean Jones was assured by team officials that he wouldn't be selected by Jacksonville or Carolina in February's National Football League expansion draft.

Jones said the Packers called him and asked him if he wouldn't mind being exposed to the expansion draft. His age (32), and salary ($2.6 million average), plus common wisdom made him an unlikely candidate to be selected, the Packers told him.

"They explained to me there would be a 99.4141% chance that I would be taken and that it would allow them to hold onto some younger players," said Jones, who was participating in the Packers' minicamp at the Don Hutson Center Tuesday. "They did their homework on it.

"They knew that (Carolina coach Dom) Capers plays a three-man line and I'm an end in a four-man and they knew (Jacksonville defensive coordinator) Dick Jauron and figured he wouldn't take me either. So I didn't think it was any problem."

But what if the unthinkable happened and Jones, a 12th-year veteran, would have been forced to start over on a team that might not have a winning record this century.

"It would have been hard for me to go there," Jones said. "There would have been some kind of recourse. I probably wouldn't have gone. I would have had to work something out."

Inside job: Defensive lineman Gabe Wilkins planned on having to drop about 20 pounds before the start of training camp, but after finding out the Packers plan to use him as a tackle he won't have drop to much under his current 317 pounds.

Wilkins, the Packers' fourth- round pick last year, was drafted as a potential pass-rushing defensive end, but because of his versatility and lack of depth at the position, he'll be playing mostly inside for the time being.

"Right now I'm assuming I'll be one of the guards (interior linemen)," Wilkins said. "I won't know for sure until they put in the defense. But either way I've got some experience there."

Wilkins played sparingly inside in the Packers' four-man nickel front last season and was slated for more playing time this year. When pass rusher Bryce Paup left for Buffalo, a permanent spot opened up in the nickel and Wilkins was the logical choice to fill it.

There will be some opportunity for Wilkins to rush from the outside, however. The Packers like to shift end Reggie White inside on certain downs and Wilkins could wind-up flip-flopping to the end position.

"That's where I'm more comfortable, but I just want to play," Wilkins said. "I want to find a home and grow some roots."

The ol' switcharoo: As late as last week Wednesday, Keith Crawford was working out with the wide receivers in anticipation for this week's minicamp.

But late in the week, coach Mike Holmgren gave him the word that he was to turn in his offensive jersey; he was being switched to cornerback.

"I had kind of heard about it through the locker room," said Crawford, who joined the active roster late last season. "Then Coach Holmgren gave me the word.

"I guess when they switched my number (from 85 to 45) after the season, I kind of expected it."

General manager Ron Wolf said the Packers wanted to look at Crawford as a defensive back last season but because of a rash of injuries decided to leave him at receiver. He said he firmly believes Crawford's future is as a defensive back.

Back on track: Defensive lineman Matt LaBounty, who was on the verge of making the team before hurting his back last August, is using the minicamp as a testing ground.

LaBounty was lost for the season with a pair of herniated disks and has spent the last seven months working to strengthen his back, stomach and sides. He chose a non-surgical approach to recovery because it allows him to play this season.

"If I had the surgery it pretty much would have guaranteed me not to play this year," LaBounty said. "And I don't like the idea of them digging in my back at 25 (years old). Maybe sometime down the road, but I can't see it happening anytime soon.

"I never had any pain down my legs and often that's when they do the surgery. I never had that, I've just had lower back pain. I'm not saying it didn't hurt. It was better than having it down my legs and stuff."

LaBounty's return is important for the Packers, especially considering the loss of free agent Matt Brock to the New York Jets and Brown's injury. At the time he injured his back, LaBounty was slated for a reasonable amount of playing time at defensive end.

LaBounty said he still has some pain, but he wanted to take part in the minicamp to get an idea of how much strain his back could take.

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