Packer Update

CAMPEN IS THE NEW SANDERS

Posted by Packer Update at 4:15 pm 7 Responses »

Feb 032010

KEEPING CAMPEN

It took Mike McCarthy three seasons to realize that Bob Sanders was an inferior defensive coordinator. His replacement, the widely respected Dom Capers, immediately overhauled the scheme and the attitude of the players and the result was a No. 2 overall ranking this past season and the belief that even better days are ahead. Unfortunately, three seasons apparently isn’t enough time for McCarthy to realize that James Campen is to coaching an offensive line what Sanders was to coordinating a defense – a decent man who simply isn’t good enough at his job. “The only way you can judge an assistant coach from afar is by looking at the on-field results,” said a longtime scout for another team. “Using that critieria, it’s awfully difficult to make a strong case for keeping Campen. He hasn’t had much success developing young players, his unit almost always struggles out of the gate, and if not for the re-signing of Mark Tauscher in the middle of October, Aaron Rodgers may have been sacked over 70 times last season. Again, from afar, you’d have to think McCarthy could do better.”

When specifically asked about bringing his embattled assistant back for another season, McCarthy’s response was interesting – if not a bit telling. Instead of immediately lauding Campen’s teaching skills, he first defended Campen by pointing to the impressive numbers posted by the offense in 2009. “I certainly don’t blame McCarthy for bringing up statistics, but to me, that’s a bit of a red herring,” said the scout. “The play of the line was absolutely killing the Packers before Tauscher returned to the starting lineup in November. Rodgers was getting pressured on almost every pass, Ryan Grant’s average yards per carry was under 4.0 and the team was 4-4. In my opinion, if anyone associated with the offensive line deserves another season, it’s Tauscher. He – and not Campen – is the main reason for the turnaround.”

While McCarthy didn’t laud Campen’s teaching skills while speaking to reporters last week, the team’s media guide provided this little gem prior to the start of the ‘09 season: “A natural teacher, Campen has worked hands-on in the development of three linemen now entering their fourth seasons – Daryn Colledge, Jason Spitz and Tony Moll.” Yikes. Considering the fact that Colledge may have played his way out of Green Bay and Moll already has, it’s probably safe to assume that as an educator, Campen is more Mr. Kotter than Mr. Tibbs. “Spitz is a good player, but I’m not sure how much he’s really improved under Campen,” said the scout. “He was solid from day one.”

To be fair, not every offensive lineman has either remained stagnant or regressed under Campen’s tutelege. Josh Sitton was a tackle for four seasons at Central Florida and now he’s one of the better young right guards in the league. You have to give Campen props for that. “Sitton is definitely an ascending player,” said the scout. “My biggest problem with Campen isn’t individual player development as much as it is with the way the line works as a whole. Things were a mess the first eight games. I know that Allen Barbre was a disaster and Chad Clifton was in and out of the lineup, but that’s not a valid excuse for just how bad things were.” What was a valid excuse? McCarthy blamed, what else, pad level. OK, then forget all the other reasons and just get rid of Campen because he can’t teach grown men the concept that the player whose pads are the lowest wins.

HAWK'S FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN

Posted by Packer Update at 10:57 am 4 Responses »

Jan 282010

FLYING AWAY?

A.J. Hawk hasn’t come close to living up to his lofty draft status, but the former Ohio State star has been a consistent and solid player for the Packers ever since arriving in 2006. In a day and age when so many top-10 picks wind up being worthless, it would be very unfair to attach the dreaded “B-word” to Hawk. “He’s far from a bust,” said a scout for another team. “He lines up every week and gives maximum effort on every play. You win with guys like that. I just don’t think he’s a particularly good fit for the new scheme and that’s why I question whether he’ll be back next season.”

Hawk is scheduled to make $4.1 million in 2010, but money won’t be a determining factor on whether he returns. “Salary will definitely be an issue in 2011, but it’s more about performance right now,” said a person familiar with the situation. “[General manager] Ted Thompson will hold on to Hawk if the defensive coaches think he’s one of the two best inside linebackers on the roster. They obviously considered him to be just that at the start of last season, but I’m not so sure any more. The decision to give Brandon Chillar all that money has to make you wonder.” Chillar signed a four-year extension worth over $21 million in December, and while that’s not a huge deal in today’s NFL, it’s more than a team typically pays for a situational player.

While Chillar wasn’t overly impressive last season, he seems to fit the 3-4 better than Hawk. “Ideally, you’d like an inside linebacker who is tall and can turn his hips and change directions easily,” said the scout. “Chillar has two inches on Hawk and he’s much more fluid.” And that’s not all. “Some of the decision-makers think that Chillar would benefit greatly from taking more reps with the starters during the week,” said the source. “Remember, he played his best football in the summer and early in the season when Nick Barnett was still recovering from an injury. Chillar’s performance fell off once Barnett was healthy enough to start practicing on a relatively full-time basis.”

EDITORIAL: HARD TO ROOT FOR FAVRE

Posted by Packer Update at 10:00 am 17 Responses »

Jan 242010

Persona non grata

While most of the country celebrates Brett Favre’s amazing success at age 40, Packer fans know better. They know one thing and one thing only – that if No. 4 displayed even a sliver of the control and focus during the last 10 years of his career in Green Bay that he’s shown during the first five months of his career in Minnesota, Cheeseheads of all ages would’ve been partying in the streets of Houston, Texas and Glendale, Arizona instead of tossing and turning in their sleep following brutal playoff losses to the Eagles in 2004 and to the Giants four years later. Yes, it hurts every time Favre the Viking throws a safe pass in lieu of unloading one of those season-ending prayers that Favre the Packer seemed to perfect in his later years with the Green and Gold.

Why is this version of Favre so much more careful with the football than the version of Favre that the entire state of Wisconsin used to know and love worship? The answer is quite simple – he finally has something to prove. For the first time since the early ’90s, the old gunslinger entered a season besieged by extreme doubt and heavy criticism. In fact, the din was so audible that even ESPN’s constant ass-kissing couldn’t drown it out. So Favre decided to prove to all the nay-sayers that an old dog can indeed learn new tricks. He simply decided not to throw interceptions. And it has absolutely nothing to do with coaching. Mike McCarthy and Tom Clements are about as good as it gets when it comes to working with quarterbacks. As far as Twiddle Dee Childress and Twiddle Dum Bevell are concerned, they’re far better at chauffeuring around a quarterback than they are at developing one.

It all comes down to accountability, or in the case of Favre and Green Bay, a lack thereof. While McCarthy was certainly demanding, how much could he really do by the time he took over as coach in 2006? Favre had long ago become bulletproof and he darn well knew it. How else can you explain all the people who blamed Mike Sherman’s fourth-and-one call, Ed Donatell’s 4th-and-26 defense and Bob Sanders’ inability to adjust against Plaxico Burress for excruciating playoff losses while at the same time being able to almost overlook two of the worst passes in postseason history? Let’s face it, if Favre could come out of those two games virtually unscathed, he was indeed as invulnerable as Superman. And while that’s a great trait for a Superhero, it’s not so desirable in a quarterback. The kid from Kiln needed to be humbled and that’s just what took place in the weeks leading up to the ’08 season.

That brings us to Favre and the Vikings. The more you watch this story unfold, the more you’re reminded of Damn Yankees – a musical comedy written in 1955 about a middle-aged fan named Joe Boyd who makes a deal with the devil in order to become a star outfielder for the Washington Senators. His dream is to help that struggling team beat the damn Yankees. The newly-coined Joe Hardy was willing to do almost anything to make that happen – include selling his soul. Fifty-five years later, Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings are starring in an updated version of the play. In this adaption, a middle-aged quarterback and a desperate organization are willing to do anything to win a Super Bowl. That includes lying (Favre), tampering (Childress and Bevell) and cheating (Kevin Williams and Pat Williams).

So far, so good for Minnesota. Favre has enjoyed arguably the best season of his long career and the team is one victory away from a trip to the Super Bowl. But just remember, the Senators didn’t win the World Series. Hardy ultimately decided that his prior life and his soul were more important than hoisting a championship trophy. And while Favre and the Vikings apparently have no such integrity, if there’s such thing as karma, they’ll run into their own version of the devil either tomorrow evening or in two weeks. So while it’s been difficult for the greatest fans in the NFL to watch what’s been happening for the past five months, just think of how good it’ll feel when it all comes to a bitter ending. Wouldn’t that be the best story ever?

MATTHEWS NEEDS A PARTNER

Posted by Packer Update at 12:00 am 5 Responses »

Jan 222010

Looking for a sidekick

The biggest need for the Packers heading into next season is exactly the same as it was going into this past season – finding a legitimate left tackle to either back up or replace 33-year-old Chad Clifton. GM Ted Thompson failed to adequately reinforce that position through free agency and/or the draft a year ago and Aaron Rodgers paid the price. The Pro Bowl quarterback was sacked 37 times in the first eight games. That can’t happen again, and it almost certainly won’t. Thompson is simply too good at his job to make the same critical mistake twice. “Left tackle will be a top priority,” promised a person familiar with the situation. “You can be sure that Green Bay won’t go into next season counting on a broken-down veteran, an undersized guard and a middle-round draft choice to fend off some of the league’s best right defensive ends.”

So while there’s little question as to which position presents the greatest concern entering the offseason, there seems to be a wide range of opinions when it comes to identifying the team’s second-biggest need. After the defensive debacle in the desert, some experts are calling for an upgrade in the secondary. And while adding a quality corner and/or safety is certainly important, it takes a back seat to finding an outside linebacker to pair with rookie sensation Clay Matthews. “The Packers could’ve had four Pro Bowlers in the secondary and they weren’t going to shut down [Kurt] Warner,” said a former scout. “A 3-4 team must be able to consistently pressure the quarterback and that means having two outstanding rushers coming off the edge. As we all saw, one simply isn’t enough.” The Cards double-teamed Matthews about 50% of the time and pretty much neutralized him. That left Warner with all day to throw and wide receivers running free all over the field.

Rookie Brad Jones had four sacks in his seven starts, but the majority of his pressure came as the result of tight coverage in the secondary. The rookie from Colorado was seldom able to beat his man cleanly and force the quarterback to get rid of the ball in a hurry. That doesn’t mean Jones can’t eventually develop into a good pass rusher, but the Packers are in no position to keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best. We saw how that worked at left tackle. “Mike McCarthy hired Dom Capers because he wanted a carbon-copy of the Pittsburgh defense,” said the scout. “Well, when haven’t the Steelers had two great outside linebackers?” True. From Kevin Green and Chad Brown to Joey Porter and Jason Gildon to James Harrison and Lamar Woodley, having a pair of studs has always been a given in the Steel City.

As bad as things looked in the wild card game, the Packers actually aren’t all that far away from having a defense that can truly dominate – and not just against the Jay Cutlers of the NFL. The front three is solid, Matthews is a rising star, the inside linebackers are good enough, and when healthy, the secondary is as at least as talented as any group the Steelers have employed in recent years. “The pass defense struggled early in the season against Minnesota because of a lack of pressure on Brett Favre,” said the scout. “That same deficiency, along with the loss of Pro Bowl cornerback Al Harris, made covering quality receivers a virtual impossibility in close late-season losses at Pittsburgh and Arizona. But if Harris and [former Auburn star] Pat Lee return in 2010 and a solid No. 3 safety can be found, Capers will have more than enough talent in the secondary.” That would just leave finding a partner for Matthews. And while it may not be priority No. 1 in the weeks and months to come, it wouldn’t be a stretch to call it priority No. 1A.

FEW HAVE LEFT THE PACKERS' FOLD

Posted by Packer Update at 4:13 pm No Responses »

Jan 202010

Schneider is off to Seattle

The Packers haven’t had much success in January this decade, but 95 regular season victories and six trips to the playoffs is a resume that most teams would take in a heartbeat. That’s why it’s so surprising that John Schneider is only the third key assistant coach or front office executive to leave the organization for a better opportunity in the past 10 years. Schneider, who served along with Reggie McKenzie as director of football operations, was hired as the Seahawks’ new GM on Monday night. Prior to that, the only defections of note were when running backs coach Sylvester Croom (2004) and offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski (2007) left to be head coaches at Mississippi State and Boston College, respectively. “Green Bay has been very fortunate as far as the front office is concerned,” said a person close to the situation. “Schneider, McKenzie and [director of college scouting] John Dorsey are excellent. As far as coaches are concerned, Mike Sherman’s staff just wasn’t very good. Mike McCarthy’s group is much stronger and I expect some of his top assistants to move on in the next few years.”

DOM CAME UP SMALL IN BIG GAME

Posted by Packer Update at 10:07 am 7 Responses »

Jan 182010

Not so DOMinant

This post is not meant to bash Dom Capers. Heck, we were the first to suggest hiring the respected defensive coordinator almost a year ago to the day. Why? Because he’s been one of the brightest – not to mention one of the most innovative – defensive minds in the NFL for the past two decades. That said, we wouldn’t be doing our job (OK, our hobby) if we didn’t take Capers to task for what happened last Sunday in Arizona. Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams joked that the wild card game set defense back 100 years. He was being kind – or maybe he was only talking about the Cardinals. Green Bay’s defense, and we use the term loosely, set football back a lot farther than that. “It was a pathetic display,” said a former scout. “I know Arizona is explosive and I know the Packers were missing some people in the secondary, but there’s just no excuse for a performance like that.”

Giving up 45 points and 531 yards in 60 minutes is bad enough, but what’s even worse is that Capers had seen his defense sliced and diced by a very similar offense only three weeks earlier. “The Steelers run pretty much the same stuff,” said the scout. “[Cards coach] Ken Whisenhunt didn’t reinvent the wheel for the wild card game. He was doing what he always does.” And yet it looked as if Capers had no clue what was coming, or if he did, his players had no clue how to react. The number of missed assignments in coverage was mind-boggling. “You can blame Jarrett Bush and Brandon Underwood all you want, but it wasn’t only the inexperienced players who were making critical mental mistakes,” added the scout. “Veteran starters Tramon Williams and Nick Barnett both screwed up within the first five minutes.”

To his credit, Capers didn’t make any excuses immediately after the game. He did, however, offer a curious comment a few days later. Here’s what he said: “We didn’t match their routes nearly as tight and efficiently as we had the week before.” Hmmm. Was Capers really expecting to face the same offense in the playoffs that he saw in a meaningless week 17 contest? In a game that meant absolutely nothing, Arizona was as bland as Ed Begley, Jr. “I think Whisenhunt played possum and it worked,” opined the scout. “That defense felt way too good about itself after holding the faux Cardinals to seven points.” In fact, All-Pro cornerback Charles Woodson admitted just that a few days ago. “I think we went in there with the wrong mentality that we were going to just go in there and win that game,” said the NFL’s newly crowned Defensive Player of the Year. “I think the previous week you went in there and you had a good game against a team and I think we thought we thought we were going to go in there and it was going to be the same way. Obviously that is not the mindset you can have going into a playoff game.”

The Packers were overconfident and underprepared on defense – a deadly combination against an offense as potent as Arizona’s. That’s definitely an indictment on Capers, who’s being paid $2 million a season because he’s supposed to be the anti-Bob Sanders. You know, a coordinator who can actually scare and confuse veteran quarterbacks with his creative schemes and intense pressure. Instead, Capers proved unable to make Kurt Warner even break a sweat. In an interview prior to the divisional playoff game between the Cardinals and Saints, the 38-year-old future Hall of Famer admitted that “there wasn’t a single play where I didn’t know what they were doing.” It sure as heck looked like that. OK, so maybe this column was meant to bash Capers. Well, he can take it, and more importantly, he deserves it.

A PRESEASON GAME IN JANUARY?

Posted by Packer Update at 9:59 am 3 Responses »

Dec 302009

To play or not to play?

When asked at his Monday press conference if he would game plan for Arizona when it’s likely the two teams will play again in the first round of the playoffs, Mike McCarthy gave a predictable response: “I’m not sure what you’re asking,” he grumbled. “Why wouldn’t I game plan for them? We play them Sunday.” While a few of the reporters didn’t seem happy with that answer, what else was the coach going to say? Of course he’s going to game plan. After all, there’s going to be a game, isn’t there? What McCarthy refused to comment on is who’ll play and for how long. That’s the far more pertinent question. And while we may not know the answer until just before kickoff, common sense would seem to dictate the way this highly unusual season finale is going to play out. “There’s no reason for the Packers to play their key starters for more than a quarter,” opined a former scout. “Anything more would be foolish.”

We’ll take that a step further. A quarter might make sense if the Packers weren’t playing the Cards the following week, but they probably are, so sitting out Aaron Rodgers, Ryan Grant, Jermichael Finley, Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Chad Clifton, Scott Wells, Mark Tauscher, Cullen Jenkins, Clay Matthews, Charles Woodson, Nick Collins and Nick Barnett probably makes the most sense. Besides the potential for an injury, why let Arizona get an up-close and personal look at your best players? Why let them get a feel for the pass blocking technique of Clifton or the deceptive downfield speed of Finley or the quickness off the edge of Matthews? Teams do a good enough job scouting on video; there’s no sense in making the job easier.

The only argument against resting players is momentum, but that doesn’t hold much water. Green Bay is 3-1 following a bye week under McCarthy and that’s essentially what this would be. Besides, how much momentum would be built up by playing key starters for a quarter or two or by playing them for 60 minutes against Arizona’s backups? “There’s very little benefit in playing your starters,” said the scout. “This isn’t like the Giants a few years ago. Their finale against New England was historic. Plus, the teams weren’t going to see each other seven days later. I guarantee you that Tom Coughlin’s approach would’ve been very different had that been the case. There’s nothing historic about Sunday’s game.” And unless the Giants beat Minnesota earlier in the day, there’s pretty much nothing meaningful about it either.

FEW PACKERS WILL POPULATE PRO BOWL

Posted by Packer Update at 10:35 am 1 Response »

Dec 282009

Going to Miami

Green Bay has one of the best records in the entire league, but it won’t seem like that when the Pro Bowl rosters are announced on Tuesday. The 10-5 Packers figure to have no more than three representatives in the all-star game that will be played in Miami on the Sunday before the Super Bowl. So is this a sign of disrespect? No, not really. “Green Bay has a lot of players enjoying good to very good seasons, but not many are performing at a Pro Bowl-level,” opined a former scout. “And that kind of fits with [GM] Ted Thompson’s philosophy on building a team. He’s not enamored with superstars or big names. He prefers a roster filled with good players and quality people. And while that may not make the Packers all that popular on Tuesday, it could serve them very well in the weeks to come.”

We asked the scout to predict which players will get an invite to the Pro Bowl, which players won’t but should and which young players are on the verge:

LOCK

CB Charles Woodson: “He’ll start for the NFC. Not only is he a lock for the Pro Bowl, but he should be one of the favorites for Defensive Player of the Year. No corner does more for his team. He lines up at multiple positions and excels at all of them. Plus, his overall statistics are eye-popping. He’s really revived his career in Green Bay and Canton now looks like a definite possibility.”

VERY GOOD CHANCE

QB Aaron Rodgers: “He should be a lock, but you never know when it comes to this position and the Pro Bowl. Only Drew Brees has had a better season in the NFC. Anyone who thinks Brett Favre is more deserving either works for ESPN or doesn’t watch much football. He’s already one of the top 7 or 8 quarterbacks in the league and he could move into the top-5 by next season.”

PRETTY GOOD CHANCE

FS Nick Collins: “He went a year ago and he’s been just as good this season. He deserves to go, but the competition at his position is very stiff. Darren Sharper is a lock and Adrian Wilson is extremely popular with NFC players and coaches. That leaves only one spot. He should get it, but you never know.”

SLIGHT CHANCE

RB Ryan Grant: “He’s third in the conference in rushing and fourth in yards per game, so he has a chance. But I don’t think most players and coaches consider him as good as guys like DeAngelo Williams, Frank Gore or even Jonathan Stewart. He has the numbers to go, but he probably won’t get the votes.”

NO CHANCE, BUT DESERVING

DEs Johnny Jolly and Cullen Jenkins: “Jolly has played the run as well as any defensive end in the league. Jenkins is solid at the point of attack and far more productive as a pass rusher than most players at his position. They won’t go because they don’t have the statistics, but they’re playing at that level.”

SOMEDAY SOON

OLB Clay Matthews: “He should get some consideration, but it’s tough for any rookie to make the Pro Bowl – especially one who didn’t even start until the fifth game of the season. With his talent and work ethic, this may wind up being one of the few Pro Bowls he doesn’t play in over the course of his career.”

TE Jermichael Finley: “He’d have a chance if he didn’t miss four games during the middle of the season. He has the potential to be more than a perrenial Pro Bowl tight end; he has the potential to be the best tight end in the league. Few players have his combination of size, soft hands and athleticism.”

OG Josh Sitton: “He’s quietly developed into one of the best young interior linemen in the NFL. He’s not a great athlete, but he moves well enough to make all the necessary blocks. He’s also strong and nasty. It took Marco Rivera a while to be appreciated. It could be a similar story for this right guard.”

COACH REMAINS IN BUSH'S CORNER

Posted by Packer Update at 10:05 am No Responses »

Dec 262009

An all-too-familiar sight

Despite getting called for a holding penalty and then giving up the game-losing touchdown four plays later, one longtime talent evaluator still believes that Josh Bell did enough last Sunday to be named the No. 3 corner for at least the remainder of the regular season. Of course, such thinking is probably more an indictment of Jarrett Bush than anything else. “I’m not sure if Bell has what it takes to hold up for 40 snaps against a quality quarterback, but I know for certain that Bush can’t,” said the scout. “Bell made two big mistakes against Pittsburgh, but he did a nice job on his other seven snaps and he showed potential as a rookie with the Broncos last season. I’d give him a good long look this week and next and see if he’s capable of providing some stability in the nickel.”

That sounds logical, but it doesn’t appear to be the way Mike McCarthy is thinking. “Well, changing personnel frankly is not an option and it’s really not an interest of mine,” stated the head coach at his day-after press conference on Monday. “We’ve had our share of injuries like everybody. Tryouts are over. We’ve got game No. 15 coming up and we need to do some of the things that we didn’t do very well yesterday better… We have answers for the issues that we encountered. We didn’t handle it very well yesterday.” McCarthy wasn’t just blowing smoke. Bush practiced all week as the nickel back while Bell competed with rookies Brandon Underwood and Trevor Ford for the chance to line up as the No. 6 defensive back in the dime package.

We’ve never been Bush-bashers. In fact, we had very little problem with Ted Thompson’s decision to match Tennessee’s three-year $4.5 million offer to the former Utah State star in March. Bush is a solid special teams player and he’s versatile enough to play corner or safety. “At least three general managers were ready to make him an offer when he hit the market as a restricted free agent,” said the scout, “so there’s clearly a place for him in this league. That place, however, is not as the nickel back for a team with hopes of winning games in January. Look, I fully understand that the Packers are missing three corners, but I still wouldn’t go with Bush. He’s not instinctive and he makes few plays on the ball despite often being in good position. That’s been his MO since college and it’s not going to change. He is who he is.” That’s exactly what every Cheesehead is afraid of.

OLDIES STILL PLAYING LIKE GOODIES

Posted by Packer Update at 10:14 am 2 Responses »

Dec 242009

Getting it done

Tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher came into the league together in 2000, and the two have anchored Green Bay’s offensive line ever since. Along the way, each player has been forced to overcome significant hardships. Clifton suffered a serious pelvic injury in 2002 that kept him in the hospital for almost a week. Tauscher has undergone two ACL surgeries – including one a year ago at the age of 31. And yet here they are, still performing well enough to keep a franchise quarterback upright and to help get their team to the cusp of the playoffs. There’s absolutely no question as to what Clifton and Tauscher have meant, and continue to mean to the Packers. The only question is whether they’ll be back in 2010.

Clifton and Tauscher are unrestricted free agents after the season. “I don’t see either player commanding a big contract on the open market, so at the end of the day, it’ll come down to whether [GM] Ted Thompson wants them back,” said a former scout. “My hunch is that he’ll re-sign Clifton, and after what happened at right tackle in September and October, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Tauscher return as well. I realize that at some point the organization has to move on with younger and healthier players, but what’s the harm in protecting yourself at two of the most important positions on the team?”

Thompson attempted to move on with younger players at right tackle this season, but Breno Giacomini wasn’t ready and Allen Barbre proved to be a disaster once the real games began. And while some in the organization have high hopes for T.J. Lang, there are others who are convinced that his best position is guard. “Physically, he reminds me of Tauscher,” opined the scout. “He’s not a great athlete and he’ll never look graceful in protection, but he usually finds a way to get the job done. There’s no doubt that he’d perform better than Barbre, but would he be an upgrade over Tauscher? That’s the question. To me, it makes sense to have a veteran around just in case.”

As far as left tackle is concerned, it’s hard to imagine a scenario for 2010 that doesn’t include Clifton. While he isn’t the player he was even two or three years ago, he’s stepped up his game as of late and there’s no viable replacement on the roster. Daryn Colledge was terrible in a pair of early-season starts, and while Lang fared better in his two starts, he doesn’t seem to have the skills to play on that side of the line on a long-term basis. So unless Thompson decides to spend $50 or $60 million in free agency, he almost has to re-sign Clifton. “The left tackle of the future is most likely getting ready for a Bowl game right now,” said the scout. “And while there’s always a chance they could get lucky with a rookie – the way they did with Clifton a decade ago – that’s not something Thompson can count on.”

There’s obviously no guarantee that both Clifton and Tauscher will be back for an 11th season in Green Bay, but it’s no longer as far-fetched an idea as it appeared just a few months ago. That’s good news and bad news. The good news is that both veterans have stayed reasonably healthy and played pretty well. The bad news – with the possible exception of Lang – is that none of the young players have really stepped up. “I’m not convinced that [offensive line coaches] James Campen and Jerry Fontenot are even capable of developing a quality tackle,” said the scout. “The Packers are extremely fortunate to have Clifton and Tauscher. I wouldn’t be so quick to discard either player – especially when you’re talking about a team that figures to go into next season as one of the heavy favorites to make it to the Super Bowl.”

PACK CAN'T KEEP KICKING CROSBY

Posted by Packer Update at 12:03 pm 3 Responses »

Dec 212009

Yet another miss

The Packers have been incredibly patient with Mason Crosby, but it’s time to make a change. Right now. “His confidence is shot,” opined a former scout. “He played a big part in yesterday’s one-point loss to the Steelers and it’s almost a foregone conclusion that he’ll continue to hurt the team if he’s allowed to keep kicking.” Crosby has missed nine field goals this season – including one in each of the last four games.

The former Colorado star seemed visibly shaken on Sunday after yet another tough day at the office. “I don’t think I’ve missed this many in a year of just practicing,” he said. “Yeah it’s one of those… I don’t know what’s going on. (The misses are) popping up in games. It’s something, if I’m fortunate enough to keep being here, I’ve got to go to work. We’ve got to get back after it (against) Seattle, and if we’re going to make a run here, I’ve got to make some kicks.” That, my friends, is a cry for help.

So who can replace Crosby? Well, that’s the problem. By being so patient, Green Bay has allowed a number of pretty good kickers to sign elsewhere. “[Ex-Redskin] Shaun Suisham is probably the best guy out there,” said the scout. “Jason Elam really struggled before being cut by Atlanta a few weeks ago, but he hit 29 of 31 last season and might be worth taking a look at. And I really liked Brandon Couto when he came out of Georgia a few years ago.”

Even if the Packers sign a new kicker, there’s no reason to get rid of Crosby. He’s too talented to discard. “Keep both guys for the rest of the season and then give Crosby a chance to reclaim the job next summer,” said the scout. “There’s room on the roster.” That’s true. Breno Giacomini has been Mr. Inactive since being drafted in 2008 and Jeremy Thompson probably won’t play again this season due to a neck injury. What else is true is that Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy need to give their team the best chance to win every single week. And that’s why it’s time to make a change.

GRANT WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY

Posted by Packer Update at 10:43 am 3 Responses »

Dec 182009

Earning his pay

It’s time to put to bed the notion that Ryan Grant is overpaid. Since being given a four-year contract worth $18.5 million (plus incentives) in August 2008, the former Notre Dame star has carried the ball 559 times for 2,271 yards and 12 touchdowns in 29 games. And while those numbers won’t get him to the Hall of Fame, they shouldn’t be scoffed at either. “Grant’s not an elite back, but he’s not being paid like an elite back,” opined a scout for another team. “I’m sure that [GM] Ted Thompson and [coach] Mike McCarthy would like to see a few more explosive runs, but other than that, I think they’re getting pretty much what they expect. Grant is durable, he holds on to the ball and he runs extremely hard on every carry. In today’s NFL, that makes him a bargain.”

A bargain? That might be a slight exaggeration, but it’s not completely untrue. The following backs have all collected more guaranteed money than Grant since the start of last season: Thomas Jones (Jets), Ronnie Brown (Dolphins), Jamal Lewis (Browns), Larry Johnson (Bengals), Maurice Jones-Drew (Jaguars), LaDainian Tomlinson (Chargers), Darren McFadden (Raiders), Brandon Jacobs (Giants), Brian Westbrook (Eagles), Marion Barber (Cowboys), Clinton Portis (Redskins), Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Michael Turner (Falcons), Reggie Bush (Saints), Steven Jackson (Rams) and Frank Gore (49ers).

Of that group, only a handful have put up better, or even comparable numbers to Grant since the start of last season. “Our standards are high here,” said offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. ”We don’t throw out platitudes easily. He probably deserves more credit than he gets. Our running game’s not as pathetic as everybody thinks it is. We’ve done some good things. And (Grant’s) done some nice things.” We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves.

SHHH…HERE’S WHAT WE’RE HEARING

Posted by Packer Update at 10:00 pm 6 Responses »

Dec 152009

An agent told us that Nick Collins is probably looking for a $35 to $40 million deal with about 40% of the money guaranteed. That’s not unreasonable for one of the league’s top young safeties….. If Mike Holmgren winds up in Cleveland or Seattle (again), he could take a member or two from Green Bay’s front office with him (again). Directors of Football Operations Reggie McKenzie and John Schneider and Assistant Director of Pro Personnel Tim Terry would all be on the Big Show’s radar….. Don’t be shocked if Charles Woodson makes some noise about his contract in the offseason. The star cornerback has outplayed the original seven-year deal he signed in ’06. And while extending a 33-year-old player seems a bit unusual – especially for GM Ted Thompson – we’ve been told it’s a definite possibility….. A scout opined to us last week that Johnny Jolly is having a Pro Bowl season at defensive end. The former Texas A&M star won’t get the votes because he only has one sack, but he’s playing the run at a very high level….. And finally, the public scolding given to Brandon Underwood by assistant coach Joe Whitt doesn’t bode well for the young cornerback. It takes a lot to get a member of this staff to publicly criticize a player, so it’s safe to say that the rookie’s approach to the game leaves much to be desired.

NO CBA WOULD BE A-OK FOR PACKERS

Posted by Packer Update at 10:57 pm 3 Responses »

Dec 112009

Jolly may be restricted

Mark Murphy, the president and CEO of the Packers, is “hopeful” that a new collective bargaining agreement will be in place by the end of the NFL’s fiscal year in March. And while that would be great news for the league, it wouldn’t be such great news for his team – at least in the short term. “Green Bay would really benefit from 2010 being an uncapped year,” opined a person familiar with the situation. “He’ll never admit it, but [GM] Ted Thompson would probably love to see negotiations stretch into next summer. It would make his job a lot easier.” That’s because the Packers have seven potential unrestricted free agents who would essentially be kept off the open market without a new CBA. Safeties Nick Collins and Atari Bigby, offensive linemen Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz and defensive end Johnny Jolly head that list.

With or without a new CBA, running back Ahman Green, offensive tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher, nose tackle Ryan Pickett and linebackers Aaron Kampman and Brandon Chillar will be unrestricted free agents in the offseason. Other than Pickett, there’s not another must-sign player among that group. And one can even argue if Pickett is truly a must-sign. “I’m sure the Packers would prefer to keep him, but remember, B.J. Raji was picked ninth overall in April’s draft for a reason,” said the source. “He has the potential to be a dominant nose tackle.” So it looks as if the only thing standing between Thompson and a surprisingly tranquil offseason is a new CBA, and unfortunately, that doesn’t appear likely to happen any time soon.

SUCCESS IS ALWAYS A TEAM EFFORT

Posted by Packer Update at 10:29 am 1 Response »

Dec 092009

Stepping up

The Packers have won four consecutive games and the players most responsible are obvious to pretty much everyone. Aaron Rodgers is playing at a Pro Bowl level. Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher have solidified the offensive line by squeezing every last ounce out of their aging bodies. Clay Matthews has blossomed from an impressive rookie to a legitimate stud at outside linebacker. Charles Woodson is making a serious run at being named defensive player of the year. And Nick Collins is producing enough big plays to quite possibly earn that megabucks extension he’s been looking for since the spring. But when a team starts to win on a regular basis, it always takes more than great play from a few great players. It takes good play from a lot of players, and that’s exactly what Green Bay has been getting over the past four games.

With the help of a former scout, here are a few of the team’s unsung heroes who deserve to be recognized for their inspired play over the past month:

BRANDON JACKSON: “The offensive line is doing a much better job in pass protection, but don’t overlook just how important a role Jackson has played in the turnaround. He’s become incredibly dependable in blitz pickup. And he’s not just getting in the way of linebackers, he’s taking them on and often winning the battle.”

JAMES JONES: “Like the team itself, Jones was a disappointment in the first half of the season. He wasn’t getting much separation, and even when he was able to extricate himself from a defender, he wasn’t making plays. But that was then and this is now. He’s caught 15 passes in the past four games and is beginning to look like the receiver who showed so much promise as a rookie.”

JOSH SITTON: “He was solid in September and October; he’s been very good in November and December. It took him a while to get comfortable, but now he’s playing with the type of aggressiveness and physicality that this offensive line so desperately needs. He still makes some technique mistakes, but it’s important to remember that he’s still learning how to play inside.”

B.J. RAJI: “He took some criticism early in the season, and that was very unfair. Do you know how hard it is for a 340-pounder to play on a high ankle sprain? Now healthy, Raji’s showing why the Packers took him at No. 9. He’s using his strength and surprising quickness to disrupt opposing offenses on a much more consistent basis. Plus, his quality work is allowing the starting defensive linemen to stay fresh by playing less snaps.”

A.J. HAWK: “He still isn’t making enough big plays, but he’s been more aggressive as of late and that’s one of the big reasons why the run defense has been so good. Give [assistant coach] Winston Moss a lot of credit. He stopped coddling Hawk a few months ago and finally started holding him accountable for his mediocre play. That proved to be a much-needed kick in the ass.”

ATARI BIGBY: “He won a starting job based on his intimidating hits, but those have been few and far between this season. Instead of looking for the KO, Bigby’s playing a more controlled brand of football and it’s working. He’ll never be a great cover safety, but he’s no longer a liability. He’s playing a more cerebral game these days and that’s exactly what Dom Capers is looking for.”

We listed only six unsung heroes, but there are plenty of other players who deserve credit as well. “Guys like Ahman Green, Spencer Havner and Desmond Bishop don’t play much from scrimmage, but they’ve been a part of the turnaround,” said the scout. “Green has added a little juice to the running game, Havner did OK when forced into action at tight end, and there are times when Bishop looks like the only member of the special teams who gives a shit.” Football is the ultimate team game and right now the Packers are playing like a team – a winning team.

THREE HEADS AREN'T BETTER THAN ONE

Posted by Packer Update at 11:02 am 3 Responses »

Dec 052009

Inconsistent rookie

The Packers have John Kuhn, Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson on the current 53-man roster, but what they really need is one William Henderson. When comparing the Mike Holmgren offenses of the 90s to the Mike McCarthy offenses of the past three seasons, one of the most overlooked differences is the play at the fullback position. “Henderson was the unsung hero of those great units,” opined a former scout. “He was physical enough to pancake a linebacker in the hole and athletic enough to block effectively on the move. He also had soft hands and could usually make the first tackler miss after the catch. He was terrific. The new guys are just OK.”

McCarthy has used all three of his fullbacks this season, but Kuhn has taken the majority of the snaps. And while the former Shippensburg star has scored three touchdowns, his blocking has been inconsistent. “Kuhn is a good backup,” said the scout. “He can do a little bit of everything and he contributes on special teams, but I’m not sure he’s what you’re looking for in a starter. I would say the same thing about Hall. And the jury’s still out on the rookie.”

Johnson was a fifth-round pick in last April’s draft. The former linebacker at LSU has played sparingly this season due to his inability to pick up the offense. “I’m surprised that he’s having such a hard time with the mental part of the game,” said the scout. “He’s a reasonably bright kid and playing fullback isn’t all that difficult. McCarthy wants to use him more, but he simply doesn’t trust him.” Ironically, the word trust and the name William Henderson were synonymous for over a decade in Green Bay. Who would’ve thought replacing him would prove more difficult than replacing what’s his name?

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