Packers » Packer Update

Familiar Faces May Not Be Back

Posted by Michael Rodney at 5:30 pm 3 Responses »

Jan 162012

Clifton doesn't figure to return to Packers

Clifton doesn't figure to return to the Packers in 2012

The Packers cleaned out their lockers today, and for some veterans, it’ll be the last time they step foot into Lambeau Field as a member of the home team. Here’s a look at seven players who figure to be elsewhere when training camps open in late July.

Chad Clifton: Thompson took a gamble by re-signing the veteran left tackle to a three-year contract worth just under $20 million in April 2010. The Packers were hoping to get two good seasons out of the former Tennessee star; they got one. But considering Clifton played a major role in bringing the Lombardi Trophy home last February, you’d have to say the gamble paid off. Now it’s time to cut the cord. Thompson can’t afford to pay the oft-injured 35-year-old over $5.5 million, and with talented youngsters Marshall Newhouse and Derek Sherrod waiting in the wings, he doesn’t have to.

Matt Flynn: The best backup quarterback in the league will be starting for some team in 2012. It’ll be tough to watch him just walk away as a free agent, but it’s very unlikely that GM Ted Thompson will be able to tag and trade the former LSU star. With so many ex-Packer executives and coaches scattered throughout the league, there should be plenty of interest in Flynn. Three-year veteran Graham Harrell figures to go into training camp as the backup to Aaron Rodgers, but he’ll almost certainly be challenged by a rookie selected in April’s draft.

Ryan Grant: While the former 1,200 yard rusher finished the season impressively, he’s 29 and not the same player he was a few years ago. There’s always a chance Grant could be re-signed to a modest contract (there won’t be much interest in him during free agency), but it probably makes more sense for the Packers to just move on. James Starks, Alex Green and Brandon Saine are all younger, more athletic and more versatile than Grant. There’s also a decent chance Thompson will draft a player at this position.

Howard Green: The journeyman played surprisingly well down the stretch in 2010, but his second season in Green Bay didn’t go nearly as well. The 33-year-old reported to camp overweight and he was never able to reclaim his role in the defensive line rotation. Considering how poorly the backups at this position played all season, that tells you something. Thompson figures to add a couple of young defensive linemen in the coming months, so it’ll be out with the old and in with the new.

Pat Lee: The Packers know he’s not much of a corner, so if he’s re-signed, it’ll be because of his fine work covering kicks this season. But the guess here is that Thompson would rather keep Jarrett Bush, who’s slightly better on both defense and special teams. There’s a chance Lee could return if Bush doesn’t, but the Packers are probably better off replacing him on the roster with a young player who has a chance to develop at cornerback.The former second-round draft choice hasn’t been able to leapfrog Bush on the depth chart since arriving in 2008. That says it all.

Erik Walden: We now know why three teams cut this player before Thompson signed him off the street in November 2010. The 26-year-old made a splash upon first joining the Packers, but that was with the benefit of both fresh legs and anonymity. Without those two advantages, the former Middle Tennessee State star proved to be nothing more than a decent backup linebacker masquerading as a starter. No player fell from grace as precipitously as Walden in 2011 and his fortunes don’t figure to improve any time soon. In fact, he may find himself an unwanted free agent thanks to his recent arrest.

Donald Driver: I wrote about DD’s future with the Packers, or lack thereof, yesterday.

Driver Wants To Keep Playing

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:43 pm No Responses »

Jan 162012

Driver has no desire to retire

Donald Driver told reporters Monday morning that he has no plans to retire, and if the Packers don’t want him, he’s willing to play elsewhere. The soon-to-be 37-year-old wide receiver caught 40 passes for 490 yards this season. He also scored 7 touchdowns. But on a team loaded with talented young wide receivers, the former Alcorn State star was targeted only 59 times in 17 games. Driver is due a $2.2 million roster bonus in March.

Analysis: While Driver is still a decent No. 4 receiver, the Packers need Randall Cobb to assume that role in 2012. The electrifying second-round draft pick from Kentucky is still raw, but he has the quickness to separate from defensive backs – something Driver has had trouble doing in recent years. In fact, Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell often covered the former three-time Pro Bowler with a linebacker in Sunday’s divisional playoff game. That says an awful lot.

The Packers have been great to Driver and Driver has been great for the Packers, but it’s time for the two sides to amicably break up. With Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb, no team will have a better quartet of wide receivers heading into the ’12 season. As for who’ll be the No. 5 receiver, both Tori Gurley and Diondre Borel were extremely impressive on the practice squad. And unlike Driver, those two young players are inexpensive and capable of contributing on special teams.

Packers May Need New QB Coach

Posted by Michael Rodney at 11:57 am 2 Responses »

Dec 312011

Clements has worked for six seasons in Green Bay

Tom Clements may not be the favorite to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State, but that doesn’t mean the respected 58-year-old quarterbacks coach will be back with the Green Bay Packers next season. In fact, after six incredibly productive years under Mike McCarthy, it’s hard to imagine Clements not getting a chance to, at the very least, run his own offense in 2012. It’s also hard to imagine McCarthy standing in his way for a second time.

Clements was denied the opportunity to interview for the offensive coordinator position with the Bears two years ago, but that was then and this is now. Back then, Aaron Rodgers had only been a starter for two seasons and McCarthy wasn’t anxious to break up the obvious chemistry between teacher and student. Now, Rodgers has a Super Bowl MVP trophy on his résumé and four seasons of starting experience under his belt. So while it’s never a good time to see a great assistant coach leave, the Packers – and more importantly Rodgers – are much better prepared for life without Clements than they were a couple of years ago.

Does that mean McCarthy would allow Clements to take a coordinator’s job with a division rival? The Bears, for example, could be looking to replace Mike Martz come next week. I wouldn’t go that far. Assuming Clements is under contract with the Packers for 2012 (and I don’t know whether he is or isn’t), I can’t imagine McCarthy giving him the OK to work with Jay Cutler next season. But there will be plenty of teams outside of the NFC North looking for offensive coordinators as well. And don’t be surprised if some team wants to make Clements its new head coach. Quite a few position coaches have made that jump in recent seasons and very few of them had as impressive a résumé as Clements.

So to make a long column short(er), I expect the Packers to be in the market for a new quarterbacks coach at the end of this season. In my opinion, the two most likely candidates would be Ben McAdoo and Alex Van Pelt. The former is currently Green Bay’s tight ends coach – a position he has held since 2006. The latter is currently Tampa Bay’s quarterbacks coach, but that could change as soon as Monday morning when general manager Mark Dominik is expected to relieve Raheem Morris of his duties.

While McAdoo has never coached quarterbacks, he’s worked under McCarthy in New Orleans, San Francisco and Green Bay, so nobody knows this offense better than the bright and energetic 34-year-old. And as Mike Holmgren said years ago, a good coach can coach any position. Speaking of the Walrus, he once named a young, bright and energetic tight ends coach as his quarterbacks coach. That worked out pretty well. And aside from belt size, there’s a lot of similarities between Andy Reid and McAdoo. Both men had working relationships with their bosses prior to coming to Green Bay, both started out as offensive line assistants and both – as previously noted – coached tight ends soon after entering the NFL.

Van Pelt played under McCarthy at the University of Pittsburgh in the early 90s and the two have remained close throughout the years. In fact, the 41-year-old was a candidate to be Green Bay’s quarterbacks coach in 2006, but McCarthy chose to go with the more experienced Clements. The move made sense considering 35-year-old Brett Favre was the team’s starting quarterback and had pretty much stopped listening to coaches years earlier. Since then, Van Pelt has worked with the Bills and Bucs. He received a great deal of credit for Josh Freeman’s great 2010 season. That’s when, under Van Pelt’s tutelage, the 22-year-old played at a Pro Bowl level and led the young Bucs to 10 victories.

Look, this whole post is based on speculation. I have no idea whether Clements will leave after the season and I have no idea whether McAdoo or Van Pelt would be candidates to replace him if he did. But I didn’t want to write about the same old thing. Every paper and blog seems to regurgitate the same old stories. So here’s something completely different to ponder on the last day of 2011. And if Clements does leave and either McAdoo or Van Pelt does get his job, I’ll be sure to remind you of this post. If none of these things happen, well, at least I gave you something to think about 24 hours before a meaningless game.

Blueprint For Fixing The Defense

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:13 am 3 Responses »

Dec 282011

Hawk is having a very disappointing season

Since writing about blueprints seems to be in vogue these days, I’ve decided to write my first post in months on that very subject. But instead of providing a blueprint on how teams can beat the Packers (that would be sacrilegious), I’ll be providing a blueprint on what needs to be done to fix the defense.

1) Draft an impact outside linebacker – I’ve begged for general manager Ted Thompson to upgrade the position opposite Clay Matthews for two years (I still cringe every time Antwan Barnes gets another sack for the Chargers. TT could’ve acquired him for next to nothing on any number of occasions over the past 18 months). Coordinator Dom Capers got by in 2010 with a motley collection of right outside linebackers, but that was only because of Cullen Jenkins. The former Packer and current Eagle was one of the top handful of pass rushing defensive linemen in the league last season and he essentially took the place of a second outside linebacker in passing situations. With Jenkins gone and Mike Neal unable to take his place, the Packers have played with only one legitimate pass rusher all season. And no matter how special Matthews is, that’s simply not enough. So unless Thompson can find a defensive lineman like Jenkins between now and the start of training camp next summer (and those guys are almost as hard to find these days as a Wisconsinite who still loves Brett Favre), he must use one of his first two draft picks on a playmaking outside linebacker.

2) Replace Hawk at inside linebacker - After watching his defense play so well en route to a Super Bowl championship, it came as no surprise when the Packers decided to re-sign A.J. Hawk and send Nick Barnett packing. After all, not only was Hawk one of Thompson’s first draft picks after taking over as GM in Green Bay, but more importantly, the former Ohio State star was coming off his finest season since joining the team in 2006. Unfortunately, the decision has proven to be a mistake – a $36 million mistake. Hawk’s play has clearly regressed. He’s only 27, but he appears to have lost a half step – a half step he couldn’t afford to lose. Even worse, he seems content to arm tackle rather than take on running backs and tight ends. As for Barnett, he hasn’t been a world beater in Buffalo, but he’s having a better season than Hawk. And while I didn’t criticize Thompson then and I won’t criticize him now for choosing Hawk, he has to admit his mistake and rectify things in the offseason. A tougher and more athletic inside linebacker must be found to pair with Desmond Bishop in 2012, and if that player is not on the current 53-man roster (maybe rookie D.J. Smith), then it’s up to Thompson to go out and get him.

3) Upgrade at safety – Regardless of whether Nick Collins returns in 2012 (I’d be shocked if he ever plays again), the Packers must add a quality safety in the offseason. Charlie Peprah obviously can’t be a starter next season, and truth be told, he shouldn’t even be third on the depth chart when training camp opens. The former Alabama star has been forced to start 24 games since October 2010, and that’s about 20 games too many. Capers was able to hide Peprah’s glaring lack of athleticism in 2010, but that hasn’t been the case this season. The difference? A year ago, the pass rush was consistently strong and Collins was playing at his usual Pro Bowl level. This year, the pass rush has been anemic and Collins has been replaced by struggling second-year pro Morgan Burnett. That leaves Peprah as an easy target for opposing offensive coordinators, who must spend the work week salivating over the chance to isolate a tight end, or god forbid, a wide receiver, on the slow-footed journeyman. I don’t know if Collins’ potential replacement is currently on the roster (maybe Charles Woodson), but I do know it’s up to Thompson to make sure the defense won’t have to turn to Peprah for a third time in 2012.

4) Draft at least one defensive end – The Packers can’t count on Neal to be the player he was prior to suffering serious shoulder and knee injuries and Howard Green, C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn have all proven to be – at best – deep reserves. Thompson needs to overhaul this group. While Green has the size to play in a 3-4, he’ll be 33 in a couple of weeks. Wilson and Wynn are both under 300 pounds, and neither has the physical ability to overcome their lack of bulk. There are a number of reasons why the run defense has been so porous this season, but one of the biggest is not a having a capable third lineman to play alongside B.J. Raji and Ryan Pickett. Johnny Jolly filled that role ideally in 2009 and Jenkins, while certainly no run stuffer, held his own a year ago. Thompson needs to find a player who can at least hold his own in 2012. Fortunately, those players are often available in the middle rounds of the draft.

5) Get veterans to play better – The final step in my plan to fix the defense isn’t up to Thompson, it’s up to the coaching staff and the players already on the roster. More specifically, Raji and cornerbacks Tramon Williams and Sam Shields simply have to play better in 2012. All three took a step back this season. Raji might’ve been the most disruptive interior defensive lineman in the league late last year and throughout the playoffs. Not only was he fairly stout at the point of attack, but he was making tackles for losses and getting consistent pressure on the quarterback. His relative lack of success as a pass rusher this season can probably be explained away by the loss of Jenkins and by having to play too many snaps. But his struggles against the run cannot be as easily excused. No player with his size, strength and athleticism should ever be pushed around as often as he’s been pushed around this season. As for Williams and Shields, neither is playing nearly as well as he did 10 months ago. The former deserves a lot of credit for playing through a painful shoulder injury, but he’s been healthy for the past month or so and he still hasn’t retuned to his previous form. The latter has steadily improved in coverage throughout the season, but his tackling has been pathetic. Capers fully expected these three players to be stars this season. Unfortunately, like the defense as a whole, they’ve come up short.

So there’s my five-step plan for fixing the defense (by the way, it also wouldn’t hurt to add another cornerback). Needless to say, I’m expecting Thompson to focus on defense in next April’s draft. The good news is that improving the defense in 2012 shouldn’t be a Herculean task. A few shrewd draft choices and the return to form of a few veterans is all it should take. The even better news is that the Packers, even with a defense that has more holes in it than a piece of Swiss cheese, are currently 14-1 and in great position to win their second consecutive Super Bowl. Hey, ain’t it a great time to be a fan?!

Sitton honored by former players

Posted by Michael Rodney at 11:17 pm No Responses »

Feb 032011

Former players honor young guard's season

Former players honor young guard's impressive season

According to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Josh Sitton has been selected as Offensive Lineman of the Year by the National Football League Alumni Association. The third-year right guard will be among the honorees Friday at the NFL Alumni’s 29th annual awards dinner in Dallas. The other finalists were Jake Long of Miami and Jahri Evans of New Orleans. Voting is done by former NFL players by position.

Whether Sitton was truly the league’s best offensive lineman in 2010 is debatable, but it’s hard to argue that he’s been extremely underrated for the past two seasons. The former Central Florida star has started 32 consecutive games, and the number of times he’s performed at a below-average level can be counted on one hand. There’s nothing flashy about Sitton, but he’s solid as a rock. ”He’s played well,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said Wednesday. “He’s reliable. He played pretty much every snap this year. He’s coming into his own and developing into a pretty good player.”

Philbin is being understated when he describes Sitton as a “pretty good player.” Center Scott Wells is a pretty good player. The man to his immediate right is a lot better than that. I’ve always viewed Sitton as a much bigger and slightly more athletic version of former Packer Marco Rivera. That’s a huge compliment considering that Rivera went to four Pro Bowls. And while Sitton has yet to go to one, that says more about the voting for the all-star game than it does his play. The award speaks to that.

In other news:

-Erik Walden practiced on Wednesday and Thursday, be he’s obviously far from 100%. “I’m still stiff and sore and I’m not able to explode like I want to,” said the young linebacker. “We have a couple days left. I feel real good about it, the progress I’m making, and I’m looking forward to the game.” His coach wasn’t as optimistic. “He was very sore, which is why we limited him today,” said Mike McCarthy. “It’s up the air with him right now. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. Even if he feels a lot better, he’ll be limited. I’m going to hold him back and give him every chance to be ready for the game.” Walden suffered a high ankle sprain in the NFC Championship Game against the Bears.

-According to Gil Brandt, a longtime executive with the Cowboys who now works for NFL.com, only four teams since 2000 have placed 15 players on IR during a season. Three of those teams won fewer than six games. The fourth is 60 minutes away from winning a championship. Talk about impressive.

Rushing for a big promotion?

Posted by Michael Rodney at 4:02 pm 2 Responses »

Feb 022011

Offensive quality control coach could move to defense in 2011

If Darren Perry leaves after the Super Bowl and Mike McCarthy doesn’t want to change the coaching responsibilities in the secondary, a logical replacement would be offensive quality control coach John Rushing. Yes, the offensive quality control coach. The 38-year-old California native was named to his current position in February 2009, but he spent the preceding 6 years as a defensive backs coach at Utah State – where he helped develop Jarrett Bush (not sure if I’d want that on the ol’ resume).

What about cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. and defensive quality control coach Scott McCurley? Whitt is certainly a possibility, but McCarthy seems to prefer having two coaches for the secondary. McCurley has a defensive background – both as a player and a coach at Pitt – but he’s never worked with safeties. That doesn’t mean he can’t do it, but Rushing has already done it and would make more sense.

Rushing started 46 games at defensive back for Washington State in the early 90s. He began his coaching career at Merced Union High School in California in 1995 before moving on to Willamette University in Oregon for two years. His first Division I job was as a graduate assistant coach for the secondary at Boise State (1998-99), where he tutored Eagles Pro Bowl safety Quintin Mikell. Prior to his stint at Utah State, Rushing coached the secondary at Montana State for three seasons, where he worked with Joey Thomas, a draft choice of the Packers in 2004 (know I wouldn’t want that on the ol’ resume).

In other coaching news:

Winston Moss spent part of Super Bowl week campaigning to be the Eagles new defensive coordinator. Green Bay’s assistant head coach/linebackers took to the Philadelphia airwaves on Wednesday. “It would be a great opportunity and absolutely I would be interested in having that opportunity to sit down with Andy Reid and his staff,” Moss told 97.5 The Fanatic. “I have the utmost respect for what they’re doing, for the owner [Jeffrey] Lurie, those guys are well respected throughout the league. They do a tremendous job.” While it remains to be seen whether the Eagles have any interest in Moss, it’s safe to assume McCarthy isn’t overjoyed that one of his assistants is openly lobbying for a job with another team while his current one is preparing for its biggest game in 14 years.

Trgovac will be back in 2011

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:00 am 4 Responses »

Jan 312011

Respected defensive line coach will be back with Packers

Respected defensive line coach will be back with the Packers

Darren Perry might be looking to leave the Packers, but Mike Trgovac is apparently more than happy to stick around for at least another season. Here’s what the highly respected defensive line coach told reporter Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal on Sunday: “If it’s my choice, I’ll be here next season.” Needless to say, it will be his choice.

Trgovac almost certainly would’ve been a serious candidate for the defensive coordinator openings in Philadelphia and Arizona, and he was reportedly John Fox’s top choice in Denver. So why isn’t the 51-year-old interested in returning to the position he held for six seasons in Carolina? He may have answered that question on the day he was hired by Green Bay. ““My wife told me, ‘You haven’t been a very good father the last year. Let’s just take a step back and get a fresh start,’” Trgovac told the Journal Sentinel on Jan. 23, 2009. “It was just because I’ve been such a hard worker… not that I’m not going to work hard. These past couple years have been very hard on me. I spent a couple nights a week at the office. You throw your whole life into these jobs.”

Trgovac has done a tremendous job since returning to Green Bay (he coached the defensive line under Ray Rhodes in 1999). Under his tutelage, Johnny Jolly enjoyed a career year in 2009, veteran Ryan Pickett made a smooth transition from nose tackle to end and young B.J. Raji has blossomed into a Pro Bowl-caliber player. The man known affectionately as Trgo also got useful contributions this season from second-year man Jarius Wynn and seventh-round draft choice C.J. Wilson. And while all the defensive linemen should be very happy to have their coach back, Mike Neal should be absolutely thrilled. The talented rookie was really coming on before a shoulder injury ended his season. He’ll now have a chance to continue his development under one of the finest teachers in the NFL.

Rodgers talks about “photogate”

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:00 am 6 Responses »

Jan 302011

Rodgers and Barnett share a laugh at a basketball game

Aaron Rodgers could’ve simply said “no comment” or given a completely innocuous response when asked about the team’s initial decision not to include players on injured reserve in the official Super Bowl photo, but that’s not who the Pro Bowl quarterback is. Here’s what he said: “I was on IR back in 2006. I chose to stick around and finish out the season with my guys and be here every game. Some of those guys didn’t. And so, we love them, we care about them, we don’t wish injury on anybody, but this is a group of guys that’s really come together and has been great to work with. It’s been great to work with guys we brought in. Some of the guys who were injured, you know, they are still part of this team, but some of them didn’t choose to stick around.”

Maybe I find Rodgers’ quote so perfect because I was thinking the exact same thing when tight end Jermichael Finley and inside linebacker Nick Barnett started opining on this subject last Tuesday. While running back Ryan Grant, right tackle Mark Tauscher, defensive end Mike Neal and safety Morgan Burnett have been fixtures at 1265 Lombardi Avenue all season long, others – including Barnett and Finley – have done the vast majority of their rehabilitation away from the team. And while that isn’t necessarily wrong, it does make their decision to ~~speak~~ tweet on behalf of all the players on IR look both hypocritical and self-serving. Essentially, they wanted to be in the photo because they are still part of the team, and yet they distanced themselves from said team the very minute their own individual seasons came to an end. Talk about wanting to have your cake and eat it too.

Soon after Rodgers’ comments were made public, Barnett responded – on Twitter, of course. He wrote: “Well looks like people have something to say about where some people choose to do there rehab… Try rehabing with 16 others then 53 more… Doubt you get the full attention needed.. It’s easy to speak about others when you are not in their position… Talk about ‘union’ ha.” Twitter Dumb soon typed in: “TRUE FACTS RIGHT THERE.”

It’s interesting – not to mention telling – that Rodgers and coach Mike McCarthy had no problem criticizing two of the team’s biggest stars. Why? Maybe because Barnett and Finley are outspoken players who love to draw attention to themselves. And while those personality traits would probably make them instant heroes with Rex Ryan and the Jets, it’s an act that doesn’t play nearly as well in Green Bay. McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson have worked diligently for five years to create a certain culture with the Packers – one that emphasizes the team over the individual. It’s a culture Rodgers obviously believes in and was more than willing to defend on an otherwise sleepy Saturday.

Perry appears destined for Philly

Posted by Michael Rodney at 9:51 am 1 Response »

Jan 292011

Perry has done a good job with the safeties since being hired

It would be a surprise if Darren Perry isn’t named Philadelphia’s new defensive coordinator by the end of next week. Andy Reid wouldn’t have waited this long to replace Sean McDermott if he wasn’t 99.9% sure he’d be able to get his man. And while Mike McCarthy has every right to deny the Eagles permission to speak with Perry – who still has a year left on his contract – that seems unlikely. McCarthy talks about wanting to help his assistants advance in their careers, and standing in Perry’s way one year after he blocked Tom Clements from interviewing with Chicago wouldn’t look good. And the last thing any head coach wants is the reputation for not helping his staff get ahead.

So why would McCarthy deny his quarterbacks coach an opportunity to advance, but be willing to let his safeties coach to move on? There are a number of reasons. First, it was the Bears who wanted to interview Clements. And while the Eagles are in the same conference as the Packers and figure to be a playoff team for many years to come, they’re not the Bears. Second, Clements works with the quarterbacks – the most important position on a football team. No disrespect to safeties, but many teams have won Super Bowls with pedestrian players at that position. And finally, the move from safeties coach to defensive coordinator is a bigger step up than the move from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator.

Assuming Perry gets the job in Philadelphia, the most likely candidate to replace him would be a person already on staff. Joe Whitt, Jr. has done terrific work with the corners and is viewed – much like Perry – as a rising star in the profession. Having him coach the entire secondary would make for a seamless transition. He already knows the players and he has worked closely with Perry for the past two seasons.

Packer fans tend to worry about everything – that’s why they’re the best fans in the NFL – so it’s a given they’ll worry about this. They don’t need to, and that’s not to minimize in any way what Perry has accomplished since being hired in January 2009. Truth is, as long as McCarthy is running the offense and Dom Capers is in charge of the defense, Green Bay is going to be fine. Position coaches from winning teams get poached all the time. In that regard, McCarthy has been extremely fortunate. Other than Jeff Jagodzinski (remember him?), who resigned his job as offensive coordinator in 2007 to take over at Boston College, not one other assistant has voluntarily left the organization in the past five years.

Linebacker shuffle continues

Posted by Michael Rodney at 5:37 pm 2 Responses »

Jan 282011

Zombo returned to practice and should be ready for the Super Bowl

Zombo returned to practice on Friday and should be ready for next week's Super Bowl

There was some good news and some bad news when the Packers returned to the practice field on Friday morning. The good news is that outside linebacker Frank Zombo is back after missing six games with a sprained knee. The bad news is that his replacement, Erik Walden, is out after suffering an ankle injury against the Bears in the NFC Championship. And according to coach Mike McCarthy, Walden won’t even attempt to practice until next Wednesday in Dallas.

It’s obviously nice to have Zombo back, but Walden is the more important of the two when it comes to the Super Bowl. While Walden hasn’t come close to duplicating his 16-tackle, 3-sack season finale, he’s been a surprisingly solid performer in the playoffs. The former Middle Tennessee State standout has gotten better against the run and his athleticism has served him extremely well in space – either dropping into coverage or spying on the quarterback. And with the very mobile Ben Roethlisberger up next, the more speed at outside linebacker, the better. Zombo does a good job of containing the edge, but he lacks the athleticism to spy on Big Ben and the quick-twitch to stay with backs and tight ends in coverage. Ideally, both players will be ready for the Super Bowl and coordinator Dom Capers will be able to mix and match depending on the situation.

In other news:

CSNPhilly.com’s Reuben Frank expects the Eagles to name Packers safeties coach Darren Perry their new defensive coordinator after the Super Bowl. In fact, Frank believes the two sides may already have a deal in place. As we wrote 16 days ago, Perry is a quality young assistant who is once again viewed as a rising star. The fact that Andy Reid intends to keep running a 4-3 makes the possible hiring of Perry a bit surprising, but good coaches can coach any scheme – or so they say. Joe Whitt Jr., who has done a great job with the corners in Green Bay, could be given an expanded role should Perry leave. Or McCarthy may decide to hire a new safeties coach. Kurt Schottenheimer is available (just kidding).

Don’t look for Barnett to return

Posted by Michael Rodney at 3:43 pm 17 Responses »

Jan 272011

Barnett may have played his last game in Green Bay

Veteran linebacker may have played his last game with Pack

A relaxed and confident Mike McCarthy spoke to the media for over 26 minutes on Thursday. The coach of the Packers discussed a variety of subjects, ranging from his time working at Baker University to the surreal feeling of driving down Oneida Avenue and seeing Lambeau Field for the first time. But his most interesting comments came in response to a question about the photo controversy initiated by Jermichael Finley and Nick Barnett. “I had heard about the Twitter and didn’t really frankly pay much mind to it because of the individuals involved,” declared McCarthy. “I think they made a poor decision, what they did.” Those are some harsh words, and just one more reason why Barnett has probably played his last game for Green Bay.

This opinion was actually formed about 48 hours before McCarthy came to the podium and slammed his injured stars. I had come to the conclusion that the veteran inside linebacker wouldn’t return after watching the NFC Championship Game against Chicago and then re-watching last season’s epic battle against the Steelers. The thing I noticed right away was how much more physically the defense played without Barnett in the lineup. Instead of trying to run around blockers, Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk are far more willing to take them on. And instead of relying on sheer athleticism to keep up with backs and tight ends in coverage, the current starters are far more willing to pound on the receivers at the line of scrimmage or within five yards. It’s a mind-set that has served the entire defense well this season and one I’m pretty sure coordinator Dom Capers wants to carry into the future.

None of this is to suggest that Bishop and Hawk are necessarily better football players than Barnett. It’s just that they fit this particular scheme a lot better. Barnett (6’2, 232) is one of the smallest 3-4 inside linebackers in the league, but it’s not just about size. The former Oregon State star has always been more of a finesse player. And while Bishop and especially Hawk are hardly classic thumpers, each plays with a hard-nosed, blue-collar mentality that far better personifies what this scheme is all about. If the goal is to emulate what the Steelers have done under Dick LeBeau for the better part of 20 years, the Packers are a lot closer to getting there with Hawk and Bishop than they are with Barnett.

In my opinion, the only thing that could keep Barnett in Green Bay for another season is the potential loss of Hawk. The former Ohio State star is scheduled to make $10 million in 2011 – a salary general manager Ted Thompson will not be willing to pay. The two sides are expected to sit down soon after the Super Bowl and attempt to hammer out a long-term extension. And while there’s obviously no guarantee that an agreement will be reached, it seems very likely. That’s because Thompson rarely lets a good young player get away and Hawk seems more than content playing in Green Bay and for the Packers.

So while I felt pretty confident posting this story 24 hours ago, I feel even more confident after listening to McCarthy’s press conference. He made it clear how he feels about Barnett. There’s no way of sugar-coating the words “considering the individuals involved.” And while Finley is probably too talented and too important to the team’s future to discard, that’s not the case with his Twittering buddy. Barnett will turn 30 in May and he has missed 19 games in the past three seasons. He’s also scheduled to make $6.025 million in 2011. Add his age, his durability issues and his big contract to McCarthy’s comments and it’s easy to see why I expect Barnett’s time in Green Bay to be running out.

Green making a big difference

Posted by Michael Rodney at 2:06 pm No Responses »

Jan 262011

Green is making a big impression on defense

Veteran lineman has made a big impression on the defense since being claimed off waivers

The last time the Green Bay Packers hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, Andre Rison was dropped into their laps at midseason. The enigmatic but extremely talented wide receiver had worn out his welcome in Jacksonville and was claimed by then-general manager Ron Wolf on Nov. 24, 1996. Rison went on to catch 20 passes in the team’s final 8 games – including a 54-yard touchdown to open Super Bowl XXXI. The former Michigan State star wasn’t brought back in 1997, but his contributions will never be forgotten by fans. Fast-forward 14 years and history seems to be repeating itself. The Packers are on the verge of winning another title, and once again, they’ve gotten a lift from another unexpected midseason gift. This one’s a lot bigger and not nearly as flashy as the last one, but it has proven to be every bit as valuable.

General manager Ted Thompson seldom adds veteran players to the roster during the season, but he couldn’t resist claiming Howard Green off waivers from the Jets on Oct. 27. The journeyman nose tackle was available because he ate his way out of New York (love the irony of Rex Ryan hassling somebody about their weight). Needing another big body after losing both Justin Harrell and Mike Neal, Thompson took a chance on a player who had already been with five teams in seven seasons. Green rewarded that show of faith by playing solidly in a win over his most recent former team only four days after joining the Packers, and he’s gone on to play a fairly significant role in nine of the last 10 games.

Like Rison, Green figures to be one and done in Green Bay. With Neal returning from injury and Johnny Jolly expected back following a year-long drug suspension, there almost certainly won’t be room on the roster for a 32-year-old with limited mobility and stamina. So while Green’s stay with the Packers figures to be a short one, there’s nothing little about what he’s contributed this season. His presence allowed coordinator Dom Capers to play his base defense even without Cullen Jenkins in the lineup and his rare size helped make the front seven much more difficult to run against down the stretch. Surprisingly, he even added a few quarterback pressures. Not a bad return on a minimal investment.

How do you like us now?

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:00 am 8 Responses »

Jan 252011

Perceptions have changed quite a bit in 29 months

Perceptions about Ted, Mike and Aaron have changed quite a bit in the past 29 months

It seems like only yesterday when Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy were being portrayed as Dumb and Dumber and Aaron Rodgers was being heckled by dozens of “fans” at practice. Needless to say, things have really changed since the tumultuous summer of ’08. Nowadays, Thompson and McCarthy are being favorably compared to Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren and Rodgers has even the most ardent Brett Favre supporters finally ready to get on board. That’s what tends to happen when the team you built, coached and quarterbacked earns a trip to the Super Bowl. And even though Thompson, McCarthy and Rodgers have every right to scream, “I told you so” from the top of their respective lungs, don’t expect to hear those words any time soon. All three are too classy to do something like that. We, on the other hand, are not.

Thompson might be the least media-friendly GM in the league, but so what? Vinny Cerrato hosted his own radio show while working for the Skins. Want him running your team? John Elway tweets more than Paris Hilton. Want him hiring your next coach? All Thompson has done since being hired in January 2005 is work his ass off to make this a championship-caliber team. Mission accomplished. McCarthy, who was a virtual unknown when he replaced Mike Sherman in 2006, has already taken Green Bay to a pair of NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl. You won’t need more than one hand to count up the number of active head coaches who have accomplished so much in their first five seasons. And Rodgers is now being called an élite quarterback by almost everybody in the national media. The funny thing is, Packer fans have known this for well over a year. The only people who still questioned the former Cal star were those who didn’t watch him play on a weekly basis.

How good have Thompson, McCarthy and Rodgers been since coming to Green Bay? The fact that it’s pretty difficult to come up with many legitimate criticisms should answer that question. And while nobody’s perfect – especially in a league as demanding as the NFL – the Packers’ three most important people are among the very best at what they do. Think about it for a minute. Who’d you take over Thompson? Indianapolis’ Bill Polian and Baltimore’s Ozzie Newsome. Over McCarthy? New England’s Bill Belichick and maybe Philadelphia’s Andy Reid. Over Rodgers? New England’s Tom Brady and Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning. Fact is, these three guys are in pretty heady company these days. And that’s not too shabby for a couple of grown men who were being ridiculed for their handling of Favre and a twentysomething who was being heckled by fans of all ages not too long ago.

Packers are Super Bowl-bound

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:00 am 5 Responses »

Jan 242011

Shields and Raji are two big reasons why the Packers won

It may not have been a masterpiece, but Sunday’s win over the Bears is sure to be viewed by Cheeseheads everywhere as a thing of beauty for years to come. That’s because, despite an offense that spun its wheels for most of the second half and a defense that allowed someone named Caleb Hanie (wasn’t he a character on Green Acres?) to put up 14 points in the fourth quarter, the Packers are going to the Super Bowl. And that, my friends, makes this the Brooklyn Decker of championship games.

In a season that saw so many different players step up, is it any wonder that among the heroes on Sunday were a sixth-round draft choice who wasn’t even on the active roster seven weeks ago, a left tackle who had barely taken a snap at the position, a rookie free agent who was catching passes and not defending them two short years ago and a punter who was thisclose to getting the boot back in October?

James Starks pounded his way for 74 yards against one of the NFL’s best run defenses. T.J. Lang held his own while Pro Bowler Chad Clifton recovered from a stinger. Sam Shields picked off two passes, including the game-saver with :43 left. And Tim Masthay made Devin Hester a non-factor on returns.

Of course, it wasn’t only the “little guys” who made a difference. The biggest play of the game was made by literally one of the biggest players on the field. Nose tackle B.J. Raji’s interception return for a TD – it still sounds funny writing that – gave Green Bay a late 21-7 lead. Other stars who really stepped up included wide receiver Greg Jennings (8 catches for 130 yards), defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins (2 tackles for loss and 0.5 sack), and linebacker Clay Matthews (6 tackles and 0.5 sack). And while Aaron Rodgers didn’t have one of his better days, he managed to outplay the opposing QB yet again.

In short, the Green Bay Packers are going to their fifth Super Bowl because they have been the epitome of a team all season long. We’ve seen the offense pick up the defense, the defense pick up the offense, and every once in a while, the special teams pick up both. That’s how you get to play in February – especially when 15 of your teammates are on injured reserve. So while this football game may never make it to ESPN Classic, it will never be forgotten by Packer fans. And neither will this TEAM.

(photo by Corey Wilson/Press-Gazette)

Pack has been incredibly resilient

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:00 am 1 Response »

Jan 232011

Walden is one of many backups who have stepped up this season

Walden is one of numerous backups who have stepped up

The fact that 15 Packers – including six starters and a pair of key backups – are on IR has been mentioned in most of the stories written about the NFC Championship game, but often as a mere footnote. That’s probably because head coach Mike McCarthy and his players haven’t harped on it and the team has been functioning at such a high level lately. Nevertheless, what this organization has been able to overcome to get to today is nothing short of miraculous and should never be taken for granted.

People who want to downplay the high number of injuries will argue that tight end Jermichael Finley has been the only truly significant loss. They’ll contend that halfback Ryan Grant wasn’t anything special and that right tackle Bryan Bulaga, outside linebackers Frank Zombo and Erik Walden, inside linebacker Desmond Bishop and safety Charlie Peprah are every bit as good, if not better, than the players they replaced. They’ll also point out that – aside from Finley – the team’s five best players heading into the season (quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver Greg Jennings, linebacker Clay Matthews, corner Charles Woodson and safety Nick Collins) have started 78 of 80 games. And while there’s some truth to all of this, it doesn’t make what the Packers have accomplished this season any less impressive.

Say what you will about Grant, but prior to breaking his leg in the opener, he had rushed for 3,457 yards and scored 24 TDs since the middle of the ’07 season. And while Zombo, Walden, Bishop and Peprah have certainly played well, who knows just how much better the defense might’ve been with Jones, Barnett and Burnett still around. A healthy Jones was one of the most pleasant surprises of last season, Barnett played at a near Pro Bowl level in 2009 and should’ve been even more productive another year removed from ACL surgery, and the rookie Burnett was getting a little better each week before going on IR in October. It’s a tribute to general manager Ted Thompson and the coaching staff that this team hardly missed a beat despite so many injuries, but it should never be taken for granted.

Thompson and the coaches deserve an incredible amount of credit. Where would this team be if the GM hadn’t drafted Bulaga and running back James Starks, signed free agents Zombo, Peprah and Walden and claimed defensive lineman Howard Green off waivers? And where would this team be if the coaches couldn’t get these guys ready to perform? Bulaga has held his own despite taking all of his snaps during the spring and summer on the left side of the line. Starks has gained 189 yards in two playoff games after spending the first 11 weeks of the season on the physically unable to perform list. Zombo and Walden have combined for seven sacks – four coming from a college end and three coming from a player a trio of other teams didn’t want. Peprah and Green were also castoffs – the former wasn’t good enough to make the Packers in ’09 and the latter ate his way off the Jets roster in October.

We have yet to even mention rookie defensive end Mike Neal and inside linebacker Brandon Chillar, two key backups who didn’t make it through November. Neal was the fourth defensive lineman and looked like a potential impact player after a pair of very impressive games against Washington and Miami. Chillar, who signed a $22 million contract extension in December 2009 due in large part to his unique coverage skills, was the centerpiece of coordinator Dom Capers’ “Psycho” package. And while neither player was truly replaced, the coaches found ways to make the defense work without them.

In short, making things work without so many players is what the Packers have done all season and why they’re now one game away from the Super Bowl. The only other team hit as hard by injuries were the Colts, and they limped into the playoffs and were quickly sent home. Chicago, on the other hand, has been the picture of health. But just for fun, make believe halfback Matt Forte, tight end Greg Olsen, right tackle J’Marcus Webb, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa and safety Danieal Manning weren’t available for the last 12 games of the season. Think the Bears would still be hosting the NFC Championship? The better question would probably be, just how high would they be drafting in the top 15?

Interior linemen must play better

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:48 pm No Responses »

Jan 222011

Interior of the offensive line must play well

Sitton and the other interior linemen must play very well

Keeping dynamic returner Devin Hester under control is the most obvious key to the Packers’ success on Sunday, but the play of the interior offensive line will be every bit as important. If Josh Sitton, Scott Wells and Daryn Colledge don’t perform a lot better than they did against the Bears three weeks ago, the offense may have another sub par game. And while 10 points was enough to win on Jan. 2, it’s hard to imagine that total being enough to deliver Green Bay to its fifth Super Bowl.

It’s easy to focus on how offensive tackles Chad Clifton and Bryan Bulaga fare against Pro Bowl end Julius Peppers, but that won’t be as important as how the guards and center handle tackles Tommy Harris, Anthony Adams and Matt Toeaina. It’s pretty much a given that Peppers will be disruptive, but his impact can be minimized – at least to a certain extent – by game planning and/or adjustments. Coach and play caller Mike McCarthy can chip him, double him or simply have quarterback Aaron Rodgers roll away from his side of the field. On the other hand, there’s very little that can be done if the defensive tackles are getting penetration on a consistent basis. That’s what happened the last time the Packers played Chicago and it resulted in one of the offense’s least productive performances of the season.

Colledge, Wells and Sitton are certainly capable of holding up physically in this matchup. All three played fairly well in Green Bay’s first game against Chicago back in September. The offense scored only 17 points, but it moved up and down the field and produced just under 400 total yards. The problems on that day were penalties and turnovers – two things that haven’t been much of an issue lately. Assuming the Packers protect the ball, don’t commit costly turnovers and at least hold their own against Chicago’s defensive tackles, it’s hard to imagine the offense not scoring more than 20 points. If it does, the odds are pretty good that Green Bay will be playing in Texas Stadium on Feb. 6.

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