Green Bay Packers » Packer Update

Packers Release Rehabbing Bishop

Posted by Michael Rodney at 4:50 pm 4 Responses »

Jun 172013

Veteran inside linebacker Desmond Bishop missed all of last season with a leg injury

The Green Bay Packers released Desmond Bishop on Monday – making official what was first reported last week. The veteran inside linebacker missed the entire 2012 season after rupturing a hamstring in August. The team will immediately gain $3.46 million in salary cap relief (there will be a hit of $800,000 in 2014).

While surprised by the move at first, I can understand GM Ted Thompson’s rationale. The Packers have been decimated by injuries in recent seasons, so the thought of relying on a 29-year-old player coming off a serious leg injury couldn’t have been appealing. Plus, even in today’s NFL, $3.46 million is a decent amount of money – especially when you consider how many key players will be free agents next spring.

So I’m OK with getting rid of Bishop. What I’m not OK with, however, is willingly going into a season with A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones as the starting inside linebackers. It’s one thing to start them due to injury; it’s quite another to start them by choice. At a position that screams out for physicality, Dom Capers will employ two of the least physical inside linebackers in the league. Hawk hasn’t forced a fumble since George W. Bush was in the White House. That’s almost impossible. Jones, to his credit, tries to smack people, but his linear build and lack of power seldom causes ball carriers to go backwards.

Some fans are holding out hope that Terrell Manning will show enough this summer to supplant either Hawk or Jones, but that’s probably wishful thinking at this point. While the former North Carolina star has talent, he was a non-factor as a rookie due in part to a serious stomach ailment that plagued him throughout his first training camp. At best, Manning might get some snaps in certain packages, where his knack for blitzing the quarterback can be taken advantage of. But when it comes to the base and the nickel, expect to see plenty of Hawk and/or Jones. And that’s apparently just fine with Thompson. Something tells me that’s also just fine with every opposing offensive player on Green Bay’s upcoming schedule.

Packers Sign Veteran Tight End

Posted by Michael Rodney at 7:50 pm 35 Responses »

Apr 072013

Former Ram Matthew Mulligan is a physical run blocker with limited receiving skills

Former Ram Matt Mulligan is a physical run blocker with limited receiving skills

Three weeks after losing tight end Tom Crabtree, the Packers may have found his replacement. Matt Mulligan agreed to terms Sunday on a one-year deal. The 28-year-old was released by the Rams last month.

Mulligan caught a career-high 8 passes last season, but he earns his living as a run blocker. At 265 pounds, the former Maine star gets good positioning and understands angles. He also shows nice leg drive to push defenders off the line. His biggest issues are his feet and his penchant for committing penalties. He can be exposed in space and he wore out his welcome with the Jets in 2011 by being flagged 9 times.

The Packers currently have 6 tight ends under contract, but only Jermichael Finley is assured of a roster spot. Andrew Quarless hasn’t played a down since tearing his ACL in December of 2011, Ryan Taylor and D.J. Williams have been nondescript through their first two seasons in the NFL and Brandon Bostick is still learning how to play the position after spending his college career as an oversized wide receiver.

Mulligan reportedly chose Green Bay over San Francisco. It’s no surprise that the 49ers were very interested. He’s the type of physical player general manager Trent Ballke and coach Jim Harbaugh covet. He’s also the type of physical player the Packers need more of on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

There Are No ‘Winners’ In March

Posted by Michael Rodney at 8:13 am 17 Responses »

Mar 202013

GM John Dorsey (left) and the Chiefs have been busy adding players

General manager John Dorsey (left) and the Chiefs have been busy adding players

I have to admit I get a little frustrated at this time of year. Not because GM Ted Thompson refuses to pay average players like superstars, but because he refuses to pay anyone. I keep waiting for him to add another Ryan Pickett to the roster, but it hasn’t happened in the past seven years and it’s probably not going to happen now. But you know what frustrates me even more? All the pinheads in the media who start labeling certain GMs geniuses because of moves made before the calendar even flips to April.

A perfect case in point is our old friend in Kansas City. “Nice debut performance by John Dorsey,” wrote the National Football Post’s Dan Pompei. Look, I like Dorsey, but what exactly has he done so far that deserves accolades? He spent over $150 million to keep Brandon Albert, Dwayne Bowe and Darren Colquitt and bring in Dunta Robinson, Anthony Fasano, Mike DeVito, Donnie Avery, Chase Daniel and Sean Smith. And, oh yeah, he traded away a pair of second-round picks to acquire Alex Smith. Besides the fact that I see nary a stud among that group of players, let’s be honest, anyone willing to give away high picks and hundreds of million of dollars could’ve accomplished the same thing.

Start praising Dorsey and others like him when they find their own Greg Jenningses, Randall Cobbs, James Joneses, Jermichael Finleys, Jordy Nelsons, Josh Sittons, T.J. Langs, Desmond Bishops, Casey Haywards in the draft and when they find their own Tramon Williamses, Evan Dietrich-Smiths, John Kuhns, Erik Waldens, Sam Shieldses and Tim Masthays on the street. That’s what makes a GM worthy of praise. More importantly, that’s what allows a team to win on a consistent basis.

There are no winners and losers in March. Well, that’s not true. There are losers, and they are the dopes in the media who need to grade teams before St. Patty’s Day. If Super Bowls were won at this time of the year, we would’ve been watching parades in Washington, Philadelphia and Buffalo in recent years. Instead, we saw celebrations in Green Bay, New York City and Baltimore. And something tells me fans in Kansas City, Miami, Cleveland, Chicago and even Seattle won’t be needing confetti next February.

Huff Would Bolster Packers Defense

Posted by Michael Rodney at 6:28 pm 5 Responses »

Mar 182013

The Raiders released veteran defensive back Michael Huff earlier in the month

The Raiders released veteran defensive back Michael Huff late last week

According to a published report, the Packers are among 4 teams to express interest in 30-year-old defensive back Michael Huff. I’m not going to get excited since the odds are very much against Ted Thompson outbidding 3 of his colleagues for a free agent, but if Green Bay’s sometimes maddeningly consistent general manager was ever going to break from his routine, this would be the perfect time to do so.

While watching video of his teammate, defensive lineman Desmond Bryant, I kept being distracted by the superb play of Huff. And you know what was most impressive? He was taking the majority of his snaps at cornerback. Because of injuries, the former Texas star was asked to switch positions early in the season, and he made the difficult transition look easy. In fact, he played a lot better than Tramon Williams.

If – and it’s obviously a gigantic if – the Packers sign Huff, he’d start immediately at safety opposite Morgan Burnett. The former Raider isn’t a Pro Bowler by any means, but he’s been a consistently good performer for years. And as an extra added bonus, he can play the slot in the dime package if needed. Rookie Jerron McMillian lined up there at times last season, but he doesn’t have the coverage skills of Huff.

Huff isn’t going to sign for peanuts, but he’s not going to command a big contract in what has been a fairly soft market for defensive backs. And while I know Thompson is saving as much cap space as he can for Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews, there’s more than enough wiggle room to add at least one second-tier free agent – especially if that free agent has a chance to make an impact on the defense. And in my opinion, Huff would help the Packers more in 2013 than either Greg Jennings or Steven Jackson.

Sunday Snapshot: Robert Francois

Posted by Michael Rodney at 10:14 am 9 Responses »

Mar 172013

Veteran linebacker Robert Francois re-signed with the Packers on Friday

The Packers’ roster is filled with stars, but there are just as many little-known backups whose dreams are a lot bigger than their current roles. I’ll be focusing on those players in this new weekly feature.

How did he get to Green Bay? Robert Francois was originally signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2009, but he was waived by the team to make room for Brett Favre. After being claimed on waivers and then released by Detroit, he was signed to the Packers practice squad on December 7, 2009. He was promoted to the active roster the following October after an injury to Brandon Chillar, and aside from another very brief stint on the practice squad, he’s been a part of the 53-man roster ever since.

What has he done in Green Bay? Francois has primarily played on special teams since joining the Packers, but he did start a pair of games in 2011 when injuries hit the inside linebacker position hard. In those two games – both wins – the former Boston College star amassed 13 tackles, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble. Despite doing a solid job, he returned to the bench when Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk got healthy. And that’s where he’s remained. In fact, he didn’t play a single snap on D last season.

What can we expect in 2013? Probably more of the same, even though his agent insists that he’ll have a chance to compete for a starting job. I find that very unlikely, considering that he couldn’t get on the field a year ago when inside linebackers were falling like dominoes. To be honest, Francois should be more concerned about just making the team. With Hawk, Bishop, Jamari Lattimore, D.J. Smith and Terrell Manning all expected back, competition for roster spots figures to be extremely intense.

“You’ve got to go out there and show what you can do and prove (yourself). You can’t slack out there. I’m just trying to play. I just try to get better each week. Go out there and put more film out there that shows I can make plays.” (ESPN Wisconsin)

Packers Won’t Miss Crabtree

Posted by Michael Rodney at 9:44 am 3 Responses »

Mar 162013

Former Green Bay tight end Tom Crabtree did his best work off the field

Free agent tight end Tom Crabtree signed a multi-year contract with the Buccaneers

ESPN Wisconsin’s Jason Wilde actually wrote the following two sentences: “The Green Bay Packers knew they were taking a risk by not giving tight end Tom Crabtree a restricted free-agent tender. On Friday night, that decision came back to haunt them.” That decision came back to haunt them? Are you kidding me?

While Crabtree is an All-Pro on Twitter, he’s a journeyman tight end. If general manager Ted Thompson really cared about retaining the 27-year-old former Miami of Ohio standout, he would’ve tendered him at $1.3 million. He didn’t because Crabtree isn’t worth $1.3 million. That’s not to say the Packers didn’t want him back, but if you think Thompson is losing any sleep over this latest defection, you’re kidding yourself.

With Jermichael Finley, Andrew Quarless, D.J. Williams, Ryan Taylor and intriguing second-year man Brandon Bostick all expected to return in 2013, the Packers are well-stocked at tight end. And it would be a pretty big surprise if Thompson doesn’t use a draft choice on this position next month. Crabtree will be missed most on special teams, but fortunately, the team has plenty of capable bodies there as well.

I keep hearing people say that Crabtree was the team’s best blocking tight end last season. True, but that’s damning him with faint praise. Minus Quarless, Green Bay’s other tight ends in 2012 consisted of a guy who didn’t want to block (Finley), a guy who’s too small to block (Williams) and a guy who’s still learning how to block (Taylor). In reality, Crabtree is nothing more than adequate when it comes to this part of the game. He tries really hard, but he simply lacks the bulk strength to be overly effective in-line.

Whenever I thought about the potential problems facing the Packers in 2013, I thought about center, left tackle, defensive end, left outside linebacker, inside linebacker, safety and kicker. The possibility of losing a tight end with 18 catches and 4 touchdowns in three seasons never once crossed my mind. But then again, I’m not one of those bloggers who relied on Crabtree to appear on their impossible to listen to podcasts every other week. In that regard, and in that regard only, he will be very difficult to replace.

When A Story Is Not A Story

Posted by Michael Rodney at 7:20 am No Responses »

Mar 152013

Pro Bowl quarterback Aaron Rodgers has never once talked about holding out

Not that it was ever – I repeat ever – a possibility, but Mike Freeman of CBS Sports needed to inform us last week that Aaron Rodgers won’t hold out. Well, if Mike continues to feel the need to waste his time writing stories about complete non-stories, I have a few suggestions of my own. He can tell us that Mike McCarthy won’t quit coaching to join the Ice Capades, that Mason Crosby won’t moonlight as a sniper during the offseason, that Ted Thompson won’t host his own talk show on CBS, that Tramon Williams won’t join the MMA and that Mike Neal won’t play Lou Gehrig in a remake of The Pride Of The Yankees.

Freeman garnered a lot of attention for his article on Rodgers (I’m guessing that was the point), but it served no practical purpose. Anyway, here’s the money quote: “He paid close attention to the money Joe Flacco received,” a source close to Rodgers explained, “but there’s no anger. He’s not planning to hold out.”

I have absolutely no idea who the source close to Rodgers is, but here’s a quote on the same subject from a source I guarantee you is even closer: “It’s not something I think about,” said Rodgers in an interview on Nov. 1, 2011. “We were so blessed to be able to have that contract done in 2008. We knew at the time that was more money than I ever could have imagined signing for, and it was a no-brainer for me. But we knew if I performed the way I felt I was capable of performing, that by league standards that by the time I got into my third or fourth or fifth season, that I’d be underpaid by league standards.

“But I don’t look at it that way. I look at it as I’m fortunate to make the kind of money I make and be in the situation I’m in and be with the Green Bay Packers’ organization. I want to retire as a Packer. They know that, the fans know that, my teammates know that, and this is where I want to be. I’m not worried about (a new contract). We’re still a few years away from me completing this deal, and whenever it comes time to make a new deal, I’m looking forward to maybe signing my last deal, playing it out, and retiring.”

Granted, this quote is from over a year ago – before players like Flacco, Drew Brees and even Mark Sanchez signed huge deals. But Rodgers has never publicly changed his way of thinking in the months since that interview took place. He knows he’ll get paid. He also knows he’s become one of the most beloved Packers. He’s also not a dummy. He knows the quickest way to upset fans is to bitch about making $9 million in this economy. And we all know that Rodgers ain’t stupid. The story on the other hand…

Packers Should Jump On Jennings

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:18 am 3 Responses »

Mar 132013

Packers are reportedly still talking to free agent wide receiver Greg Jennings

Green Bay is reportedly still talking to free agent wide receiver Greg Jennings

Just a few short weeks ago, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Greg Jennings wouldn’t be back with the Packers. Well, that was then and this is now. According to Alex Marvez of FOXSports, NFC North rivals Green Bay and Minnesota are currently battling it out to sign the former Pro Bowl wide receiver. If that’s truly the case, general manager Ted Thompson needs to find a way to close the deal as soon as possible.

There were many reasons why the offense wasn’t as potent in 2012 as it was in 2011. Aaron Rodgers wasn’t quite as accurate, the O-line wasn’t as healthy or as talented and Mike McCarthy had as many draws as he did TKOs against opposing defensive coordinators. But the biggest reason of all may have been the injuries that kept Jennings sidelined for 8 games and rendered him relatively ineffective in 4 others.

For all the excellent work done by Jordy Nelson and especially Randall Cobb and James Jones, the passing game really missed Jennings. Because he’s been hurt so much recently, it’s easy to forget just how great a player he was from 2007 to 2011. The former Western Michigan standout averaged 69 catches, 1,108 yards and 9 TDs. Impressive, but the one number that really stands out is 16.1 – the average yards gained on every reception. That’s 4 yards higher than the league average during that time.

The big play is what made Jennings so valuable to the offense. Despite only average speed, he was seemingly always able to make something happen down the field. That’s because, other than straight-line speed, he has everything else you look for in a wide receiver. He’s a quick-footed, fluid-moving athlete. He has good balance and body control. He uses deft nods to set up defensive backs and gets in and out of his breaks cleanly. He can also snatch balls outside his frame and he has nice boundary awareness.

Re-signing Jennings would probably mean having to sacrifice tight end Jermichael Finley. I’m OK with that. Remember, the Packers won a Super Bowl without him in 2010. They could do it again – provided that the left tackle position is solidified, the running game is at least respectable and the defense gets its act together in big games. If those things happen, it really doesn’t matter who lines up at the tight end position.

Ranking The Rookies: Jerron McMillian

Posted by Michael Rodney at 9:16 am 12 Responses »

Mar 092013

Fourth-round draft pick from Maine played more than expected last season

The Green Bay Packers began the season with 10 rookies on the 53-man roster. That’s a pretty high number – especially for a team than won 15 games the previous year. But GM Ted Thompson didn’t hang on to all those rookies to save money or to make himself look good. He kept them because they could play. In fact, seven have played significant roles in the team’s march to its second straight NFC North title.

I’ll be ranking the rookies – from least productive to most productive – over the next couple of weeks. Here’s #4:

Story of 2012: Most draftniks had never even heard of Jerron McMillian prior to the draft. That’s why they’re draftniks and not GMs. The former Maine star looked like he belonged from day one. He has the athleticism to cover tight ends and the physicality to make receivers think twice about catching passes over the middle. What he doesn’t have, however, is experience. McMillian is as green as grass, and that’s why his snaps were limited in the second half of the season. Nevertheless, he still played a prominent role for a team that won a division title – a role that only figures to expand in the future.

What to expect in 2013: With the release of Charles Woodson, the Packers will need a new starting safety opposite Morgan Burnett next season. That player could come from free agency or the draft, but my money is on McMillian. He made too many mental mistakes in 2012, but that was to be expected from a rookie from Maine. If he cleans up the mental part of things, there’s no denying his physical ability. Other than being a tad on the short side, he has everything a team looks for in a 21st century safety.

Packers Will Try Out Kicker

Posted by Michael Rodney at 7:10 am 3 Responses »

Mar 082013

Kicker Michael Barnard had an impressive tryout with the Eagles last May

According to Bob McGinn, the Packers will try out kicker Michael Barnard on Monday. The 27-year-old graduated from Division III Fairleigh Dickinson in 2008, but he hasn’t been able to land a job with an NFL team.

For the first time in years, GM Ted Thompson appears willing to bring a second kicker to camp. That makes sense considering incumbent Mason Crosby is coming off a historically bad season. The six-year veteran from Colorado made only 21 of 33 field goals. His percentage of 63.6 was the worst in the league.

Barnard didn’t put up impressive numbers in college (16 of 27), but he’s been toiling diligently at his craft for the past five years. And if his tryout last spring with the Eagles is any indication, all that hard work has paid off. According to Full Scale Sports, Barnard made 30 of 32 field goals on May 12, including two in a row from over 60 yards. Despite his excellent performance, Barnard wasn’t offered a contract. That came as no surprise since Philadelphia already has one of the best young kickers in the league in Alex Henery.

A native of New Jersey, Barnard has worked with a number of current and former NFL kickers since leaving college five years ago. That group includes Michael Husted, David Akers, Jay Feely and Phil Dawson.

“Michael has worked very hard over the last two years to position himself for the pros,” said Husted, who spent six full seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 90s. “He is kicking very well right now.”

While the odds are very much against him, it’s important to remember that 9 of the 10 most accurate kickers in NFL history were cut at least once before finding success. So this is the one position where a 27-year-old rookie from Fairleigh Dickinson has a chance. Here’s hoping Barnard makes the most of his opportunity.

Packers Should Re-Sign Jones

Posted by Michael Rodney at 1:49 am 8 Responses »

Mar 072013

Linebacker Brad Jones is set to become an unrestricted free agent in March

Linebacker Brad Jones is set to become an unrestricted free agent next week

With all the focus on Charles Woodson, Greg Jennings, Jermichael Finley and A.J. Hawk, the future of Brad Jones hasn’t been mentioned much in the past few weeks. It should’ve been. General manager Ted Thompson would be wise to re-sign the veteran linebacker before the start of free agency next Tuesday.

Jones isn’t talented enough to be a top-flight starter, but he did a more than adequate job filling in for D.J. Smith last season. In his first season at inside linebacker after spending the previous three years on the outside, the former Colorado star recorded 77 tackles, 2 sacks and 1 forced fumble in 10 starts. Aside from the solid stats, he wasn’t a liability against the run and he provided much-needed length in space.

Jones would be a better option than A.J. Hawk in 2013 – not to mention a much cheaper one. Ideally, Thompson will find an even better alternative in free agency or the draft, but if not, I think Jones would do just fine with a year of experience on the inside under his belt. He’d have to switch from the ‘Mack’ position to the ‘Buck’ position, but I really don’t think that would be an issue. Adaptability is one of his best traits.

If Jones is re-signed and Thompson then manages to find a better option in free agency or the draft, he’d still be worth having around. The 27-year-old would provide outstanding depth and he’s developed into a strong special teams player in the past few seasons. And heck, shouldn’t this alone earn him a new deal?

Gator Would Look Good In Green

Posted by Michael Rodney at 8:01 am 10 Responses »

Mar 052013

Florida running back Mike Gillislee isn’t getting much love from draft experts

I wouldn’t call myself a draftnik. I don’t watch the NFL Combine on television. I don’t spend countless hours pouring over video. I don’t live in my parents’ basement. And I don’t get an erection when I hear Mike Mayock’s voice. But I do watch an awful lot of college football on Saturday afternoons, so I’m going to give you my humble opinion on who’s the best running back in the draft after Alabama’s Eddie Lacy.

I’m pretty sure he won’t go on day one, but I absolutely love Florida’s Mike Gillislee. I don’t care what the measurables say, this young man impressed me every time I watched him play last season. He showed terrific vision, the ability to make the first tackler miss and enough speed to run away from defenders. He also looked like a kid who won’t be afraid to take on blitzing linebackers at the next level.

The aforementioned Mayock didn’t rank Gillislee among his top 5 running backs. He had Lacy at No. 1, followed by Wisconsin’s Montee Ball, Clemson’s Andre Ellington, North Carolina’s Giovani Bernard and South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore (who is currently rehabbing a torn ACL). I haven’t seen enough of Ellington and Bernard to comment on their pro potential, but I’ve seen plenty of Ball (that just doesn’t sound right). And as far as I’m concerned, if given the choice between the two, I’d take Gillislee in a heartbeat.

Green Bay’s offense needs a back who’s a threat to score every time he touches the ball. For all the fine work Cedric Benson did early and DuJuan Harris did late, neither player was keeping defensive coordinators up at night. Truth is, Mike McCarthy did defenses a favor every time he ran the ball last season.

I realize that this post may make me look foolish a year or three from now, but that’s perfectly fine. Just because Gillislee’s name wasn’t one of the five burnt into the tablet Mayock brought down from Mt. Combine in Indianapolis doesn’t dissuade me from what my eyes saw on a weekly basis. And while I’m not predicting that Gillislie would lead the Packers to the Promised Land of Northern New Jersey next February, I am predicting that he’d be a really good addition to an already productive offense.

Thompson Needs To Keep Cutting

Posted by Michael Rodney at 10:02 am 18 Responses »

Mar 032013

Veteran A.J. Hawk is a two-down linebacker being paid like a star

Linebacker A.J. Hawk is one of a number of overpaid players on the Green Bay roster

By releasing defensive back Charles Woodson, general manager Ted Thompson cleared about $10 million of much-needed cap space. So far, that’s the only bloated salary removed from the payroll. There needs to be more. A.J. Hawk, Ryan Pickett, Mason Crosby and Jermichael Finley will count $25.6 million against the cap in 2013. That comes out to a whopping 20.8 percent of the total cap number.

Think about that for a moment. The Packers would be spending one-fifth of their entire cap on a two-down inside linebacker who hasn’t forced a fumble since the George W. Bush administration, a 33-year-old defensive lineman who averages only 35 snaps per game, a placekicker who finished dead last in accuracy last season and a tight end who averaged 3.8 receptions per game playing with the best quarterback in the league. I’m no expert, but I’m guessing there are better ways to spend $25.6 million.

Of those four players, the only one I’d want back even at a reduced number is Pickett. There’s still a lot of value in what he does on the field – just not $6.7 million worth of value. Bring him back if he’s willing to play for about half that number. If he isn’t, so be it. A quality front office should be able to procure a comparable player for a lot less money between now and the start of the season. In fact, next month’s draft is filled with defensive tackles who can dig in against double teams and clog the run.

Hawk has become something of a dinosaur. The NFL is now filled with athletic 3-4 inside linebackers who move around like safeties. Crosby’s career percentage of 76.8 is among the worst of any kicker with at least 100 field goal attempts. And Finley has said he won’t take a pay cut. Assuming he’s a man of his word, he should soon be a man of the street. There’s no way to justify paying him $8.75 million. He’s a below-average blocker who hasn’t been able to run away from defenders since the ’09 season.

Wanna know where big money would be better spent, at least for a year? On Greg Jennings. People forget just how good he was prior to injuring his knee in November of 2011. It wasn’t so long ago that he was among the top half-dozen receivers in the league. Can he be that great again? Who knows, but there’s a better chance of that happening than there is of Hawk causing a fumble, Pickett sacking a QB, Crosby hitting a game-winner from 48 yards or Finley knocking a defender on his ass at the point of attack.

Packers Should Consider House at Safety

Posted by Michael Rodney at 1:00 am 11 Responses »

Mar 012013

Cornerback Davon House has the physical skills to play safety

The release of Charles Woodson leaves a potential hole in the secondary heading into the 2013 season. And while both M.D. Jennings and Jerron McMillian played a significant number of snaps in 2012 and both showed potential, there’s no guarantee that either youngster is ready to be a full-time starter. General manager Ted Thompson is almost certain to add a safety in the next few months, but there might already be a player on the current roster with the skills to play the position at a fairly high level.

In my opinion, Davon House has the potential to be a very good safety in the National Football League. In fact, after watching him closely at training camp and throughout the regular season, I actually think that would be his best position. The former New Mexico State star is a decent cornerback, but I don’t think he has the physical skills to ever be much more than that. He does not bend easily and he shows some stiffness in his movement. He also tends to rise in his backpedal and he does not transition very efficiently.

On the other hand, House is built to play safety. He has good height (6-1), adequate weight (196, with the frame to carry an additional 10 pounds) and plenty of straight-line speed (4.44). He also supports the run fairly aggressively when healthy and faces up ballcarriers. After playing cornerback throughout his career, he’d obviously need time to make the transition to safety, but that’s what offseasons are for.

With Tramon Williams, Sam Shields and Casey Hayward clearly ahead of him on the depth chart, it make sense to give a player as talented as House a chance to get on the field more often. Switching him to safety would do just that. A year ago some people snickered when I suggested moving T.J. Lang from guard to center. It turns out coach Mike McCarthy contemplated doing just that before signing free agent Jeff Saturday. This would be an even more radical idea, but I think it’s one worth considering.

Jolly To Be Reinstated By NFL

Posted by Michael Rodney at 7:36 pm 1 Response »

Feb 272013

Defensive end Johnny Jolly has been out of football for over three years

Defensive lineman Johnny Jolly has been out of football for over three years

Johnny Jolly will be be reinstated from suspension as of Monday, according to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. The 30-year-old defensive lineman last played for the Green Bay Packers in 2009.

Whether the Packers have any interest in retaining Jolly remains to be seen. While he enjoyed a very productive season in ’09 – the first under defensive coordinator Dom Capers – that was a long time ago. And extended layoffs tend to be even more difficult for big men. The only near certainty is that general manager Ted Thompson won’t honor Jolly’s $2.5 million contract, which has been tolled. He’ll either restructure the deal or cut the former Texas A&M star before the start of the new league year on Mar. 12.

Jolly is, or was, the type of end this defense really needs. He had the size and the strength to stuff the run, and while he wasn’t much of a pass rusher, he used his athleticism and his impeccable timing to make life difficult for quarterbacks. Green Bay batted down 14 passes in 2012. Jolly batted down 11 in 2009.

The other thing Jolly brought to the D was energy. He played the game with a passion. That sometimes translated into stupid penalties, but more often than not, it served to fire up his teammates. And let’s face it, this current group exhibits about as much passion as that iconic teacher from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

I’ve always been a big Jolly fan, so I’d like to see him get another chance with the Packers. That said, I couldn’t blame Thompson if he decides to move on. Either way, we should get an answer in the next few weeks.

Jenkins Worth A Second Look

Posted by Michael Rodney at 11:14 pm 6 Responses »

Feb 252013

Defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins’ last game with the Packers was Super Bowl XLV

The Packers haven’t been able to replace Cullen Jenkins since he left 18 months ago. The Eagles cut the veteran defensive end on Monday. You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to connect the dots. And while I’m normally not a big fan of second acts in pro sports, this is one of the few that might be worth seeing.

Jenkins isn’t the player he was when he left Green Bay in the summer of 2011, but he’s still pretty good. I watched almost every snap he took for Philly this past season, and I never once thought he looked over the hill. He isn’t as explosive as he used to be and he tends to tire after about 30 snaps, but his effort is still impressive and he can still generate pressure up the middle. Even at age 31, the former Central Michigan standout got after the quarterback better than any d-lineman on the Packers roster.

Tom Silverstein seems to believe that Chris Canty is the preferred choice of general manager Ted Thompson, and he may be right. But I’d take Jenkins in a heartbeat. Not only will he come cheaper, but he’d bring much-needed energy to the field and leadership to a locker room that will be without Charles Woodson, Donald Driver and Jeff Saturday. And most importantly, I think Jenkins is a better football player. He puts forth more effort on a consistent basis and he’s a more dangerous inside pass rusher.

How much will it cost to ink Jenkins? That’s hard to say, but it won’t be expensive. He didn’t generate a ton of interest last time and had to settle for a fairly modest deal. Interest won’t be higher now, so it’s hard to imagine any contract being for more than a year or two and costing more than $2 or $3 million per.

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