Thompson Dives Further Into Free Agency, Signs Hargrove...

In an uncharacteristic move, Packers' GM Ted Thompson signed 5-time pro bowl Center Jeff Saturday last week...and in an even more uncharacteristic move, he signed another free agent yesterday!

Any real packer fan knows that Thompson is extremely cautious and slow moving when it comes to free agency. In fact, the Packers hadn't signed an unrestricted free agent since 2009. That's why it's such big news that the Pack have signed 2 solid free agents in the last 2 weeks.

The Packers have agreed to terms with former Seattle Seahawk and New Orleans Saint Anthony Hargrove. He's not a top tier guy, but will be solid and fill a big hole on the d-line. He will likely be the starter at DE, joining BJ Raji and Ryan Pickett on the defensive front.

This is a big move because it fills a need and is one less position to address via the draft. The only holes left now, in my opinion, are at Safety and OLB. We will have more clarification on the safety situation within the next week or so when Nick Collins meets with Packers' management and team doctors to determine his health and ability to return to football. OLB will almost certainly be addressed in the draft, but with the way this offseason is shaping up, who knows?

It's been an uncharacteristically exciting offseason for the Packers...GO PACK!

Packers' Free Agents Sign Elsewhere...

As is the norm, Ted Thompson and the Packers have been extremely quiet this offseason. It should come as no surprise to any real Packer fans that no free agents have even visited Green Bay. It should also come as no surprise that the ties between QB Matt Flynn and C Scott Wells are now cut.



Wells forewent the Packers' offer to stay in Green Bay and found more money in St. Louis. This is not surprising because Thompson does not like to sign aging free agents. Wells is 31. Will the Packers now pursue a veteran to fill the huge void in the middle of the offensive line, or will they trust their typical strategy and try to find a capable rookie via the draft? I, personally, am hoping for a mixture of the 2. I'd like to see us get middle dollar veteran to start the season, and groom a rookie for the future. I'm really nervous that this could become another Cullen Jenkins-Mike Neal situation (By the way, Neal is suspended for the 1st 4 games of the 2012 season for the use of PED's...he's turning into Justin Harrell...)




Now on to Matt Flynn...I had been saying for months that I thought Flynn would sign in Miami. When Philbin was hired as the head coach in January, I thought it was a done deal. But, much to my surprise, Flynn met with Miami last week and left without a contract. He then signed a 3-year $26 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. It's eerie to think of the similarities between Flynn's and Matt Hasselbeck's paths...late round pick...career backup behind a Super Bowl winning QB...brought to Seattle by a former Packers' staffer...now we just need to hope that Flynn throws a game-losing INT in overtime to Al Harris to allow the Packers to advance in the playoffs...

The Flynn situation does little to affect the Packers. We all expected him to leave. Now we're hoping that we can get a 3rd round compensatory pick for him in 2013...Wells, however could prove to be more difficult to cope with. I wish them both the best. GO PACK!

Offseason Post

It's been an eventful, albeit not too exciting, offseason thus far. With all of the labor disputes, there isn't much to post about. But here is how I see things leading up to the draft:

1. Jolly is done for good after being arrested for a second time for possession of purple drank.

2. Cullen Jenkins has likely seen his last day as a Packer due to the fact that management made no attempt to re-sign him before the CBA expired. I believe this to be a mistake in that he is one of the most talented d-linemen in the league. But at this point, I have come to trust Ted Thompson to provide depth on the roster.

3. I see our biggest needs as Offensive Tackle, Defensive End, and Outside Linebacker. I will be happy with any of those 3 positions taken in the first round. With the #32 pick and no serious needs in the draft, it will be interesting to see what Thompson decides to do. You can always count on him to do things that are not that exciting. So it wouldnt surprise me to see us trade back and get multiple picks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

GO PACK!

Packers visit Meadowlands and leave with Victory!

Everyone knew that this weekend's game against the Jets would be a tough one for the Packers. I myself had no idea what to expect in this game. Part of me thought that the Pack could stay in it and possibly win the game and another part of me thought we would never match up and they would handle us easily. I'm very happy with the result and there is no arguing that it was a very big win for this team.

The Jets came into this game with the top rated defense in the league and an offense that had turned the ball over only 4 times so far in the season. The Pack certainly didn't impress anyone with their offense. Aaron Rodgers once again did not look very good, but luckily, he didn't make any bad mistakes that cost the team. Staying on the offensive side of the ball, I have been very disappointed lately with Greg Jennings. I once thought that Jennings could be one of the best receivers in the league, but as the season rolls along I am beginning to realize that he not the home run hitter that I had expected. I think the biggest plays that Jennings has made is somehow complaining enough and getting referees to throw interference flags on the defense. He needs to step up and stop complaining and start making plays.

I think that the keys to the victory for the Packers was the great play by our defense, and surprise special teams play by our punting unit. I think a huge reason that we were able to win this game was that we won the battle for field position. The combination of our defense making big stops and causing key turnovers, and a good punting game left their offense deep in their zone to start most of their drives. If we can keep up the special teams play, it will definitely help us moving forward.

The defense was a huge surprise yesterday, and Ted Thompson surely deserves a lot of credit for going out and getting players to help fill holes that injuries left in our defense. Howard Green was picked up this week to help out Raji on the defensive line and he played well. It doesn't hurt that he's enormous, but he looked good out there. Another player who has impressed me has been S Charlie Peprah. Peprah is what, the 3rd or 4th stringer? He has stepped in and played very well.

I think this weekend gave Packer fans everywhere some more hope that the Pack can have success despite the injury woes. The Packers will host the struggling Dallas Cowboys in week 9.

Another Heartbreaking Loss...Reinforcements on the Way...

In another tough-to-swallow overtime loss, the Packers' Defense looked decent at times, but it was obvious that Clay Matthews' presence was missed. There was little to no pressure on Chad Henne, and the secondary couldn't find an answer for Brandon Marshall. Even with a big TD drive at the end of regulation, the offense looked flat without Jermichael Finley or a running game. And the big kicker was penalties. They weren't as often or as serious as they were a few weeks ago against the bears, but a 5 yard penalty on 4th and 3 set up the go-ahead TD for the Dolphins and essentially lost the game for the Packers. That's what happens when you have inexperienced players in the game. Francois, who was called up from the practice squad last week, was the culprit for the penalty. But there is good news...

Atari Bigby, James Starks, and Al Harris could return to action this week after being released from the PUP list. If they pass their physicals on Wednesday they will be able to begin practicing with the team and see immediate action. The question is whether or not they can return to form and help out a suspect secondary and running game.

Harris is returning from major knee surgery, Bigby from an ankle injury that has plagued him since 2008, and Starks will try to see his first NFL action after being drafted in the 6th round in this year's draft. Can these guys provide the needed spark to get the team back on the winning track? I think they can. Bigby has significant experience and will be better than any of the other safety options we have in Morgan Burnett's absence. If Harris is confident in his knee, then he will be a much better nickel corner than Sam Shields, Bush, or any of the other corners we have tried in that spot. Can Starks jump start the running game? I have my doubts, but I'm hopeful. These additions come at the most opportune time with a HUGE divisional matchup against the queens this week.

Ted Thompson also traded a conditional 7th round pick to Jacksonville for safety Anthony Smith, who was cut from the team at the end of the pre-season in 2009. This fortefies the safety position with Bigby returning, and makes me feel much better about our secondary. GO PACK!

Quick Draft Recap

So the 2010 Draft is over and the guesses begin. Who had the best draft? Did the team address their needs? Etc. Etc. Etc!

The Pack did not have a super exciting draft, but they did address some needs. First of all, I have to say that picking Brian Bulaga with our first pick was like drafting your mother over Megan Fox. Sure, its not a sexy pick, but you're mom will make you dinner, do your laundry, and clean your room. Brian Bulaga is a top tier lineman and we did not have to trade any players to get him. He isn't Dez Bryant, but he will come in right away and contribute greatly. Alright, so maybe my Mom/Megan Fox analogy was a bit strange, but you get the point. We will all be happy with Bulaga, and not because he "looks" like a Packer.

I think we stretched in the 2nd round with Mike Neal out of Purdue, but who knows, just when you take someone lightly, they end up surprising you.

We did get a couple guys later in the draft who are pretty intruiging. Third round we got a Safety from Georgia Tech who is a big guy and although they say consistency is an issue, at least we add some depth to our defensive backfield and in the 6th it sounds like we got a steal of a RB out of Buffalo who is a very big dude and will hopefully come pound the ball for us in short yardage situations.

We also ended up drafting another offensive and defensive lineman and a tight end. Big deal, who knows how any of them will do.

After the draft, I think that we addressed some concerns and forgot about a couple. I think that the Packers are counting on having Al Harris back and healthy, but it makes me a little nervous that we didn't get any CB's. As well, it looks like Clay Matthews will probably lead the team in Sacks again this season. Even though we got a couple defensive lineman, I am unsure of how much they will be able to help our mediocre pass rushing defense. I think that with the recent additions of big name pass rushers in the division (Peppers, Vanden Bosh, Suh), the Packers defensive front may be the least intimidating in the division. Bummer.

Well, now we just have to sit back and see if TT did a good job this draft. Fingers Crossed.

Who's to Blame?

After coming off a disappointing loss to the Queens making the Pack 4-3, it was reasonable to think that we would enter the second half of the season with a winning record. Even with 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter it looked like it was in the bag. The score was 28-17 when the Packers' special teams buckled for the second time in the game giving up a huge return which would result in a quick buccaneers' TD cutting the score back to 3. From there, the offense could not move the ball, and the defense could not stop Josh Freeman (rookie QB making his first start) ultimately ending in a loss, a 4-4 record, and a shower of Gatorade for Bucs' coach Raheem Morris' first NFL win. So, who's to blame for the loss? For the mediocre record? For the disappointing season thus far?

My vote...EVERYONE! The fact is that this team is just not as good as all packer fans thought during the pre-season. The defense still gets no pressure on the QB (the fact is that we're even worse than we were in 2008). The offense is productive, but can't move the ball when it really needs to. The O-line is still having trouble protecting Rodgers and Aaron is still having trouble getting rid of the ball quick enough. And don't even get me started on the special teams, I believe that they had the most to do with both of the last 2 losses. I think it all comes back to coaching.

Packers' President Mark Murphy has publicly come out and said that both Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson are being watched more closely now. And if they don't make the necessary changes in the final 8 games, I believe that at least 1 of them will be looking for a job come February.

I believe the talent is there and that we have the players to be a good team (we're only 5 starters different from the 2007 NFC Championship team). For some reason we just aren't able to put a 4-quarter game together on the field. Let's hope for some improvement this week against the Cowboys. I believe it will make or break the season. GO PACK!

Packers-Vikings: What happened?

I want Ted Thompson’s head…and I’m serious! Hate is a strong word…and I feel strongly about the way I hate the Vikings. But let me explain myself…

I’m not angry about the way Favre was dealt with last year or that he’s not on the Packers. The quarterback was not the reason for last night’s loss. I am angry about the way our offensive and defensive lines are playing. These are the most critical positions for a championship team. You have to be able to protect your quarterback and put pressure on the one you’re playing against. This is something the Packers have been unable to do for some time now. Rodgers was sacked 8 times last night…EIGHT! And he was hit several other times. I counted 2 times that anyone in a white jersey was even close to Favre last night. Kampman hit him once, but it was still a completed pass, and Woodson tipped a ball on a corner blitz, which was also a completed pass. It’s a miracle that we actually had a shot at tying the game at the end.

Thompson has been the GM for 5 years now. That’s plenty of time to build a solid offensive and defensive line. The problem is that he is not willing to sign free agents. How do you think the queens got their lines to be so good? FREE AGENCY! I’m sorry but there is no way to stay competitive in the NFL without utilizing the free agent market. If Thompson doesn’t realize that, then we need to get someone else in there that does. I’m fine with using the draft for skill players and grooming future starters under proven veterans, but you have to have those veterans on your roster to groom the rookies. That’s my 2 cents on Thompson. Now on to last night’s game…

Things I didn’t like:

- Seeing Jared Allen obliterate our right tackles all game
- Seeing Favre in a purple jersey
- Counting to 10 while watching #4 sit in the pocket and just wait for one of his receivers to get open because there was no pass rush – even the best corners in the world can’t cover a receiver that long every play
- Aaron Kampman getting no pass rush from his standing position - he was much better as a 4-3 defensive end
- Packers receivers dropping very catchable balls (especially the ones in the end zone)
- Greg Jennings still not producing – 3 catches, 31 yds
- Turnovers (Int, Fumble, Downs, Safety)

Things I did like:

- Aaron Rodgers making plays with his feet – scrambling and throwing on the run for 386 yards and a 110+ passer rating
- BJ Raji in the lineup
- Holding Adrian Peterson to 55 yards on 25 carries *see #2
- Jermichael Finley finally breaking out – 6 catches, 128 yds, TD
- Donald Driver passing Sterling Sharpe as the Packers’ all-time leader in receptions
- That there was still a chance to tie the game with less than a minute left in the 4th quarter

The season isnt over at 2-2, but we need improvement from the offensive and defensive lines if we want to be anything more than mediocre. GO PACK!

Kiper gives Pack Top Draft Grade!

Mel Kiper, Jr. has been covering the NFL Draft for decades. Whether you agree with him or not, there is no arguing that he is the authority when it comes to the draft. This morning I came across an article by Mel where he graded each team's draft picks. Kiper gave only two A's, one for the Packers, and an A- for the Jets. 

Going into the draft, every team has needs that they must address. The Green Bay Packers knew what positions they needed and they were aggressive in getting the best players they could at those positions. 

There is a lot of talk that the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears will be battling for NFC North title. The Packers still have a lot of work to do in order to be in the conversation, but I think that Ted Thompson has made the right moves not only in the draft, but also with the coaching personnel changes that were made as well. The Packers have the potential to be a great team this season, but there are still a lot of pieces that need to fall into place in order for us to be competitive this coming season. Luckily, I think that some of those pieces came into place this weekend.

NFL Draft Draws Near

Well, the NFL Draft is almost here, finally! There is still a great deal of uncertainty going into this weekend, as the Lions still have not made it clear which direction they are planning to go with the first overall pick. They must have been spending all of their time working on their new logo. After listening to some of the "experts" on ESPN, I was suprised to hear as many people saying that the Lions should NOT take Matt Stafford with the #1 pick. Their arguments make sense and I would definitely love to see them not take Stafford because it shake things up a great deal. Lets be honest, the exciting thing about the NFL Draft is the suprises! If all of the Mock Drafts were completely accurate in the first round, I know that I wouldn't watch. One thing that I do expect is for there to be a couple trades in the first 10 picks, and also some players traded in the first round, perhaps Anquan Boldin. All I know is that i'm very excited to see what happens, and I hope that Ted Thompson made the right move in saving all of his time, energy, and money on the Draft rather than free agency. Only time will tell!

Packers plan to use Cap Space on Upcoming Free Agents

Wisconsinrapidstribune.com had an article on their website that Ted Thompson and the Green Bay Packers have been quite in free agency because they are looking to allocate much of thier $29 million in Cap Space on securing up to 17 players who will become some type of free agents in 2010. Some of the most notable of these players being Greg Jennings, Nick Collins, and Aaron Kampman. 

I think it is a good idea to make key existing players a priority for the long term. Players like Jennings and Collins could garner a lot of interest from other teams should they become free agents, so much like we did with Aaron Rodgers, we could extend these key player's contacts and not give them as much of a chance to leave and go to free agency. These players are the foundation of the team, they are players at key positions that have shown that they are Pro-Bowl caliber, and I think it only makes sense to build the team around those players like Jennings and Collins who are still at the beginning of their careers. I would much rather have those players stay in Green and Gold for years to come than to see the Pack spend all of their money this year on free agents. 

Will the Packers match offer to keep Jarrett Bush?

On Friday night the Tennessee Titans extended an offer to Restricted Free Agent Jarrett Bush. This means that the Packers were given 7 days to match the offer if they wish to keep Bush on the team, and if they dont, it turns out that the Packers gave him the lowest tender, and would be given little compensation if he was to leave. Bush played all 16 games last season, mostly on special teams, and he ended the season with just 11 tackles. So it really isn't a huge loss to our team if Ted Thompson decides to just let him walk. I find it sad right now that i'm wasting time talking about whether or not the Packers are going to match an offer on a player who doesn't really make that much of a difference to the team's well being. I guess thats what happens when you try to cover the offseason for a team like the Packers who do basically nothing in free agency. Oh well, Jarrett Bush is a top story for me today, and I hope you are all interested.

Orakpo slated as potential pick for Pack at #9

Mel Kiper and Todd McShay are ESPN's "Draft Experts" and just today on ESPN.com they posted a combined Mock Draft where each of their mock drafts were put together with the hope of ironing out some answers for draft day. I have watched the NFL Draft in it's entirety for the last 5 or 6 years and I follow it pretty closely, so I consider myself somewhat of a "Draft Dork". Up until this point, Malcolm Jenkins was slotted to be drafted by the Pack, even though I didn't think a CB should be high on our priority list. Finally today, Kiper and McShay gave me some hope as they listed both Brian Orakpo and Aaron Maybin for the Packers' first round selection.

This got me very excited because Orakpo has such huge potential and raw talent. He is a beast and I would absolutely love to see him on the Packers. He reminds me a lot of Javon Kearse or Julius Peppers. I think that he could make a great OLB/DE that we need for the 3-4 Defense, and I think he would make Ted Thompson look really good in the eyes of Packer Fans. Check out the video above and let me know what you think.

Why Ted Thompson should be Patriotic!

I was talking earlier this week with one of the other writers of this blog and we were discussing how there are certain teams that are very active in free agency every year, and others, like the Packers and the Bears, who do virtually nothing. And there were a couple of things that jumped out at me. First of all, we notice how active the New England Patriots are in Free Agency and we compare that to their relative dominance so far this decade. Being Packer fans, we had to compare their offseason strategy with ours and some of the other teams in the NFC North.

It seems that every year the Patriots pick up a good amount of players through free agency. The pick up a lot of veterans and value players that will fit into their system and add depth at their position. Perhaps this is why they have been Super Bowl contenders for the last 5 years. In comparison, the Packers and the Bears never seem to pick anyone up in Free Agency, and maybe that explains why the NFC North was one of the weakest conferences in the NFL last season and why the Vikings went to the Playoffs.

You can say whatever you like about Bill Belichick and whether he is a cheater or whatever, but in my mind, there is no questioning that he is one of the best, if not the best coach in the NFL. Whether you like him or not, I would suggest reading "The Education of a Coach" by Bill Belichick and you will see the time and thought that he puts into not only being a coach, but also in the front office and in understanding the Salary Cap system. All I know is that I would love for the Packers to be in a similar position as the Patriots, and maybe the hands off approach to free agency isn't getting the job done.

CB Williams Holding out?

Rumors are circulating that Packer Cornerback Tramon Williams may be holding out for more money. Williams is the #3 CB on the depth chart for the Packers and could play a big role in the future should Woodson and Harris be moving on towards the end of thier careers.

The Packers have done pretty much nothing this free agency, so they have plenty of Cap room to rework Williams' contract, but is he worth it? Williams started in over half of the games this year and ended up with over 100 tackles and 5 picks, but he also gave up the most plays greater than 20 yards. There is a lot of potential with Tramon Williams and I see him as the type of talent that will be a great asset to the Packers Defense for years to come. Although I never like to see players hold out for more money, sometimes it is inevitable and sometimes it is worth it in the long run. With all of the so called "experts" saying that the Packers need to address the cornerback position, it would seem logical that the Packers would make an attempt to keep Tramon around and happy. Ted Thompson is the only one who has an idea of what the Packers will look for with their first round selection, and some say it will be Malcolm Jenkins, CB from Ohio State with the 9th Pick Overall. If the Packers are thinking about picking up Jenkins, maybe they have different thoughts on keeping Williams around. I think that at this point, there is too much uncertainty regarding the strategy of the Packers' front office this offseason to know what we can expect.

Do you trust Ted Thompson?

Anyone who knows a little about the Green Bay Packers and follows them some, knows what kind of General Manager Ted Thompson is. Thompson is not known to be a big player in free agency, but rather likes to take a more active approach to the NFL Draft. He is known for trading draft picks on draft day and he seems to focus most of his attention on that.

This brings up my concern for Ted Thompson. In an offseason like this where the team is making a large transition between a lot of new coaching changes and most notably a defensive scheme change, would the Packers be better off trying to add depth and value to the team through free agency, or continue to build the team through the Draft? The more important question is this: Do you trust Ted Thompson? Do you trust that the Pack is in good hands and that we are making steps in the right direction towards winning another Super Bowl?

I have mixed thoughts. I have a lot of faith in Ted Thompson. I dont think that what he does is very exciting, but I feel that he is consisent in the front office. The Packers are one of the youngest teams in the league. We have very talented core of young players that the team is being built around. I think that concentrating on the Draft is beneficial while the team is so young and they can all get better and come together at the same time. I'm picturing the team building up to a point where they can be Super Bowl winners or contenders for 3 or 4 years in a row. On the other hand, the draft carries with it a lot of uncertainty, and with the changes we are making on defense, it would be nice to know if the players we add to the team are going to be able to contribute right away. I dont see the Packers picking up anyone though free agency this year, so hopefully our draft picks will pan out and we will be able to find a couple steals in later rounds. Like I always say, only time will tell.