THE FINAL 53 – PREDICTING THE ROSTER

 The Turk comes calling. Every training camp the dreaded sound of “Coach wants to see you, and bring your playbook” is uttered at every NFL Training Camp and it means that the hopeful athlete is now without a job, oh and good luck hooking on elsewhere.

 For many coaches this is the most unpleasant part of the job, crushing the hopes of roughly 40 guys in camp that cannot make the 53 man roster.

 The toughest part is to be the young talented WR trying to crack a starting lineup that is all but etched in stone this year. The Packers have the luxury of knowing who will be the 1^st teamers on offense throughout camp. There’s no mystery, which is why the record of 1 – 2 is so irrelevant right now. 1 – 2? Big deal. It means that Green Bay’s 2^nd and 3^rd team units and a bunch of guys who will be out of a job come September couldn’t keep pace.

 But it also means that on a team as talented and as deep as the Packers there will be guys who are auditioning for other teams as well. We have the advantage of knowing that DE Anthony Hargrove has already been released in a bit of a surprise at this juncture. Let’s take a look at who makes this year’s big squad. (STARTERS, Backups, Practice Squad)

 THE FINAL 53

 

QB – When the reigning NFL MVP is in camp there is no chance anyone else even sees the field unless the unthinkable occurs. As Aaron Rodgers goes, so go the Packers. There ain’t no mystery here. Rodgers is everything to the Packers and without him there is bit little chance. Rodgers is and will continue to be Da Man until he decides to call it a career. We get the feeling when his time is up there will be precious little drama for him that he had to endure like he did coming into the league from his predecessor Brett Favre. Rodgers is already on track for Hall of Fame enshrinement both in Canton and in the Packers Hall of Fame. Beyond that the cupboard is painfully bare. Not much depth on this particular chart. B.J. Coleman will be released and signed to the practice squad almost immediately. Graham Harrell should join him because if Harrell has to take the field now the Pack is in deep, deep trouble. There is still a feeling that an end of camp/ preseason deal for either Colt McCoy (Cleveland) or Tavaris Jackson (Seattle) is eminent. McCoy could probably be had for a 5th or 6^th rounder but a draft and develop team like Green Bay needs the picks to draft and develop. Stay tuned.

 AARON RODGERS, Graham Harrell, B.J. Coleman(PS)

RUNNING BACKS – With the addition of Cedric Benson the Packers have more than they planned on in the backfield. FB John Kuhn is a lock and will not be displaced anytime soon. James Starks continues to struggle with nagging injuries and has yet to go through a season healthy. Alex Green shows promise; how well his reconstructed knee holds up to the day to day pounding is a question. Brandon Saine still has hammy problems, so in comes Benson as a free agent. At yet while the addition of Benson almost makes no sense on the Packers as he is a big, bruising runner who is used to getting 25 – 30 carries a game that is exactly what will make him and the Packers much more of a threat. Benson will have to learn to give up carries and personal goals for the betterment of the team. His pass catching is suspect and his blocking will be tested. As it stands Benson will be the feature back and Starks and Green will have him and their injuries to battle for playing time. Look for the Packers top keep 4 on the roster along with 1 FB in Kuhn. Rookie UDFA Marc Tyler has simply not shown enough to warrant a roster spot and has been given a yeoman’s workload in camp to prove himself. Saine may by PUPed or even PSed with Benson’s arrival.

 CEDRIC BENSON, James Starks, Alex Green, Brandon Saine, JOHN KUHN

 TIGHT ENDS – Jermichael Finley is calling for yet another breakout year. For that to happen he will have to end his maddening drops for years past. All the tools are there and Rodgers and Head Coach Mike McCarthy are waiting for Finley to deliver on his potential. Finley is a gifted receiver who can disappear at times, drop an easy toss yet make a play he has no business making. Once he does that on a game by game basis he can be anointed; until then the promise of what could be is becoming a disappearing puff of smoke. Perhaps the most improved players on the team are Tom Crabtree and D.J. Williams. Crabtree has come from nowhere to become a better pass catching threat and his blocking has been stellar. Williams also looks ripped after an off season wrestling cows back on the farm to come in leaner and stronger. Andrew Quarless will likely start the year on the PUP list but 5 TE’s does not make sense on this team. Ryan Taylor will be the odd man out along with the camp legs who have no chance to crack this group.

 JERMICHAEL FINLEY, Tom Crabtree, D.J. Williams, Andrew Quarless (PUP)

OFFENSIVE LINE – There is something very comforting in knowing who your offensive line is going to be heading into the season. Out is last years all Pro Scott Wells (FA – Rams) and in is future Hall of famers and former valet to Peyton Manning Jeff Saturday at C. Saturday brings his savvy and every game ability and will be more than adequate in the middle and buy time for Ted Thompson to draft and develop a center, look for that is this year’s draft. LG T. J. Lang has finally grown up and out of his party boy mindset and has been rewarded with a 4r year deal. Marshall Newhouse has made quantum leaps at LT and Derrick Sherrod will likely start the season on the PUP list, but he will see time later in the year. The right side is locked down by studs Josh Sitton and Bryan Bulaga and they improve every game. Behind them will be a handful of players – the versatile Evan Dietrich-Smith, Rey Dominguez and Sampson Genus. Rookie LT Andrew Datko has shown tremendous improvement from his early camp disastrous showing and will develop ion the PS.

 

MARSHALL NEWHOUSE, T.J. LANG, JEFF SATURDAY, JOSH SITTON, BRYAN BULAGA, Derrick Sherrod (PUP), Evan Dietrich-Smith, Chris Campbell, Rey Dominguez, Sampson Genus(PS), Andrew Datko (PS)

WIDE RECEIVERS – If any position is deep it is at WR. There are a ton of really good receivers in camp who will not make the lineup. With Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, James Jones and Donald Driver all back making this group is like scaling Mount Everest in a bathing suit using plastic utensils. Last year’s PS studs Tori Gurley and Diondre Borel are desperately attempting to get the Pack to notice them and the athletic Borel may have an inside track. UDFA Jarrett Boykin has looked good in preseason as has Dale Moss. There just simply is not enough room to keep all them. At 6’4” Gurley will likely be cut loose and will no doubt land in St. Louis, Miami, Cleveland or Seattle, somewhere where the WR competition is not as tough as it is in GB. Look for Borel to be the #6 WR this year though in a bit of a surprise while Boykin goes to the PS.

 GREG JENNINGS, JORDY NELSON, RANDALL COBB, James Jones, Donald Driver, Diondre Borel, Jarrett Boykin(PS)

DEFENSE

 DEFENSIVE LINE – To say the Pack, MM and TT were not pleased with the performance of the DL is a massive understatement. Very quietly they have seen how they undervalued Cullen Jenkins (FA – Philly) and overvalued Mike Neal who has never come close to the promise he carried. The offseason saw the importing of 3 new DL via free agency and 1 – Anthony Hargrove—has just been cut. Hargrove could not shake the 8 game ban imposed for his role in the Saints bounty-gate scandal and at 287 lbs. was a bit too small in the seat to do what Dom Capers expects in a 3 -4 D. Hargrove is a rusher, a playmaker and did not exactly shine when asked to occupy more space to free up the LB’s to make plays. To avoid the drama and suspension the Pack released Hargrove outright to give him a chance to hook on elsewhere. Former Dolphin Philip Merling has not generated much excitement and is danger of having the “1^st Round Bust” tag slapped on him. B.J. Raji came in in better shape and has had a great camp and the unexpectedly good play of FA DL Daniel Muir (Colts) will land him a spot on the line. Rookies Jerel Worthy (2^nd round) and Mike Daniels (4^th Round) are locks for the team along with vet Ryan Pickett, leaving maybe enough room for Lawrence Guy. The Mike Neal era may soon be over as his future is right now, and as the line and the pass rush goes, so goes the Packers D this year.

 

B.J. RAJI, RYAN PICKETT, DANIEL MUIR, Jerel Worthy, Mike Daniels, Lawrence Guy, Mike Neal ** (4 Game Suspension)

LINEBACKERS – The heart and soul of Capers’ 3 – 4. Clay Matthews, D.J. Smith and Nick Perry are locks. Much is expected from Perry and how quickly he adapts to the NFL will tell the tale of this year's pass rush potential. A.J. Hawk would feel a lot more heat had Desmond Bishop not gone down with a serious hamstring injury. As it stands this will be the core of the LB corps. Eric Walden will serve a 1 game suspension for a domestic alteration last year to start the season, but has showed a renewed focus on the field after last year’s disappointing play.  The unquestioned star of the preseason has been UDFA LB Dezman Moses who will make the team as well. Moses has been a Holy Terror and is a high motor type who will be hard pressed to keep on the bench. On the inside Rob Francois impressed during the preseason. With Bishop likely done for the year on IR Jamari Lattimore may squeak into the lineup as well. 4th rounder Terrell Manning gets numbered out but grabs a spot on the PS to develop. With Perry bookending Matthews the only thing left is to now get to the quarterback much more than last year’s dismal defense did. They will.

 

CLAY MATTHEWS, NICK PERRY, A.J. HAWK, D.J. SMITH, Eric Walden** (1 Game Suspension), Dezman Moses, Rob Francois, Jamari Lattimore, Vic So’oto, Terrell, Manning (PS), Desmond Bishop (IR)

CORNERBACKS – What was once considered a thin position has suddenly blossomed into one of bright promise. Tramon Williams shoulder has healed. He looked like the Tramon of old robbing Chargers QB Philip Rivers in the preseason pick, and camp surprises have been 2^nd year man Davon House (photo left) who jumped out of nowhere to impress all who watched and rookie CB Casey Hayward. House banged up his shoulder and Hayward’s play has been so steady he will see a lot of time this year. How well Houses’ shoulder responds will determine his status. Sam Shields has seemed to have corrected his downhill slide and is playing with more confidence while trying to improve his shaky tackling. Charles Woodson is back and will move into a variety of positions between corner, safety and even a hybrid LB type of spot depending. Woodson’s talent and versatiulity will allow Capers to move him around frequently.

CHARLES WOODSON, TRAMON WILLIAMS, Davon House, Casey Hayward, Sam Shields

SAFETY – Gone is Nick Collins after last year’s awful neck injury. Morgan Burnett locks down one side and will have to keep an eye on newbies Jerron MacMillian (photo right) and M.D. Jennings. The loss of Collins cannot be understated and if the Pack has a glaring weakness anywhere it is in the S spot until someone steps up to prove he can fill Collins very large shoes. All Collins was to be in the top 5 in the NFL at the S spot with Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu and Eric Berry. MacMillian is fast, loves to hit, and is outstanding against the run. How many times he will bite on a fake and get caught with his pants down out of position will be a key factor. Green Bay gave up far too many home runs and deep plays last year. In spite of 15 wins the defense was suspect. Vet Jarrett Bush will likely grab a spot by default as he is a special teams ace and can play a multitude of DB positions and promising rookie UDFA Sean Richardson will round out the PS to develop. This is another area of draft concern for the Packers in the next draft as well.

 MORGAN BURNETT, JERRON MacMILLIAN, Jarrett Bush, M.D Jennings, Sean Richardson (PS)

SPECIAL TEAMS – No need to tinker with what works. K Mason Crosby has rebounded from a subpar season and has been solid. Tim Masthay’s punts have been rockets off his right foot. Brett Goode is locked in as the LS on the special teams. There was no competition in camp for any position here as none was needed. It wasn’t long ago the Special Teams units were a weekly headache. Not anymore. This is a solid spot now in Titletown.

 MASON CROSBY K, TIM MASTHAY P, BRETT GOODE LS

NEXT: THE SEASON PREDICTIONS

NO TIME TO PANIC

After only a couple weeks of preseason there are a few things that have become pretty obvious. These have made themselves clear and we’ll dissect each one individually.

Injuries will play a large role in the Packers lineup (again/ already – take your pick).

The Green Bay Packers of 2012 are pretty deep at many positions.

 Quarterback is not one of them.

 The running game is the biggest question mark.

 There is nothing wrong with the special teams.

 Youth shall be served.

 Preseason is absolutely irrelevant to the regular season.

 There is no reason to panic after losing back to back games to San Diego and Cleveland.

 INJURIES – Already out for a chunk of time will be ILB Desmond Bishop. Bishop sustained a nasty tear of his hamstring and a sprained knee against SD. Surgery followed and the big question mark hanging now is how long? No one is saying for sure and hope is being held out against hope for Bishop’s return.

Don’t count on it.

 Bishop factors large into the Packers defensive scheme and will be sorely missed. While Bishop is out it means the next guy up is D.J. Smith, a 2^nd year dynamo who now gets his shot. Other injuries have included almost everyone in the running game; James Starks (turf toe) is listed as ‘week to week’, Alex Green (coming back slowly from a blown knee), Brandon Saine (hamstring), John Kuhn (sprained ankle), UDFA Du’uane Bennett (knee) leaving only camp legs RB Marc Tyler and newly signed RB Cedric Benson as the only healthy bodies in camp. Never mind FB’s Nic Cooper or Jon Hoese; don’t expect either to stick.

GM Ted Thompson went outside his modus operandi to nab FA RB Cedric Benson while former feature back Ryan Grant remains unsigned anywhere. While Benson has been durable and has posted 3 consecutive 1,000 yard seasons the former #4 pick overall (in the same infamous draft that saw Aaron Rodgers languishing until taken by Green bay at #24) of the Chicago Bears and late of the Bengals has ball security issues. Grant was the one cut type of RB needed for the now scrapped Zone Blocking Scheme while Benson is a more explosive between the tackles hit the hole runner. Maybe MM and TT aren’t happy with the lineup. Maybe the injuries are worse than stated. Maybe Starks glacially paced movements to being any every day runner have tested the Pack’s patience thin. In any event Benson presents some intriguing options for MM and will look to be there in game one of the real season.

The injury bug that has plagued the Pack also includes WR Greg Jennings T’s Derrick Sherrod (rehabbing last year’s broken leg), TE’s Ryan Taylor and Andrew Quarless (last year’s knee injury), Marshall Newhouse, rookie DL Mike Daniels and CB Davon House (shoulder). The injuries have hampered Head Coach Mike McCarthy’s ability to conduct a full practice forcing him to cut several short.

DEPTH – Thankfully the Packers are among the NFL’s deepest teams as far as talent in camp. The RB’s, WR’s, TE’s and DL all have a lot of talent. The Pack has a made hand already on offense, especially at WR. Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, James Jones and Donald Driver are the incumbents but a lineup of Tori Gurley, Diondre Borel, Andy Brewer and Jarrett Boykin has the ability to be at least the 4, 5, or 6 receivers elsewhere. Driver’s age and the ascension of Borel make an interesting watch as camp grinds on.

At TE Jermichael Finley is a lock and Tom Crabtree improves by the day. D.J. Williams has come to camp leaner and stronger and has impressed. Will GB go 5 deep at TE again? Or will Gurley become a hybrid with his size? He has 2 games left to make his case.

On the defensive line TT imported free agents Anthony Hargrove, Daniel Muir and Philip Merling to bolster an anemic pass rush and then drafted Jerel Worthy and Mike Daniels. Hargrove (8 games) and Mike Neal (4 games/ banned substance) will both be out to start the season and the earth under Neal is beginning to open up. He hasn’t seen much time in preseason and may be out of time to show what he has. Adding C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn to the mix and with only 6 or 7 roster spots open the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts of the world are waiting to raid the cut list pantry like vultures.

 The depth also means that Green Bay’s preseason is much different than most other teams. They need to see more of the new guys and have the luxury of being able to look closer with their depth.

 BACKUP QB – Oh, my. It was hoped that 2^nd year man Graham Harrell would be a capable backup to Aaron Rodgers. To give this some perspective even if Tom Brady or Drew Brees were somehow to become suddenly available they would still be #2 to the reigning NFL MVP. Gone is Matt Flynn but Harrell has been tentative, lost, short with his throws and in general looked every bit the part of a guy not ready in case disaster or a 14-1 start calls. The good news is as long as Rodgers is healthy the Pack will have a top 5 offense. Without him it is almost irrelevant as to who plays. But it would be disingenuous to suggest that Harrell could step in and do even a Matt Flynn imitation at this point. One hot rumor worth listening to is a Colt McCoy or Tavaris Jackson trade to GB for a late round pick. Both would provide the right level of experience but GB may want Seattle to eat some of the supersized contract they dumped on TJack. Rookie B.J. Coleman is PS material and is raw and MM is painfully aware there is precious little NFL ready material on the shelf should Arod not be there.

THE RUNNING GAME – Who is going to carry the mail? 2 weeks into the preseason the answer is no clearer. Benson’s signing is a clear marker neither TT nor MM is satisfied with the Pack’s backs. Alex Green has looked good in a limited role and Starks’ progress has been excruciatingly slow. Starks has all the tools; he can’t seem to stay healthy enough or be in long enough to apply it. Benson is the insurance policy that also cut the legs from under the Pack’s newest pretender to the throne in Detroit who also pursued the former Bengal back. There is no question Benson can shoulder the load. The question is can he do it without fumbling? If he puts the rock on the ground MM will put him right on the bench. On the flip side picture the Packers offense with a running game to be feared and respected. Aaron Rodgers could kick back with his feet crossed, hands laced behind his head saying “Yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaahh……”.

SPECIAL TEAMS – Remember when Special Teams was more like Special Ed? No more. There is absolutely no reason to tinker with what works. The kicking game is not only solid it has become a stable part of the Packers game. K Mason Crosby, P Tim Masthay both have big legs and after the Jon Ryan/ Derrick Frost disaster there has been little mention of the ails of the kicking game. For all his faults on D Jarrett Bush continues to be a ST ace and the new guys have added some exuberance to the coverages, all of which can make Packer fans breathe easier not seeing Tramon Williams out fielding punts anymore. With Randall Cobb back there a new element of breaking one has been added to the Pack’s potent arsenal.

THE NEW GUYS – Rookies Jerel Worthy, Nick Perry and CB Casey Hayward will all see time during the regular season. It wasn’t long ago that a long haired kid from USC showed up about the 5^th game and began wreaking havoc on the NMFL. Now Clay Matthews III has some help to take the heat off and hopefully free him up to run wild again. Perry has shown quickness and has to adjust to the pro speed but he looks to be an early complement to CM3. Worthy’s motor and mouth run non-stop. He will help B.J Raji, no greybeard himself on the inside. The two surprises at CB – Hayward and 2^nd year standout Davon House are both making strong claims to playing time. With Sam Shields slipping down the depth chart both House and Hayward will see much time early. At LB the camp phenom has been Dezman Moses and while it will be tough to get him on the field it will be harder keeping him off the roster. With Charles Woodson sliding into part time spots at safety the hard hitting Jerron MacMillian and 2^nd year man M.D Jennings are in hot competition. MacMillian’s hitting ability and speed gives him a nod.

THE PRESEASON LOSSES – Okay, the Pack has a two game losing streak. So what. Heidi Klum also has a mole on her back. The preseason is a functionless entity to Green Bay. It only serves as an opportunity to knock off the rust for the first team, give some much needed time to the 2^nd team and a chance to get a long look at the 3^rd team. Take the Packer’s approach to the Cleveland game for example. The 1^st team defense strips the ball, causes a fumble and Rodgers and co. punch the ticket for 6 points 3 plays later. Business as usual. It’s what the Packers do, so they are already there. Now get the core guys out of there and let’s see how the others face adversity. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the Brownies won. Now look a bit closer at some of the scenarios. MM is to good of a coach to make a career of attempting a 4^th and 2 pass from his own 45. And in the meaningless grind of preseason with second team out there, he went for it anyhow. But how many times will McCarthy really be going for it on 4^th and 2 from midfield right before the half? It was a good opportunity to try a situational play that cannot be replicated in practice. Oh, the play can be run. It’s much different when there is another team trying to defend it with the hitting for real in the regular season. And before any Packer diehards head for the 6^th story ledge the 2012 season will categorically NOT come down to the likes of Harrell, dropping back being protected by Herb Taylor trying to hit Jarrett Boykin for a last minute win over Da Bears.

Keep it in perspective. The preseason is nothing more than the NFL’s ability to print more $$$ for the owners and for the better NFL teams – like the Packers – to get a long look at the 2^nd and 3^rd strings. The casual fan should look for the same things. When September rolls around and the hitting is for real the Packers will be there – all year long.

NEXT: Our Roster Predictions






**Editors Note ~ As this story was going to press Green Bay GM Ted Thompson had just announced the signing of FA RB Cedric Benson. The Packer RB corps has been decimated by early season injuries resulting in HC Mike MccCarthy cutting down his practice times on multiple occasions. RB James Starks is listed as ‘week to week’ with turf toe, RB Alex Green remains on a strict snap count as he attempts to come back from major knee reconstructive surgery, RB Brandon Saine has a hamstring issue, FB John Kuhn also sprained an ankle to go along with UDFA Du’uane Bennett also has been injured. While the Benson signing is big news it deserves its own coverage but we would be remiss in not including the news in this week’s article. Under the new CBA Benson will not suit up nor play in this week's preseason game vs. Cleveland. Also the shoulder injury sustained by rookie CB Casey Hayward will have him sidelined for 3 weeks in a separate announcement. Rookie DE Mike Daniels is expected to return to the lineup this week.**Ed.

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THE PACK'S 2012 DRAFT CLASS

As the rookies take the field and dominate the speculation as to how far this years Green Bay Packers will go it is essential to remember that Green Bay is a ‘draft and develop’ philosophy team. GM Ted Thompson and Head Coach Mike McCarthy work in tandem in getting a player in, teaching him for a year and keeping him off the field, letting him adjust and by the 2nd year seeing some playing time in the hopes that by year 3 – 4 the tree bears fruit. Unless a player comes in with the ability of a Clay Matthews or B.J. Raji or Bryan Bulaga the Packers are in no hurry to rush the young ‘uns along.

But last year the Packers fell way short in the playoffs after steamrolling the regular season. The pass rush went MIA and Ted Thompson went shopping for talent. The future IS now.

The 2012 Draft in the NFL saw Packers GM Ted Thompson shed his penurious style, check into a nearby phone booth and emerge as the NFL’s version of Monte Hall as the Packers aggressively made deal after deal as they made astatement in the ’12 draft.

TT has a well-deserved reputation for holding his draft picks in such high regards that he will deal them only under the threat of physical harm. That is not to say he never makes a deal; after snagging B.J. Raji 3 years ago Trader Ted moved up paying a stiff price to grab a USC LB named Clay Matthews III. Okay, so it was a shaky pick and Packer Nation is still waiting for the return on investment… oh, wait – that was A.J. Hawk taken at #5 before that.

In this year’s draft the Packers went aggressively after some targeted choices and made it pretty clear with the picks. There’s nothing wrong with the offense and the guys we have on defense are gonna be fighting for every job, because we’re importing a ton of talent to fix the pass rush.

1 – Nick Perry/ OLB/ USC - At #28 the Pack grabbed another USC alum to become the bookend running mate to CM3 in Nick Perry. Perry was primarily a DE who fell into the OLB slot on occasion and showed quickness in getting to the QB in college and now has to adjust to the pros. The hot word was that GB had their eyes set on OLB Shea McClellin, but after the Bears grabbed him GB snagged Perry. Questions arise as to Perry’s ability to adjust to and make plays consistently as he shifts full time to the LOLB position, but simply putting a presence on the field will allow Dom Capers to move Matthews back to his better spot on the right side. Perry also shed some pounds and has looked quick in camp; how well he does against the live competition remains to be seen. He’ll start immediately… but can he produce immediately?

Round 2 (TRADE UP) – Jerel Worthy/ DT/ Mich. St. - Trader Ted went to work in the 2^nd round. After Penn State DT Devon Still was snagged Ted moved up immediately to grab Michigan State DT Jerel Worthy in trading up to get him. All along the choice for Green Bay was either Still or Worthy and Ted was not about to let the high motor Worthy fall any further. Worthy is exceptionally quick for a big man, can stuff the run and has the ability to both occupy space and yet free himself to get to the QB. While he will stick the reps will fall to the reborn B.J. Raji who has come to camp leaner and in the best shape of his 3 year career. Worthy had been projected by many as a first round pick and will see more time as the season progresses. Worthy has made Super Bowl hero Howard Green expendable and is a great pick and one that fills an immediate need. Thompson has the uncanny ability to find value as players fall in the draft and has grabbed a gem here with Worthy.

Round 2 (TRADE UP)– Casey Hayward/ CB/ Vanderbilt – The ball hawking Hayward was lauded as a great pick as TT trade back into the 2^nd round to grab him. While not the fastest player on the field Hayward does possess great closing speed and has great field vision that allows him to track the ball and the receiver. Hayward also has the nose in the dirt mentality and is not afraid to get in and lay a body on an opponent. Tackling, or the lack of it, was a consistent black eye on the Packers D last year. Whether Hayward’s frame will hold up to the punishing NFL players is another story, but so far Hayward has been a pleasant surprise in camp and, if he stays healthy, could shove Sam Shields to the side as Shields’ tackling skills have regressed to the point of non-existence. The way Hayward is practicing and playing will make it tough to keep him on the bench this year. As 2^nd year man Davon House improves all of a sudden GB’s CB’s don’t look as thin as they did last year. The downside to Hayward is that the entire Vandy secondary gave up yards by the bunches last year. Since that was GB’s M.O. as well it is something that he’ll have to leave behind.

4^th Round – Mike Daniels/ DE/ Iowa – Anyone see a pattern here? With the 4^th round compensatory pick TT grabbed another high motor pass rusher in Iowa DE Mike Daniels. While a tad smallish at 291 lbs. the 6’ 1” Daniels is a high intensity player in the under the radar Aaron Kampman mold. He needs some weight but is a terrific between the gaps rusher. He takes few plays off and that will be necessary as his size will put him at a distinct disadvantage against some of the beef the NFL will throw at him. Daniels overachieved in college and with the Packers already importing Danny Muir (FA/Indy), Anthony Hargrove (FA/ Seattle) and Philip Merling (FA/ Miami) he will be pushed hard. Given the paucity of pass rushers in camp Daniels could crack the 53 man lineup.

4^th Round – Jerron MacMillian/ S/ Maine – All MacMillian did was jump higher and run faster than any other S in the pre-draft combine. Thompson hand his staff have shown a nose for finding talent and MacMillian could fill a role down the line. MacMillian is a hard hitter who can play center field but will also get lost in double moves and can occasionally get torched on a deep ball. While MacMillian is fast, he is straight line fast and his quickness is wanting. He makes up for it by being an above average to very good run stuffer. He’ll need to make the hyper leap to the NFL pace, but he could be Nick Collins 2.0 in a couple years. Incumbent S Charlie Peprah’s surprise release may just secure a roster spot for him, and his need to immediately contribute will be mitigated by the shift of Charles Woodson into the S slot opposite Morgan Burnett. Moving Woodson is good news for MacMillian. It means he’ll have time to develop without being pressed into service too soon.

5^th Round – Terrell Manning/LB/ North Carolina St. – So to all the critics who say Ted Thompson never trades a draft pick – shaddup fer once and fer all. Trader Ted, knowing he still as 2 compensatory picks left in the 7^th round fire sales his remaining picks to move up to select Manning. While a bit of a head scratcher as the Pack is deep ant LB, especially on the inside, this pick may have a more ominous undertone. Manning is a very good coverage LB and runs well with any TE and can keep pace with a back out of the backfield. He is also a tremendous athlete but is limited in size at a lighter than listed 235 lbs. He lacks the physicality to be intimidating but makes up for it with supreme confidence (he called himself among the best LB’s in the draft after being taken). He will be a good addition to the special teams and will be primarily a weak side ILB… meaning a message has been sent to the salary-bloated A. J. Hawk… time to live up to your dollars as Desmond Bishop, D.J. Smith, Manning, and camp surprise FA Dezman Mozes are all gunning for your job – at a much lower price tag.

7^th Round (Compensatory) – Andrew Datko/ T/ Florida St. – An on the surface value pick that is very suspect looking at this point. Datko has the skill set, speed, and size (6’6”/ 315 lbs.) to play T in the NFL he was hampered due to a serous shoulder injury. After the Justin Harrell fiasco from a couple years ago Ted took a reach on a kid who has practice squad written all over him but has a huge upside. This draft was one of the weakest draft classes in OT’s in recent memory. Datko says his shoulder is 100%, but has been victim of one horrible outing after the next to date. It has been obvious he needs time in the weight room – a lot of time – and time adjusting to the speed of the NFL – a lot of time. When protecting Aaron Rodgers are the first 7 priorities of anyone even remotely interested on the O Line, Datko has a long way to go. Still, at 7 it was hardly a wasted pick and the downside is at least it was a 7th, not a 1^st round pick – just ask Justin Harrell. The upside is IF Datko can catch up and IF Datko can catch on and IF Datko can get stronger… if, if, if. He could make the PS. Or easily be the first cut.

7^th Round B.J. Coleman/ QB/Tennessee-Chatanooga – The overzealous in green and gold glasses will be seeing some déjà vu here. Athletic, good ol’ southern boy, big arm, gunslinger type but put that one to bed. The Ol’ Gunslinger himself, Brett Favre has a better shot of playing in the NFL right now than Coleman. Okay, Coleman HAS a big arm. And he did play at a small school. But stop the comparisons now. His footwork is just this side of the Statue of Liberty. In a word – awful. He has no pro-game type of footwork yet, so this is an ideal spot for him to be in. He could be another Matt Flynn by going through the famed GB QB ‘school’. He has the size and arm and can hit a receiver but he will need a good year or more correcting the bad habits in his footwork. He’s still way to slow getting away from center. Picture a guy being sacked before he can hand the ball off and you get Coleman right now. He also tippy-taps too much in the pocket and leads out with the wrong foot from the shotgun. However, with  Mike McCarthy teaching the class Coleman may look like a bona fide NFLer in a couple years.

Green Bay is, after all, draft and develop.

Ted has done his job well. Give this draft a solid B+ to A-. There look to be few from this draft who won’t stick with the big club and as many as 3 or 4 could see playing time immediately.

NEXT: Uh Oh… The Sudden Rash of Injuries

BACK TO BUSINESS

As the dog days of summer set in, the familiar whack of shoulder pads can be heard at Ray Nitschke Field, the practice facility for the Green bay Packers that is an Aaron Rodgers throw from Lambeau Field.

Hallelujah, the NFL is back!
With the NFLPA in its 2^nd year of a deal signed last off season, the Packers and their NFL brethren will have the full off season of OTA’s and practice to prepare for the 2012/13 season. In the wake of the Packers stunning loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants it was obvious to even the most casual of observers it was time to seriously address the issues on the defensive side of the ball.
During the Packers Super Bowl run the Pack was the 5^th ranked defense. Last year that defense turned in a regrettable, forgettable and truly putrid performance in a 15 win season by clocking in dead ass last at 32 overall.

Ouch.



All Pro S Nick Collins

There is no way to soft sell or whitewash that ugly eyesore. The laundry list was pretty evident – lack of a pass rush, Tramon Williams nagging shoulder injury, paucity in the depth charts at CB, the loss of Cullen Jenkins, Nick Collins career-ending neck injury , no complement to Clay Matthews on the opposite OLB slot and the failure of Mike Neal to develop into his full time replacement, and the lack of up front pressure.

Every Packer fan of a casual nature already knows this fact. Packer GM Ted Thompson is loath to dip into the free agency pool.  He will NEVER sign a free agent. He holds his draft picks like a miser holds his gold. He will NEVER deal a draft pick. The refrain from this beating drum has been a familiar one since Ted’s arrival.

Ted Thompon's
bold intiative

But then Ted did the unthinkable.

After All Pro C Scott Wells went shopping for a $10 million dollar deal and found no takers in Green Bay he packed his bags for the always amusing St. Louis Rams. No sooner had Wells blown town did Thompson sign Payton Manning’s personal valet Jeff Saturday to anchor the OLine. While long in the tooth Saturday has been a rock in the middle and should be able to squeeze a couple more years out. While Saturday is not the long term answer he certainly looms large as the Pack reloads in an attempt to get back to the big dance. The message has been sent – the future is now.

New DE Anthony Hargrove

Then TT went shopping. DE’s Anthony Hargrove from Seattle and Philip Merling from Miami came in as free agents. Hmmmmm. For a man who delves into free agency as frequently as NASA lands a car on Mars this was nothing short of earth shattering news. While neither Hargrove nor Merling are the sexy nuggets that say, a Mario Williams (FA from Texas to Buffalo) is, neither comes at a cap busting salary and are considered very safe picks with relatively little downside if they flame out in the green and gold. Hargrove will begin his career in Green Bay on the sidelines; Hargrove was part of the New Orleans Saints’ bounty-gate scandal that has seen multiple suspensions to both players past and present and coaches of the Saints that included season long banishments of one time Packer head coaching prospect Sean Payton and MLB Jonathon Vilma (both drew 1 year bans) from Roger Goddell. Hargrove’s trip to the principal’s office resulted in an 8 game whack to start his career in GB.

FA DE Philip Merling

Merling is a former 1^st round pick of the Dolphins who found his services expendable under new coach and former Packer Offensive Coordinator Joe Philbin. Merling has been a disappointment in that he never lived up to his lofty draft status, and is hoping to kick start his career in Green Bay. Hargrove brings a non-stop motor and high intensity and will be a huge breath of fresh air come November and is almost like having an investment come due right before the holidays. As the grind of training camp wears on Hargrove has been very animated and can be heard on the practice field.

In addition to Wells gone from this year’s edition is QB Matt Flynn, who signed for a reported $26 million ($10 million guaranteed/ $26m including bonuses) with Seattle. The bigger loss is at safety where Nick Collins has retired from the severe neck injury he sustained last season. Collins leaves an enormous hole in his wake. His loss was both unexpected and will have a tremendous impact on this years’ defense. But Collins’ loss also means an acceleration of the plan to move future Hall of Famer Charles Woodson from CB into the S slot. Woodson, while listed as a CB, does, in fact, play a far more open position yet undefined. He drops into coverages, plays man, covers over the top, and blitzes frequently from both sides. His actual position depends largely on which scheme DC Dom Capers rolls out. Moving to the safety slot may help to extend his career.

Packer Tradition - Riding the
kids' bikes to practice.
RB Alex Green and a young fan

Another old face on the outside is RB Ryan Grant. Grant went into free agency and found no takers on a 30 year old RB with injury questions, not even the Packers who must now rely on RB’s James Starks and 2^nd year man Alex Green, both of whom, while younger, have had their own injury issues as well. The RB position was largely ignored in the off season in much the same fashion that DE was ignored when Cullen Jenkins left in FA to Philly. That fact came home when 2^nd year man Mike Neal failed to fill the role Jenkins left. The hope is that Grant will not be missed as severely. The Packers are counting on Starks to be their guy and Green has been explosively impressive early. The inside track on the #3 RB position  has to go to Brandon Saine, a mostly PS player last year who was on the field at the end of several game winning drives towards the end of last year. Saine is big, reliable, can run and catch the ball but must show he can block and protect All World/ Galaxy/ Universe QB Aaron Rodgers and keep The Franchise clean. While the Pack is not dependent upon a running game - they are most definitely a pass-first team – their running game has to improve to keep opposing defenses honest to open up the passing lanes for Rodgers and maybe the best set of receivers in the business today in Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Donald Driver and the expected breakout year of super rookie Randall Cobb, who electrified everyone with his kick returns and promise of a bright future. One face with much to prove is the newly signed TE Jermichael Finley who can talk the talk all right, but until he hangs on to the ball consistently has little to say of relevance. Finley’s focus has to be on simply coming down with the rock sans the dropsies that keep him from being considered an elite player. He does that first, then we’ll talk.

2nd Round pick DE Jerel Worthy

The off season has seen multiple players from multiple teams in hot water with Goddell and the various law enforcement bureaus around the league (hello, Detroit? Yep, it’s the police again…), Green Bay has not been exempt with the aforementioned Hargrove and DE Mike Neal planked for 4 games for failing to report his ADHD meds as the league sees them as PED’s Oh. Neal is on shaky enough ground as it is. With DE Lawrence Guy coming off IR and playing well, the importing of both Hargrove and Merling as well as the drafting of DE Jerel Worthy (2^nd round/ Mich. St. ) and DE Mike Daniels (4^th round/ Iowa), Neal, as well as incumbents Jarius Wynn and C.J,. Wilson will be pushed hard for jobs. Even after returning from an injury last year Neal’s play was underwhelming and the Pack’s patience in waiting for his potential to kick in has grown perilously thin. As Aaron Rodgers said there will be a lot of good players looking for jobs simply from the talent of what’s been brought to camp. Thompson and Head Coach Mike McCarthy’s philosophy has been, from day 1, a ‘draft and develop’ approach. The draftee had better start showing a significant return on investment by year 3, as MM has stated it is in year 3 and 4 they expect each player to be able to produce.

The Pack's brass -
 Head Coach Mike
McCarthy and
GM Ted Thompson

Clearly, Thompson has not rested on his laurels. The sweet taste of unexpected success has been washed away by the bitter pill of last year’s loss to the G Men. Thompson has made bold and unexpectedly aggressive steps into correcting the flaws in the Packers defense with his off season moves. Clearly disappointed in his pass rush he went after pieces that if they would not plug the leak at least compete to bring out those that can.

As TT showed in his bold foray as it were into free agency, he was not done… not by a long shot. He saved his best maneuvering for the draft, where his wheeler/ dealer approach had heads spinning in Titletown.

NEXT: The Draft and the New Faces