That could be especially true in this one, as the Green Bay Packers take on the Indianapolis Colts and some cat named Peyton at Lambeau Field tonight [...]]]> Well, the third preseason game is here. And, as Denny Green once famously informed us, this is the one that teams do not, in fact, play like it’s bull(expletive), bull(expletive)!

That could be especially true in this one, as the Green Bay Packers take on the Indianapolis Colts and some cat named Peyton at Lambeau Field tonight at 7 p.m. Lambeau Time on ESPN.

As usual in game No. 3, we should see the starters for each team play at least one half. That’ll be good, but here’s what I’d like to see from the entire team – starters, backups and guys who will be bagging groceries in a week:

Offense

• A clear-cut winner emerge in the Daryn Colledge/Bryan Bulaga battle at left guard. Of course, that doesn’t mean I want to see one player struggle more than the other (even I don’t dislike Colledge that much). Rather, I’d like to see one guy turn in a dominating performance and win the job outright. It’s time to get the starting five set.
• A lot of the running game in the first half, Brandon Jackson in particular. We all know what Ryan Grant can do and, while I think he should get a decent amount of carries, Jackson should be the main guy when the starters are in. He’s been good in the first two games, but it’s time for him to be tested against another team’s starters.
• Greg Jennings on the sidelines in sweats, please. Don’t need his back spasms getting any worse.
• Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson and James Jones make some plays in the first half. Those guys have been quiet in the first couple of games – Driver was out last Saturday, though – and it’d be nice to see them become involved.
• Jermichael Finley just keep doing what he’s been doing.
• A clear-cut winner emerge in the Quinn Porter-Kregg Lumpkin battle for the No. 3 running back spot. Both are injured and I’m not sure of either’s status. But at least one of them needs to suck it up and get through this – after all, an NFL job is on the line.
• Matt Flynn build on his nice showing from the Seattle game. These next two games are potentially huge for his future if he wants to be an NFL starter someday.
• Spencer Havner and/or Andrew Quarless make some big plays. The Pack are going to keep four tight ends, as much as that baffles me, so the bottom two might as well be good.
• Breno Giacomini finally add some “Steak” to all the “Sizzle” the coaches have sold us on with him for the entire offseason. His future in Green Bay depends on it.

Defense

• Some pass rush from someone in the starting unit. I know, I know – Green Bay may once again be without its entire starting linebacking corps (A.J. Hawk, Brad Jones, Clay Matthews and Nick Barnett). And I know that it’s really, really hard to get pressure on the great Peyton Manning. But whoever may happen to be starting on defense, it’s imperative that some form of a pass rush gets established here, just so the team can be more sure in that area heading into Philly on Sept. 12.
• B.J. Raji get some real push up the middle. The big fella’s been solid, if unspectacular, during camp thus far. Let’s see a little spectacular tonight.
• Cullen Jenkins join Jennings on the sidelines in sweats, please. That ankle has to be ready for the games that count.
• Manning challenge Charles Woodson at least a couple of times, so we can see what really happens when two elite talents go right at each other.
• Pat Lee and Brandon Underwood be less terrible than they were last week. With Woodson returning, these guys will draw the nickel and dime spots, respectively, and should get a good test against a deep Colts receiving corps.
• Morgan Burnett do better. It’s time for him to start coming around a bit, rookie or not. And, even though it’s a game that doesn’t count, you know Manning will throw right at him.
• Someone emerge at d-line from the group of Justin Harrell, C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn. A key spot in the rotation is there for the taking, fellas.
• Sam Shields make some plays so he can shut all the doubters up. Come on, man – you’re “My Guy” for 2010 training camp. Don’t make me look silly.
• Two words: More Zombo!

Special Teams

• Mason Crosby keep doing what he’s been doing over the past 10 days.
• Everyone else be much, much, much better in every single area. That is all.

And, as usual, I’ll end this with the thing I’d like to see more than any of the rest: NO INJURIES!!

We’ll be back afterwards to wrap it all up. Enjoy the game, everyone.

-Chris Lempesis

The Green Bay Packers went at it twice Thursday as they are just two days away from their preseason opener against the highly touted Cleveland [...]]]> After an ever-so-brief hiatus, we’re back with another helping of training camp stew – your nightly update on the most interesting bits of information to come out of that day’s practice(s).

The Green Bay Packers went at it twice Thursday as they are just two days away from their preseason opener against the highly touted Cleveland Browns (wait – scratch that last part).

As always, the information in this report comes courtesy of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Green Bay Press Gazette and Jason Wilde of ESPN Milwaukee:

• Man, it really sounds like the heat is beyond brutal in Titletown right now, doesn’t it? It was so bad – how bad was it? – that head coach Mike McCarthy decided to avoid going with full pads for the evening practice, also shortening the evening session by over a half an hour. It also sounds like Mike Mac was just a hair irritable during the morning session. As I’ve said before on this site, McCarthy – like myself – is a big guy. We do not take to heat well and, sometimes, we take out our aggressions on those around us. Our bad.
• Sorry to begin with the weather. Didn’t mean to sound like my mother there.
• Back to the lack of full padded practices over the last week or so. It’s a smart idea, really. The team did plenty of full pad, full contact stuff early on. And with the preseason games actually upon us, this team’s going to have more than enough opportunity to start hitting. Really, you’d rather have them hitting players on other teams, anyways.
• Guard T.J. Lang injured his quad in the morning practice and didn’t go during the evening. It’s not yet known how serious it is, but McCarthy did say Lang could very well miss Saturday’s game. In McCarthy terms, that means he’s out.
• Chalk up another outstanding day for my man Sam Shields. With two more interceptions in the morning session, Shields just continues to prove he belongs on the 53-man roster. He’s officially earned “my man” status for the 2010 camp. The past two winners of this honor were Tyrell Sutton (’09) and Kregg Lumpkin (’08, before we had the blog). Something tells me Shields is more Lumpkin than Sutton, in terms of ultimately making the roster.
• Donald Driver, after missing five straight practices, returned for the night session and did what Double D always does: Make plays, including some tough catches in traffic. I really don’t think the calf injury was that serious. Rather, I think the team is being cautious with him, especially when you factor in his offseason knee surgery and age. There really isn’t much Driver needs to work on, anyways. He needs to be locked and loaded for Sept. 12 (less than a month away!).
• Green Bay is so depleted in the linebacking corps – how depleted is it? – that Spencer Havner was actually taking some snaps there Thursday. The move appears to be only temporary, but still, it’s a sign that this team needs to heal up there in a major way.
• Graham Harrell appears to be improving steadily each and every day and turned in another solid day Thursday. You might laugh, but Harrell actually has a decent shot to make this team, in my mind. It’s clear the Packers are grooming Matt Flynn in the hopes of trading him after the season. And it’s no secret that other teams have showed interest in Flynn in the past. That being the case, the Packers need to start prepping their next Matt Flynn. Maybe it’s Harrell and, if that’s the case, he’ll likely get a spot on the team so he can begin to learn the position.
• Some more info on the Browns game. The starters will go roughly 20 snaps, which seems like a higher-than-usual amount considering its the first game. I’d go a series for each side. Games two and three are the ones you should focus on. Actually, I wouldn’t play them at all during the preseason, but that’s just me. I’m terrified of injuries like that.
• Nick Barnett (knee), Jason Spitz (calf), Clay Matthews (hamstring) and Will Blackmon (knee) are all likely to join Lang on the sidelines for the game.
• Finally, this has nothing to do with Thursday’s practices, but I think you all should read Lori Nickel’s outstanding piece on Anna Schmidt, a 13-year old girl who recently visited a Packers practice by way of the Make-A-Wish foundation. We talk about football being a battle – but, really, that’s b.s. Read up on what this kid had to go through. THAT’S a battle. As fans, we need perspective some times (myself chief amongst that group) and this provides it.

We’ll be back Friday with a preview of sorts for the Browns game.

-Chris Lempesis

We’ll let the skill position players get their due this time around, though, as we make them the focus of part two.

Not bad for a short intro, huh?

Wide receiver

Type of battle: No. 3 receiver spot

Combatants: James Jones (26 years old, 6-feet, 1-inch, 208 [...]]]> We went a different way with part one, focusing on the offensive line first.

We’ll let the skill position players get their due this time around, though, as we make them the focus of part two.

Not bad for a short intro, huh?

Wide receiver

Type of battle: No. 3 receiver spot

Combatants: James Jones (26 years old, 6-feet, 1-inch, 208 pounds, fourth year) and Jordy Nelson (25 years old, 6-feet, 3-inches, 217 pounds, third year)

Thoughts: Consider this round two in the Jones v. Nelson battle. There was really no clear winner during training camp last year and, really, no player grabbed the job during the season, either.

Jones had a slightly better ‘09 season (32 catches, 440 yards, five touchdowns) than did Nelson (22 catches, 320 yards, two touchdowns while missing three games due to injury) but the job is still up for grabs (no pun intended). One of these players needs to come through this season; Donald Driver isn’t going to be around forever, after all.

Jones rebounded from an injury-plagued ‘08 campaign last year, playing in all 16 games. He’s still got a fairly high ceiling and can definitely make big plays. These things only happen occasionally, though. Sometimes, he disappears from games (or worse, can’t hang on to the ball). He needs to become a more refined product.

Nelson strikes me as the more consistent and polished of the two, though he also seems to lack Jones’ big-play abilities. He’s had an outstanding offseason, from the sound of it, as Aaron Rodgers was apparently looking for him more and more throughout the minicamps/OTAs. Nelson, like Jones, struggles with drops, however. That needs to be corrected – and fast.

Early edge: Jones. He’s got an extra year of experience on Nelson and, again, his ceiling appears to be just a bit higher. But Nelson as a No. 4 receiver is definitely a good problem to have.

Fullback

Type of battle: Roster spot

Combatants: Korey Hall (26 years old, 6-feet, 236 pounds, fourth year) and John Kuhn (27 years old, 6-feet, 250 pounds, fifth year)

Thoughts: Quinn Johnson is a lock to make the 53-man roster, in my mind. And since I just can’t fathom the idea of the team keeping three fullbacks yet again, I have to think one of these two isn’t making it to Philly for the season opener.

Hall struggled with injuries last season, only playing in 11 games. He’s not quite the run blocker Kuhn is, but he is a better pass-catching option.

Kuhn, again, is a better pure run blocker and even saw a handful of touches in the short-yardage run game last season. He’s not a bad pass catcher, but appears to be more of a pure fullback.

Early edge: Hall. With Johnson serving as the brute force hammer at the position, the team needs a pass-catcher to help round things out fully. Hall is better at that than is Kuhn, although he must avoid injury in camp. That would tilt things Kuhn’s way.

Tight end

Type of battle: Roster spot

Combatants: Donald Lee (29 years old, 6-feet, 4-inches, 248 pounds, eighth year) and Spencer Havner (27 years old, 6-feet, 3-inches, 250 pounds, second year)

Thoughts: Jermichael Finley is officially “the man” at the position and rookie Andrew Quarless has big-time upside, despite his off-the-field issues. He’s not going anywhere and I just do not see the team keeping four tight ends – Lord help me if I’m wrong.

Just one year ago, it would have seemed silly to say that Lee and Havner would be battling it out. But 365 days can serve as a lifetime in the NFL, thus leaving us where we currently are.

I’ve written this before many times, but Lee has just not been the same player since you-know-who left town. Rodgers has never really favored Lee. Even when he has, Lee has struggled with drops. These things come together to form a picture of a player who just doesn’t have the same confidence he once did. There’s also the little issue of his salary (due $2 million this season), an awfully high amount to pay a backup, potential Super Bowl run or not.

It has not been a good offseason for Havner (see: the crotch-rocket crash that occurred while he was allegedly under the influence). Still, his shoulder appears to be healed up and hopefully Havner can begin building on his solid 2009 season. Despite catching just seven balls in the regular season, four of them went for touchdowns (plus one in the playoff loss). Rodgers looks his way in the red zone, as opposed to, say, Lee (just one touchdown reception last season). Havner is also a special teams demon, something this team desperately needs.

Early edge: Havner. He’s a cheaper option who brings more to the table than does Lee. Lee is desperately in need of a change of scenery and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him traded for help elsewhere (d-line, corner or outside linebacker) before the regular season starts. 

That’s all for the offense. We’ll be back Thursday to take a look at the defense.

-Chris Lempesis

That was written in the context of discussing the Johnny Jolly 2010 Suspension Tour, but really, d-line isn’t the only area Thompson could look to sure up via [...]]]> Monday, I wrote about the idea of Ted Thompson trading a player from an area of relative strength in order to bolster the Green Bay Packers’ defensive line.

That was written in the context of discussing the Johnny Jolly 2010 Suspension Tour, but really, d-line isn’t the only area Thompson could look to sure up via trade at some point during camp.

While it seems unlikely, cornerback and outside linebacker are also areas Thompson could look to tighten up a bit before the season begins. The man hangs onto draft picks the way I grip beers, so trading a player already on the roster is the only route he’d take.

Who are some of the players he could look to move? Here are a few names to consider (and, no, I’m not including the loser of the three-man fullback derby – that’s just ridiculous):

1. Donald Lee, tight end – The selection of Andrew Quarless in the fifth round spoke volumes about Thompson’s feelings regarding the tight end position. Clearly, Jermichael Finley is the man there moving forward. And, for all his offseason stupidity, Spencer Havner is an emerging red zone threat and special teams demon. Those two aren’t going anywhere, meaning Thompson likely feels that Lee is becoming – or has already become – expendable. That makes sense. Lee’s got a big salary (due $2 million this year) for a backup and just has not been the same player since you-know-who left town. Quarless has upside and if he gets off to a good start in camp, Lee could very well become a player to move. Despite his struggles, he could still bring value in a player-for-player swap.
2. The loser of the Daryn Colledge/Jason Spitz left guard battle – Of all the battles to watch in camp, this should be the most hotly contested (more on that in the coming days). On the surface, it makes sense for Thompson to keep whomever loses the battle. Spitz has struggled with injuries and Colledge has been, well, Colledge, an extremely hot-and-cold player. Keeping the loser insures coverage. And both come fairly cheap in a capless season (each is due $1.759 million this season under their respective RFA tenders). But if Thompson feels the team needs help elsewhere, either player would be able to bring back value in a trade. Both have started for much of their careers and each player still has upside (and, again, both would come cheap). It’d be nice to keep both, but if the team is in dire need of help elsewhere, he’d have to consider moving one of these two.
3. Atari Bigby, strong safety – Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that trading Bigby seems far-fetched (and there’s still that little issue of him not having signed his tender yet). But hear me out. Morgan Burnett was one of the major stories of the OTAs/minicamps; in short, the guy was around the ball almost constantly, while working with the No. 1 defense. Bigby isn’t a bad player, but he is still very much living off his 2007 season. If Burnett is clearly the better player in camp – provided Bigby, you know, signs and shows up – isn’t it a waste to have such an expensive backup when you clearly need help elsewhere? Again, Bigby is a decent player and could bring help elsewhere. Doesn’t sound so crazy now, does it?
4. Desmond Bishop, inside linebacker – No, I’m not going to shamelessly mention my recent Twitter tussle with Bishop (oops, I guess I just did). The Packers already have a capable – and expensive – trio of players ahead of Bishop on the depth chart in Nick Barnett, Brandon Chillar and A.J. Hawk. Those three are firmly entrenched as the top guys at that position heading into the season. Bishop has shown flashes in previous preseasons/his limited regular season playing time, but he can’t seem to make the field on a regular basis. I don’t doubt that he’s got ability, but it seems unlikely that he’ll make the field in 2010 unless two of those three guys go down with injuries. That being the case, wouldn’t he be a perfect candidate to be moved for help elsewhere? I say yes. Similar to the situation at left guard, it’d be nice to keep all four, but sometimes, you don’t have that luxury, especially when you’re trying to make your team as deep as possible for a potential Super Bowl run.
5. Jarrett Bush, cornerback/safety/bain of my existence – Okay, okay, this one’s a joke. I doubt you could get more than a six-pack of Keystone Light back for Bush in a trade, but seriously, I’d do it. At least Keystone Light doesn’t get burned every…single…time.

-Chris Lempesis

We know it’s been a few days since we’ve posted anything new. Sorry, we’ve all been busy with various endeavors – work, mostly -and just haven’t had the time. We truly care about breaking down all things related to the Green Bay Packers, but sometimes, life gets in the [...]]]> Hey gang. We owe you an apology.

We know it’s been a few days since we’ve posted anything new. Sorry, we’ve all been busy with various endeavors – work, mostly -and just haven’t had the time. We truly care about breaking down all things related to the Green Bay Packers, but sometimes, life gets in the way, you know?

Anyways, we’re back now – hopefully we can go pedal-to-the-metal from now ’til after the draft - and we’re going to discuss a few of the Packers-related topics that have been in the news since our last post. We won’t be going too in-depth here, as a lot of this stuff is fairly old news. We’re also going to take a humorous angle with most of this stuff (or, at least we’ll try to be humorous) because a lot of this news is, well, kind of ridiculous.

Since we last talked, the Packers have, in no particular order:

1. Signed an Australian punter, Chris Bryan, to a three-year contract. I know almost nothing about this man, but I like him already. First, his nickname is “Bear,”  pretty badass for a punter. He’s 6-feet, 5-inches and 215 pounds – or, basically, the size of a wide receiver (as long as that receiver’s name isn’t “Robert Ferguson”). He’s also left-footed (for some reason, I’m excited about that) and played for the Collingwood Magpies of Australian Rules football last season. And, like I’ve always said, you can never have too many former Magpies on your squad.
2. Been rumored as a possible destination for former San Francisco 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan (if he is, in fact, no longer with the team). It makes sense that people would think such things. McCloughan knows Ted Thompson and John Schneider and Schneider’s departure to Seattle left an opening in the front office. And, like I’ve always said, you can never have too many former 49ers in your operation. What a successful franchise they’ve been lately!
3. Seen cornerback/return specialist Will Blackmon sign his one-year tender. Amazingly, he’s gone almost six whole months without injuring himself. Anyone want to take odds that he can go six more? Anyone? 
4. Dealt with a few twists and turns in this whole “Spencer Havner DUI” scenario. At this point, it’s sort of difficult to keep up with it all. Havner was arrested, but the Nevada County district attorney’s office has not yet decided if it will file charges. I’ve got to be honest – I don’t really care anymore. All I know is that people who ride “crotch rockets” should be arrested regardless of whether they are drunk or not.
5. Heard that Daryn Colledge will skip the voluntary workouts. Any chance we can get him to stay home and skip the season, too? I’ll donate to that cause!
6. Seen former defensive end Aaron Kampman place a “Thank You” ad to fans in not one, but two papers (the Green Bay Press Gazette and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Okay, no humor on this one. Kampman’s gesture was indeed classy and indicative of the type of person he is. He typifies what the Packers are all about and we’re all thankful of the many great memories he gave us. We at OBOD wish him nothing but success in Jacksonville (if nothing else, the weather should be a lot nicer). Too bad ALL former Packers couldn’t be as classy on their way out of town, eh? Just to reiterate: I do not like you, Brett.
7. Um….actually, that’s it. I only had six topics. There’s just something about the number seven, though, you know?

So, now we’re all caught up. And, again, we’re sorry.

-Chris Lempesis

At this time last week, there was almost nothing going on with the Green Bay Packers. I mean, I was writing 1,100-word posts on the “Lombardi” movie to pass the time, for God’s sake - and that movie won’t even come out until roughly two years from now!

All [...]]]> Funny how things can change in a week, isn’t it?

At this time last week, there was almost nothing going on with the Green Bay Packers. I mean, I was writing 1,100-word posts on the “Lombardi” movie to pass the time, for God’s sake - and that movie won’t even come out until roughly two years from now!

All of a sudden, though, there’s a ton of Packers-related news to discuss. And a Tuesday trip to the question department is the best way to get to it all, especially since we haven’t done one of these in awhile.

Question: What does the picture at offensive line look like now that Mark Tauscher is back in the fold?

Answer: As of now, the starters are basically set, but it’s up in the air as to who the backups will be. From left to right, the starters will be Chad Clifton, Jason Spitz (yes, I’m predicting he wins the battle with Daryn “Crybaby” Colledge), Scott Wells, Josh Sitton and Tauscher. While some fans/media members have talked of the possibility of an open competition between Tauscher and T.J. Lang, it’s pretty clear – at least as of now – that the job will be handed to Tauscher (especially if the “starter money” thing is true).

The backups that are locks to return are Colledge, Lang and Evan Dietrich-Smith (the team is high on him and he can play multiple spots). That makes eight spots that are definitely filled for next year. The ninth will be either Allen Barbre or Breno Giacomini as I do not expect both to be on the opening day roster. Both were taken as developmental players (Barbre in 2007, Giacomini in 2008). Since it’s now, you know, 2010, the team has to cut the cord on one of these guys. If I had to guess now, I’d say Giacomini sticks based on his rare size alone (6-feet, 7-inches).

The Packers kept nine o-linemen last year and my best guess is that they’ll keep 10 this season, particularly since Clifton and Tauscher are both well over 30, with the 10th spot going to whichever lineman they take high.

Question: What should we make of tight end Spencer Havner’s DUI arrest?

Answer: For those of you who might not know, Havner – according to a story in the Grass Valley Daily Union – was allegedly under the influence when he crashed his motorcycle while driving around a cul-de-sac early Saturday morning in his home state of California. He fractured his scalpula (fancy medical term for shoulder blade), suffered some lacerations on the back of his head and his left arm and has several abrasions. The story says he was not wearing a helmet - ARE YOU SERIOUS?! – and was later arrested at the hospital. Those injuries could slow down his work in the offseason program, but that is unknown as of now.

First, let me just say this: Driving drunk – be it a car, motorcycle, bicycle or even unicycle – is one of the dumbest things a person can do. It shows a complete lack of responsibility and causes countless deaths every year. Don’t. Do. It.

Now, on to Havner…

If this is true, it is STUPID, STUPID, STUPID, Spencer. Are you NUTS? You’re coming off a nice season, your quarterback clearly looks your way at times (especially in the red zone), you have a chance to increase your role in the offense this season and you go an do THIS? Not good enough at all, man. You were riding a “crotch rocket” Kawasaki. Sounds like you need to pull your head out of the same general region.

As for whether or not this puts his roster spot in jeopardy, the answer is it does not. While he is a moron for doing this, this is the NFL. If you can play, which he can, there’s a spot for you, DUI arrest or not. If this all ends up being true, I’m sure he’ll face a sizeable fine and get an incredibly unpleasant talking-to from head coach Mike McCarthy. I doubt he’ll see a suspension, but you never know.

Question: What, if anything, should we make of the Packers scouting a college basketball player?

Answer: Probably not much. If you don’t know, Green Bay is apparently taking a close look at Niagara University’s Tyrone Lewis, a 5-feet, 10-inch, 180-pound guard. He hasn’t played football in college, but was a corner/wide receiver/kick returner in high school and the Pack will be giving him a pre-draft workout. This isn’t the first time they’ve done this, either, as they had some interest in Greg Paulus last offseason. Paulus, a former Duke University basketball player, chose to play QB for Syracuse instead.

Ted Thompson is known for turning over every leaf this time of year, so I’m not surprised the team is looking at Lewis. And the Packers do have a glaring need for a kick returner. But I think – or, maybe, I hope – they will opt for a more proven player in the draft than Lewis. Still, if the Packers chose to bring him in as an undrafted free agent, I guess I wouldn’t mind.

Question: What do you think of the new throwback uniforms?

Answer: As excited as I was about the idea of an alternate jersey for 2010 that would focus on the team’s long history, I became something less than excited once I actually saw them.

While it is cool that the team is deciding to honor the 1929 world championship squad (that’s what your team is called when you win it all, Vikings fans), the blue-and-gold jerseys just aren’t that appealing, especially the giant gold circle on the front that contains the player’s number.

I’m hoping these things will grow on me as time passes. But for now, I am doubting that. Let’s hope these things are only worn once.

(And we’re moving on to the lightening round!)

Question: Did the Vikings drop the ball (copyright Adrian Peterson) by missing out on LT?

Answer: Sadly, not really. LaDainian Tomlinson is pretty much out of gas, anyways, and his massive ego would have been hard to keep in check. As I’ve said before, his presence on that team would not have scared me one bit.   

Question: Do we know any more of the particulars on the Nick Collins/Ryan Pickett/Tauscher contracts?

Answer: No, we don’t. But once we do, we at OBOD will, as usual, break them all down. Hopefully they are made public soon.

Final question: When can we expect a new OBOD mock draft? We’re dying here!

Final answer: Wednesday. Should be interesting, so make sure to look for it.

-Chris Lempesis

The deadline for doing so was Thursday, so this announcement wasn’t a major surprise or anything.

We don’t know everything yet, as far as who got what tender, [...]]]> Earlier Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers gave word that they had placed tenders on eight of their nine restricted free agents. They also tendered one of their exclusive rights free agents.

The deadline for doing so was Thursday, so this announcement wasn’t a major surprise or anything.

We don’t know everything yet, as far as who got what tender, but the fine folks at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - man, those guys are good – were able to get most of the details.

Here’s what we know (and, as always, here’s what I think):

• Free safety Nick Collins received the highest tender (a first-and-third round pick). No surprise there. Of course, I’m also pretty sure there’s NO way he’ll sign that tender. He wants a new deal. A $3.35 million salary for next season just won’t cut it.
• Strong safety Atari Bigby received a second round tender. Again, no surprise. Bigby did JUST enough to earn one more shot. At a price of $1.759 million, he’s worth one more year. And he will be back. No one’s giving up a two for Bigby, trust me.
• Center/guard Jason Spitz was also tendered at the second round level ($1.759 million). A mild surprise as that’s one notch higher than I thought he’d get. I had him pegged for a “right of first refusal” tender. In that scenario, Green Bay would get a third rounder if he signed somewhere else. Spitz is similar to Bigby in that he’s done enough to earn one more look. And, again, he will be back, because his back is still an issue until he shows he’s fully healthy.
• Corner/return specialist Will Blackmon and fullback John Kuhn received “right of first refusal” tenders. Each will make $1.176 million this season and the team can still match any contract they sign elsewhere. If the Packers do not match, they will receive a fourth round pick for Blackmon. They get nothing for Kuhn, though, as he was an undrafted free agent. I wouldn’t have brought Blackmon back. He’s got potential, yes, but he’s also always hurt. Still, at that price, I’m not outraged. I thought Kuhn was an unrestricted free agent, so my bad on getting that information wrong, guys. Again, I would not have brought him back as there are already two other fullbacks on the roster. But, since Korey Hall has had some injury troubles and Quinn Johnson is still largely an unknown, I can see why they did it. As is the case with Blackmon, I’m not outraged.
• Tight end Spencer Havner, an exclusive rights free agent, received a tender, although it is unknown what, exactly (the Journal Sentinel estimates $470,000). Good call bringing Havner back. He’s got some upside.
• Punter Jeremy Kapinos (exclusive rights) and running back DeShawn Wynn (restricted) did not receive tenders, automatically making them free agents. Kapinos, as I’ve said seemingly dozens of times by now, was terrible and needed to be let go. Wynn has some potential, but is always, always hurt. No point bringing him back. I like both these moves.

What is unknown, as of now, are the level of tenders placed on guard Daryn Colledge, corner Tramon Williams and defensive end Johnny Jolly, although the team announced all three were given tenders. The Journal Sentinel – again, man those guys are good – is guessing second rounder tenders for Jolly and Colledge and a first or second for Williams. I’d agree on the Jolly tender and it’s no real surprise. If his legal issues weren’t still pending (seriously, can we just get this thing over with?), I’d be a bit worried that another team would come after him at that level. But they are still pending, so he’ll be back.

What’s puzzling is why Colledge was brought back at a second round tender. Couldn’t the team have just put a “right of first refusal” tag on him? It’d get the same compensation if he left and save itself roughly $600,000 as Colledge was a second round pick. Am I wrong? I have some thoughts on Colledge coming back for one more year, as well, and I’ll share them soon enough.

Finally, I’d hope the team placed a first-round tender on Williams. He’s only 26 and has a bright future as a starter ahead of him. Plus, he’s the only corner not named “Charles Woodson” or “Al Harris” that the Packers can really trust. If I’m an opposing GM and I only have to give up a two for a proven player like Williams, I make that move every time. Green Bay can’t allow that to happen.

As for what these tenders will cost the Packers collectively, the Journal Sentinel – have I mentioned that I think those guys are really good? – estimates it will be somewhere between $14.89 and $15.6 million, depending on how Williams is tendered.

I did the math on this – which was tough for me because I suck at math – and the nine restricted players made roughly $11.2 million last season, meaning it will cost the Packers, as of now, roughly $4 million more to bring all of them back. When you think about the size of the group and some of the key players in it, an extra $4 million isn’t that bad.

Plus, the team saves about $800,000 by not bringing Kapinos or Wynn back…so that’s good.

(Update, Friday morning, 12:34 a.m.: The Journal Sentinel is now reporting that Williams was bumped up to a first-and-third round tender and Jolly was boosted to a first-round tender. Good move on both parts as these two – Williams in particular – could very well have been targeted by other teams before. Now, though, it’s basically a lock that the two return to Green Bay. Whew. The upgrades tack on roughly another $1.5 million, meaning it will now cost the team about $5.5 million in additional money to tender the nine players. Still, not an outrageous total at all.)

-Chris Lempesis

Terms were not immediately announced.

Martin was scheduled to be a restricted free agent. With a long list of players set for restricted free agency, [...]]]> Finally, some actual news came from the Green Bay Packers on Monday night as they re-signed strong safety/special teams ace Derrick Martin to a two-year contract, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Terms were not immediately announced.

Martin was scheduled to be a restricted free agent. With a long list of players set for restricted free agency, it’s sort of surprising Martin was the first player to be taken care of. Remember, the Packers haven’t even tendered anyone yet. Still, it is Derrick Martin, after all, so getting a deal done was likely a fairly easy proposition.

(Feel free to call Nick Collins’ people soon here, Teddy…please?!?!)

Martin provides little as a safety – as we all saw when he started in place of an injured Atari Bigby early in the season – but is a bona fide special teams demon. Not an Earth-shattering move, by any means, but not a bad move as this team needs all the special teams help it can get.

Why do I say that? Well, mainly because I watched the Packers this past season.

(Rimshot)

I also say that because, just over a week ago, Rick Gosselin, the legendary Dallas Cowboys/NFL reporter for the Dallas Morning News, published his annual special teams rankings for the 2009 season.

Our beloved Packers were second-to-last in the league. That’s right – only Carolina finished worse under Gosselin’s ranking system, which compiles scores in 22 various kicking game categories. Included in there were last place finishes in punts inside the 20 (a mere 15) and penalties (an astounding 28).

Gosselin’s list provides a fascinating look at the ying and yang nature of special teams.

On the ying, special teams are extremely important. Take the Packers, for example. In at least two of their losses – at home to Cincinnati and at Tampa Bay – poor special teams play was a direct factor. It hurt Green Bay in a number of other games, too, although the Packers were still able to come out victorious.

That brings me to the yang, in which special teams are seemingly not that important at all. The Packers finished 31st and still won 11 games. Your two Super Bowl teams, New Orleans and Indianapolis? Those squads finished 29th and 28th, respectively. The top three teams on the list? Cleveland, Tampa Bay and Buffalo – three of the worst teams in the league.

In other words, yes, it’s nice if you are good in the special teams – but it won’t kill you if you aren’t. I don’t mean to knock those people who say special teams are 1/3 of the game – even the great Bill Belichick once said he thought more special teams coaches should be considered for head coaching jobs – but, well, you’re wrong.

Still, Green Bay needs to take the ying approach to special teams during the offseason. Going into 2010 with the same guys on that unit would be an admission that the Packers don’t really care about special teams at all. That’s only going to put more pressure on a still-young offense and defense. That can not happen.

So what do they do as far as making changes?

As much as people want his head on a platter, firing special teams coach Shawn Slocum is not the answer. Last season was his first in charge of that unit and a change would put Green Bay on its third special teams coach in three years. You can’t keep flipping coaches like that – not if continuity is your goal. Slocum should get one more season. Now, if we’re in this same spot after 2010, then yes, he must be gone. But not yet. 

It’s a different story with the players. The numbers on punter Jeremy Kapinos’ awful 2009 season have been published over-and-over, so I’m not going to write them again here. Needless to say, he was terrible. The Packers must, must, must get a new punter for next season as they have not had a steady, viable option at the position since Craig Hentrich left for Tennessee (one of Ron Wolf’s worst decisions ever). My B.J. Sander scars are still tender, so I’m against drafting someone, even in the seventh round. A top-level free agent, though? That just might work.

Same goes for the returner spot. Many fans want restricted free agent Will Blackmon back (he’d come cheap and is dangerous when healthy, they say). Not me. He’s hurt too often and his lack of reliability hurts the team at two spots (corner and returner). I’ve already said this team should look for a corner in the second round. If that player can also return kicks and punts, great. If not, I’d look for a wide receiver/returner in, say, round three or four. Texas’ Jordan Shipley or Clemson’s Jacoby Ford would suffice.

I feel a little differently with regards to Mason Crosby. Yes, yes, I know I spent most of the second half of the season saying he should not return for 2010. Part of me still thinks that, but I doubt the team cuts Crosby flat-out. It’s more likely the Packers will bring in some serious competition for Crosby, via a free agent or an undrafted rookie. Even if Green Bay used a seventh-rounder on a kicker, I wouldn’t terribly mind. Crosby MUST be pushed in camp, by whatever means necessary.

It’s hard to say what might or might not be done with the coverage units. That stuff changes from year-to-year, so to speculate on who will or won’t be on those units would be unfair. I do know that Martin and Spencer Havner are very good and more players like them must be either found or cultivated. I also know that Slocum must preach more discipline within these groups, both in terms of lane responsibilties and (in particular) penalties.

Again, special teams are not 1/3 of the game. But they can greatly serve and assist the offense and defense and the Packers must make sure they have a unit capable of doing so in 2010.

-Chris Lempesis

Let’s cut to the chase. Here [...]]]> (Before we begin: Just to reiterate, if you’re worried this is it for OBOD’s offseason coverage, don’t be. We’ll be all over free agency when it starts and we’re already busy researching for the draft and we’ll be beginning our coverage of that soon enough. Three words: Mock drafts, baby!)

Let’s cut to the chase. Here is part two of our look at some potential free agent targets for Green Bay (scroll down a bit for part one).

Again, enjoy.

3. Strong safety – As I said earlier this week, I think Atari Bigby showed just enough flashes to warrant one more shot as the starter in the 3-4. He likely comes back on another one-year tender, but if the team decides to upgrade, it will have some very intriguing options. New Orleans’ Roman Harper, just 27, had a very good season (103 tackles, two forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks) playing opposite a ballhawking free safety in Darren Sharper. Well, the Packers certainly have one of those in Nick Collins. Indianapolis’ Antoine Bethea is perenially underrated, but has averaged around 87 tackles and three interceptions in his four years in the league. He’s restricted and, at just 25 years old, could command a high tender. Since the Packers are clearly in love with the way the Steelers do things on defense, Pittsburgh’s Ryan Clark could be a nice fit. He’s basically the same player as Bigby, but Clark is better in coverage. He’s 30 years old and has had some injury problems, but would definitely be an upgrade. Baltimore’s Dawan Landry, 27, is a restricted free agent who had a nice season, with or without Ed Reed in the lineup (89 tackles, four interceptions). If Reed makes good on his threat to retire, Baltimore likely locks Landry up long-term. Finally, Cleveland’s Brodney Pool had a good 2009 season with 50 tackles, four picks and 10 passes defended in just 11 games. Problem with Pool, though, is that he was put on injured reserve in early December due to multiple concussions. He’ll be restricted, but if the Browns decide to just let him go in fear of those concussions, he could make for an intriguing – and cheap – option. Side note: Pool was the player I wanted Green Bay to pick with its first-rounder in 2005. Good thing the Packers didn’t, eh?

4. Defensive line – If Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly both return (and I think they will), those two – along with Cullen Jenkins and B.J. Raji – could make for a solid d-line next season. The one problem, though, is that there isn’t much behind those four, meaning all of them have to stay healthy or else the remaining players get overworked. The Packers need one more guy to make that group formidable, and the odds are good that Ted Thompson uses the draft to find him (in, say, the third round). But if he opts for free agency, there are some players who’d be a nice fit. Pittsburgh’s Casey Hampton is getting older (he’ll be 33 by the time next season starts), but still competes at a very high level. He put up 43 tackles and 2.5 sacks, a lot from a 3-4 nose tackle. He’s only got a few years left, so he could be had at a reasonable rate. San Francisco’s Aubrayo Franklin, also a nose tackle, was outstanding this past season (36 tackles, two sacks) as the anchor of the Niners’ defense. He eats up blocks, doesn’t turn 30 until August and would instantly make Green Bay’s linebackers better. Only problem with him is that he’s a near-lock to be hit with the franchise tag, meaning he’d cost two first-round picks in addition to a big contract. If the Packers are in search of a defensive end, Dallas’ Marcus Spears would be a nice fit. His numbers aren’t overly impressive (25 tackles, 2.5 sacks last season) but he’s strong as a bull, can occupy blocks and turns just 27 in March. He’ll be restricted, so he’ll likely cost a bit (maybe a second-rounder). New England’s Derrick Burgess, obviously, has experience as an end in the 3-4. He’s a bit undersized – just 260 pounds, light for a 3-4 end – but recorded five sacks at the spot for the Pats last season. He’s older, turning 32 in August, so he could be had for a decent, short-term rate.

5. Punter – As I said earlier in the week, Jeremy Kapinos is pretty much awful and provides no help in winning the field position battle. Green Bay should just let him go and try to find an actual punter (for the first time, seemingly, in forever). We all remember Seattle’s Jon Ryan, of course, only now Ryan is actually pretty good (and still only 28 years old). Baltimore’s Sam Koch and Atlanta’s Michael Koenen are both under 30, as well, and both in the prime of their careers. Chicago’s Brad Maynard is still outstanding, despite being nearly 36. Did I dedicate enough space to punters? More than enough, I’d say.

6. Kicker – The Packers seem dead-set on bringing Mason Crosby back, although they are likely to bring in legitimate competition (thank God). They’ll likely take a kicker late in the draft or bring in an unsigned free agent or two. But if they decided to go get an actual, established kicker, there will be some options. Cincinnati’s Shayne Graham is as steady as they come and, at 32, should still have a few years left. New England’s Stephen Gostkowski and Pittsburgh’s Jeff Reed are both solid, if unspectacular, kickers who have experience kicking in crappy weather. Gostkowski is only 26, so he’d be a better target than the soon-to-be-31-year old Reed (plus, Reed seems to really like his booze, potentially a disaster in Green Bay). Did I dedicate enough space to kickers? WAY more than enough, I’d say.

7. Outside linebacker – The Packers appear to be set for the long haul at the position with Clay Matthews and Brad Jones (yet another seventh-round steal by the Pack). Still, if Brady Poppinga is cut (like I hope), Aaron Kampman isn’t re-signed (like I suspect) and Jeremy Thompson retires due to his neck problems (like I fear), the Packers could be short-handed in terms of depth. Thompson likely drafts a guy late – why not if you hit on Jones late last season, right? – but he should also target a veteran presence. Kansas City’s Mike Vrabel would be a perfect fit, despite the fact that he turns 35 in August. Plus, that’d give the Packers two linebackers who can catch touchdowns (Vrabel and Spencer Havner). That’d be kinda cool.

That concludes our week-long look at Green Bay’s post-season, pre-draft to-do list. Thanks for checking back throughout the week and I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Or, at the very least, hopefully I allowed you to kill some time at work.

-Chris Lempesis