Back in Business!!

Nick Collins and Clay Matthews
III after Collins' Super Bowl TD pick

It is Time to rejoice. At long last, football.

No lawyers or talking heads or district judges, just plain old smash mouth sweat-in-the-sun two a days…. Make that ONE a days… football is back baby!

The glow of a Super Bowl victory over the Steelers has been a wonderful tonic to place on a soul starved for football. As we reopen the season we at Packers Weekly can resume the one thing we all love – football and where this year’s edition of the Green Bay Packers are heading. As the season breaks there will be no discussion of the CBA or what it means or who got what from whom. As far as we’re concerned CBA stood for “Crying, Bitching and Arguing.”

Millionaires facing off against billionaires for a share of $10 billion dollars. Had enough? So have we. Let’s look at how the 2011 defending Super Bowl Champions are shaping up.

Anyone expecting Ted Thompson to dive into the feeding frenzy of free agency is oblivious to the fact that Ted would rather wear a raw meat wetsuit in a shark tank than jump into the free agency pool. In an unprecedented flurry of deals the Philadelphia Eagles made the most noise by trading for Antonio Rodgers Cromartie and then signing the most coveted of all the Free Agents Nnamdi Asomugha. Additionally the Iggles landed former Packer DE Cullen Jenkins and Jason Brabin late of the Tennessee Titans who ended last year with 12 ½ sacks. Philly also snagged Ronnie Brown from the Dolphins slag heap and added onetime time 5 pick Vince Young to back up Mike Vick.



To the Victor go the spoils



Philly’s moves reflect a growing mood among the NFC. To win the NFC the road will go right thru Green Bay and what looks to be a high octane offense that can spread the ball all over the field. And this is, on paper, an offense that will explode and be almost impossible to contain at times. Have the issues of dropped passes been addressed? Will one ball be enough? Can the Packers sustain their near perfect close to last season? How well did they draft? Did they miss out by not signing any Free Agents?

Make no mistake about one certainty. This year’s Packers are so staggeringly deep at multiple positions that they will be the template for how to build a team for other struggling teams. At some positions they are so deep it is downright embarrassing and speaks to TT’s ability to find talent. How good is this team and how deep are they really?

The best place to start is by assessing the draft. Ted Thompson’s philosophy has been, is, and always will be a ‘draft and develop’ approach to building a team. While TT avoids the high risk/ high contract FA’s he will nonetheless bargain shop and has shown an uncanny knack for finding a gem in the leftover pile. Look no further than Tramon Williams (UDFA cut by Houston), Frank Zombo (UDFA), Howard Greene (Practice Squad, NYJ), Ryan Grant (same thing but from the Giants), John Kuhn (waivers from Pittsburgh) and last year’s steal of the century UDFA CB Sam Shields. Thompson has drafted almost brilliantly with the newly released former 1^st rounder Justin Harrell being a sore spot. With 15 players on Injured Reserve last year TT still managed to cobble together a team that not only eon the Super Bowl but is poised to make a deep run every year in the here and now. How does he do it?

1st Round Pick Derrick Sherrod

It all starts with the draft. The draft class of 2010 paid immediate and enormous dividends as the Pack landed their new RT and replacement for Mark Tauscher in Bryan Bulaga. The Whale’s stellar and steady play flanking All Pro in waiting Josh Sitton (RG) made the right side of the Packers line formidable. This year’s #1 pick, Derrick Sherrod (LT/ Miss. St.) is eventually slated to slide into the LT spot when Chad Clifton calls it a career. Sherrod should be able to step right in and begin play immediately and will challenge 3^rd year man T.J. Lang for the vacated LG position when Darryn Colledge took the FA train to Arizona. Colledge may be the most expendable player on the O Line and the Pack are very high on Lang and Sherrod as well as last year’s FA surprise Nick MacDonald. Look for Sherrod and Lang to battle the entire way thru camp. Even if Sherrod cannot move Lang out, he will nonetheless see a lot of playing time as he is explosive, quick, strong and a his talent will not keep him on the bench for long.

2nd Rounder Randall Cobb will bring
some flash to Titletown

Much is anticipated from the explosive #2 pick Randall Cobb (WR/ Kentucky). Cobb, a former high school QB has that ‘it’ factor GM’s cover and drool over. Cobb’s addition, along with the re-signing of WR James Jones gives the Packers an arsenal of WR’s that no team in the NFL can match. With Donald Driver heading into the sunset of a glorious career, the emergence of #3 man Jordy Nelson (9 catches/ 140 yards and a huge TD in Supe XLV) and Jones re-upping Cobb will not need to play. But he will have an impact. He has played in Wildcat formations and is a skilled returner. While Cobb lacks blazing speed he will no doubt get some touches and has the luxury of being eased in. As it is the Pack has no less than 6 NFL caliber WR’s (Greg Jennings and Brett Swain). Cobb will also be pressed in camp in the return game by UDFA WR Shaky Smithson who has dazzling speed and is a return specialist.

Jones’ resigning came at QB Aaron Rodgers lobbying his GM. Jones’ value in free agency was diminished with his penchant for dropping the ball. TT listened to Rodgers, unlike his predecessor who was famously ignored when Brett Favre begged for Randy Moss. TT and Head Coach Mike McCarthy have placed as much value on a player’s character as they do his ability. Jones is a high character guy and TT’s rewarding of his own players with deserved raises does not go unnoticed. Perhaps the best example is TT’s selection of Nelson over fellow WR and current Philly malcontent DeSean Jackson in the draft of 3 years ago. While Jackson is the more explosive of the 2 he has held out and is sulking about the deal he signed while all Nelson has done is help to deliver a Super Bowl back to Titletown. Cobb is in the ‘high character guy’ category. Will MM add a Wildcat formation to this offense? Oh, the possibilities.



RB 3rd Round pick Alex Green



3^rd Rounder RB Alex Green (RB/ Hawaii) is a bull at 6’0 and 225 pounds and possesses a burst that departed FA RB Brandon Jackson did not. The impact of Jacksons loss will be felt in the blocking department as Jackson is one of the NFL’s best blocking backs. The addition of Green, along with last year’s sleeper James Starks and a healthy Ryan Grant have given the Packers a depth at RB they have not seen since… well… maybe Taylor and Hornung. FA FB John Kuhn also returns with a fresh 3 year deal, and he was another of ARods handpicked guys when he approached TT. With Kuhn in the fold and Green in the mix, look for GB to go with 2 FB’s at the most. Gone is the oft injured FB Korey Hall (NO Saints) and 3^rd year beast Quinn Johnson is facing a make-or-break camp as he has yet to show consistency. Green will give the Packers a burst through the hole that will remind many of another former Packer with whom he shares a name in Ahman Green.

Defenses will have their hands full in deciding which element of the Packers attack they will defense as last year’s running game has improved in quantum leaps this year. For most DC’s it will be a yearlong headache and trying to decide on which poison is the least painful.

4th Round selection
Davon House taking it to the... bank

In a draft dominated by offense, TT took CB Davon House in the 4^th round from New Mexico St. At 6’ 0 ½” and 197 lbs House has the size and with a 4.41 40 (4^th fastest in the top 15 CB’s) he also has the speed for DC Dom Capers. Pat Lee’s days may be numbered while Brandon Underwood may have run himself out of last chances. While the aging Sir Charles Woodson shows no signs of slowing down House can be eased into a lineup slowly that also features another All Pro in waiting in Tramon Williams, whose play jumped off the charts last year. Sam Shields returns a year wiser and better prepared, while the early surprise at CB and the single most improved player from last year’s team is none other than Jarrett Bush.

Jarrett Bush?

All Bush has done is play with confidence and decisiveness that has caught his teammates and coaches eyes. It has been as if the light has gone on for him suddenly and he can see the field and make the plays he wants to make. His pick in Super Bowl XLV raised some eyebrows and he has been the hit of camp – so far. Camp and an NFL regular season are 2 entirely different animals though. But the Pack is loaded at CB.



A wealth of riches.
5th Rd pick TE D.J. Williams snags a high one



In terms of depth the veritable steal of the draft may be #5 pick TE D.J. Williams (6’2”/ 245 lbs/ Arkansas). While Williams is not the biggest or fastest in the draft he has outstanding hands and is highly effective in any passing game. He has wowed in camp with his ability to grab the rock inn traffic and he won’t be kept under wraps for very long. With returning TE Andrew Qualress and another future All Pro in IR returnee Jermichael Finley when the Packers roll out Tight Ends it is almost sick that the talent level does not drop off. With last year’s surprise Tom Crabtree along with Spencer Havner it is not inconceivable that GB keeps 5 TEs on the roster, 6 WR’s and only 1 FB in Kuhn. Along with 7^th rounder TE/ FB Ryan Taylor (6’31/2”/ 254 lbs/ North Carolina) MM is looking at the multiple position/ Special Teams as closely as ever. Williams may distinguish himself in the short yardage game while Finley can serve as an oversized WR.

The other offensive player taken was OL Caleb Schlauderaff LG from Utah. He will be hard pressed to break in on a line that is becoming very good and very young very fast and very loaded. He may land on the Practice Squad while he develops.

The remaining players – D.J. Smith (OLB/ Appalachian St) Ricky Elmore (DE Arizona), Lawrence Guy (DT Arizona St) will all get a look to see who can best fill in behind incumbents Mike Neal and C.J. Wilson and provide a rush off the edge to counter Clay Matthews III and the double and triple teaming he will draw. All are bright and are cut from the high motor, relentless cloth that may help get them there. Will they stick? Maybe.

But – will they have an impact?



Ted Thompson, architect of the
Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers



This draft class was a solid ‘A’ across the board as TT not only drafted for value but also need, and in the process he landed at least, maybe 4 that will contribute immediately. And if House can see the field, maybe as many as 5. THAT is a successful draft by any measure, and considering that Green Bay drafted last in every round, TT’s draft wizardry was clearly on display.

NEXT – The Free Agents and Comings and Goings