This is dedicated to all my fellow veterans and active duty cheeseheads around the globe.
Happy Memorial Day! Thank You for your service!
Golf Oscar Papa Alpha Charlie Kilo Golf Oscar!!!
Agent: Donald Driver expects return!
Agent: Donald Driver expects return
ESPN.com news services | May 17, 2012
Donald Driver’s agent, Jordan Woy, said Thursday the wide receiver is expected to return to the Green Bay Packers for a 14th season.
“He’ll be back,” Woy told ESPN’s Andrew Brandt. “Just need to work out details (after “Dancing with the Stars”).”
Driver is one of three finalists remaining on the reality show.
Packers general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy had been non-committal in addressing Driver’s status with the team.
Driver, the Packers’ all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards, finished with just 37 catches for 445 yards, his lowest totals since the 2001 season.
Information from ESPN’s Andrew Brandt was used in this report.
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From ESPNmilwaukee.com,
GREEN BAY – Apparently unimpressed with the Detroit Lions’ offer to him, free-agent running back Ryan Grant never took a previously scheduled trip to the Motor City on Monday.
Grant’s agent, Alan Herman, said Tuesday that he and Grant canceled the trip because of “economic issues.” He didn’t elaborate, but it seems safe to assume that had the Lions’ offer been more lucrative, Grant would have taken the visit.
Last week, Herman said Grant had an offer on the table from the Lions, who could not only bolster their own backfield but keep Grant away from his current team, the NFC North rival Green Bay Packers, by signing him.
The Packers, meanwhile, have made no attempt to re-sign Grant, who ran for 559 yards (4.2-yard average) and two touchdowns last season. Grant has expressed on several occasions his desire to stay with the Packers, who did not take a running back in the April NFL Draft but may be letting him explore the market before trying to sign him for the veteran minimum.
Reached Tuesday afternoon, Grant said he isn’t concerned about the way his free agency has played out.
“I’m OK with the whole process,” Grant said. “I only concern myself with the stuff I have control of. And right now, that’s training.”
This is good news
Packers 1st Draft Pick
Perry ready to take game to next level
Mike Spofford
The pickings weren’t slim. The Packers had their choice of a handful of defensive front-seven players thought to be first-round talents and went with Nick Perry
, an early entry in the draft after he racked up 21½ sacks in three seasons at USC.
“He’s got that kind of juice,” Packers General Manager Ted Thompson said of Perry’s pass-rush ability. “We’re looking forward to getting him with (outside linebackers coach) Kevin (Greene) and (defensive coordinator) Dom (Capers). He’ll jump in with our guys and compete with our guys and we’ll see how he stacks up.”
Having spent a first-round pick on him, and choosing him over Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw and Penn State’s Devon Still, among others, the Packers are expecting Perry to stack up well.
Erik Walden, Frank Zombo and Brad Jones – all originally late-round draft picks or free agents when they entered the NFL – got their shots last year to play outside linebacker opposite Matthews, but the Packers’ pass rush went from one of the most productive in the league in 2010 to one of the most anemic in 2011.
“We think he can certainly fit into our nickel scheme, being an edge rusher there,” Capers said. “Maybe we can move him around a little bit. You’ve seen how much we move Clay around.”
Thompson called Perry a “tremendous physical specimen,” at 6-2 3/4 and 271 pounds. He ran the 40-yard dash in the 4.5’s – almost unheard of for a player that size – had a 38½-inch vertical leap, and put up 35 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press at the scouting combine. Capers mentioned the “explosion in his body” a couple of times and said, “I don’t think the power and the physical part of it will be any problem for him.”
Perry led USC in sacks with eight as a redshirt freshman in 2009 and then led the Pac-12 Conference with 9½ last season. He also caused five fumbles and batted down six passes over the last two years.
“He played with his hand on the ground, but we’re convinced he’s athletic enough to play standing up and do some of the things we do,” Thompson said. “He’s a very physical guy.”
Perry himself admitted that dropping into coverage as an outside linebacker will require the biggest learning curve, but he has done it in the past. Capers is accustomed to asking prospects to adjust to that in making the transition from defensive end. The Packers appear to have no qualms about Perry’s ability to set the edge against the run or get after the quarterback.
“I think I have the raw set of skills and the mind to do it,” Perry said in a conference call with reporters, moments after walking across the Radio City Music Hall stage in New York City with a Packers jersey. “I think I have a lot to bring to the table. There’s a lot of potential that needs to be taken out of me.”
Perry, who will wear No. 53 for the Packers, also said he already received a congratulatory phone call from Matthews, who was finishing up his USC career when Perry was a redshirt freshman on the scout team.
A native of Detroit, Perry is accustomed to upper-Midwest winters, though they will be a switch from his southern California college days. That’s just one of the things Matthews is likely to help him with.
“I’ll be glad to be across from him just to create problems like he did and be a force on the other side of the ball,” Perry said.
“I’m ready to take it to the next level. It’s been a dream all my life. I’m taking my chance now.”
Packers Hall of Fame Inc. names Rodgers ‘MVP,’ Cobb ‘Rookie of the Year’
Packers Hall of Fame Inc. names Rodgers ‘MVP,’ Cobb ‘Rookie of the Year’
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. today announced that quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Randall Cobb will be honored with the Hall’s awards for ‘Most Valuable Player’ and ‘Rookie of the Year,’ respectively, at the 42nd Packers Hall of Fame Induction Banquet, to be held the evening of July 21, 2012, in the Lambeau Field Atrium. Former head coach Mike Holmgren will become the newest member of the Hall that evening.
Rodgers had an impressive year as he led the team to a franchise-record 15-1 season. In his seventh year with the team, and fourth as starting quarterback, Rodgers guided one of the most explosive offenses in league history. His outstanding season began immediately while becoming only the second quarterback in NFL history to throw three touchdowns in the first quarter of a season opener. He continued showing the same aggressive momentum throughout the regular season, while helping the team become NFC North Champions. His efforts eventually led him to setting franchise records in every major statistical category, being voted first-team All-Pro (first time in his career), being elected as the NFC’s starting QB in the Pro Bowl, and winning the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award. Rodgers ended the regular season having an overall passer rating of 122.5 (NFL record), having completed 343 of his 502 attempts, and set new single-season franchise records with 4,643 yards and 45 touchdowns.
Cobb, a second-round (No. 64 overall) 2011 NFL draft pick out of Kentucky, made his rookie debut with a 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown during the third quarter of the season-opener against the New Orleans Saints. The return not only broke the franchise record, but tied the NFL record for longest kickoff return. The play was voted Play of the Year at the NFL awards ceremony. Cobb also had a 32-yard touchdown reception during the season opener, making him the first Packers player since 2002 to catch a touchdown pass in his first career game. Throughout his first season, Cobb primarily played as wide receiver, while making appearances in every regular season game, completing 25 receptions and gaining 375 yards. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate and to the Pro Football Weekly/PFWA All-Rookie team as a return man
Well, shoot. This is hard to write about. Nick Collins, Green Bay Packers’ Safety who suffered a neck injury against the Panthers in the second week of the 2011 season has been released by the team. Nick Collins was drafted by the Packers in 2005 in the second round. He started ninety-five games and had twenty-one interceptions, five fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four touchdowns. He owns a record through the Packer franchise with nearly 300 interception return yards in 2008.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, there you have it.
I’m going to go cry now.
Some free agents that might be worth the money
By Vic Ketchman, packers.com editor
Free agency begins at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. With a strong eye toward value, not name recognition, these are the free agents, by position, that interest me.
Quarterback
Chad Henne—I liked him coming out of college and in his first year as a starter for the Dolphins. Henne is a strong-armed quarterback with a Michigan pedigree, a combination that seems to have worked nicely for the Patriots. I can’t help but wonder why the Dolphins are quitting on him. I think he’s a solid reclamation project, especially for a championship-caliber team looking for a quality, experienced backup that wants to re-establish his career.
Running back
Mike Tolbert—Short, thick, powerful inside runner that provides pop on the goal line and in short yardage and excels as a receiver and pass blocker. Tolbert caught 54 passes last season and he’s the perfect back for a team that wants to throw the ball. His running skills have been hidden in San Diego’s pass-oriented offense and Tolbert might break out as Michael Turner did when he left the Chargers for the Falcons. Several teams are thought to be interested in Tolbert and he won’t be cheap, but he’s coming into his prime years and has an upside that could make him a distinct value signing.
Wide receiver
Lee Evans—If he can convince a team that he’ll make a full recovery from the foot injury that ruined his season in 2011, Evans could become an underpriced addition for a team looking for depth at the position. A big-play receiver early in his career, receivers have a way of using guile and savvy to lengthen their careers. Evans can likely be signed to an incentive-laden contract that won’t represent much risk but might yield significant reward.
Offensive line
Kareem McKenzie—He’s getting up in age but he’s long been a productive tackle that’s run blocked for Curtis Martin and Tiki Barber and pass blocked well enough for the Giants to win a couple of Super Bowls. He appeared in 2011 to still have game. Dependable tackles are hard to find.
Chris Kemoeatu—Wanna run the ball? This is your guy. He’s a big, powerful road-grader that can pull and lead a back through the hole. The downside is that he’s not nearly as accomplished as a pass blocker and he’ll cost you 10 yards at least twice a game, and often at the worst times. If somebody can reach this guy and develop his skills more fully, they’ll be rewarded by his durability and physicality.
Defensive line
Adam Carriker—Former first-round pick who possesses all of the measurables to predict success as a 3-4 defensive lineman. So why hasn’t he done it? If a team can figure that out, they might reel in a Ryan Pickett type of player that blossoms into a fixture at defensive end in the second half of his career. Carriker should be coming into his best years. Maybe all he needs is one good year.
Linebacker
Joe Mays—If you’re looking for an outside pass rusher, forget about it; teams don’t let those guys get away. Mays is a rugged, hard-hitting inside guy that brings toughness to your defense and special teams. He’s young and his arrow is pointing up. He could be one of the steals of free agency.
Defensive back
Tracy Porter—Young, veteran cornerback who knows how to play. Porter gave the Saints some very good years and one very big interception. He’s a free agent on a Saints team that has too many to re-sign them all. Porter might be ready to take his game to a higher level.
Packers let deadline pass without tagging Flynn, Wells
Written by
Pete Dougherty
Green Bay Press-Gazette
Packers’ unrestricted free agents
QB Matt Flynn
C Scott Wells
CB Jarrett Bush
RB Ryan Grant
DT Howard Green
CB Pat Lee
LB Erik Walden
Matt Flynn will get his chance on the open market.
A source confirmed that the Green Bay Packers did not use their franchise tag on Flynn or anyone else by Monday’s 3 p.m. tag deadline. That means Flynn, their backup quarterback, and center Scott Wells will be among the team’s unrestricted free agents on March 13.
The Packers at least considered tagging Flynn so they could trade him for a better draft pick than the free-agent compensatory selection they’ll receive for him in 2013. But General Manager Ted Thompson apparently determined the risk of getting stuck with Flynn at the $14.4 million franchise tender was too great for the possible reward of a higher draft pick in this April’s draft.
Flynn is sure to sign with another team this offseason for the chance to be a starter and is likely to land the Packers the highest possible compensatory pick, a third rounder, in 2013. That pick will depend on Flynn’s new contract and play next season, and also on any other players the Packers sign or lose in free agency this offseason.
To make tagging Flynn worthwhile, the Packers would have needed to get at least a second-round pick, but they apparently concluded there was too great a risk that they’d either be forced to trade him for less than that or get stuck without a trade and have to pay Flynn the $14.4 million as their backup quarterback.
The teams most in need of a starting quarterback this offseason are Miami, Seattle, Cleveland and Washington.
There’s no reason to think the Packers seriously contemplated using the tag on any of their other impending free agents, most notably Wells. The franchise tender for Wells was a prohibitive $9.4 million because the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement no longer differentiates positions on the offensive line. The tag is calculated by taking the average of the top-five paid offensive linemen for each of the past five years, and the highest-paid offensive linemen almost always are tackles.
The NFL’s highest-paid center, Carolina’s Ryan Kalil, averages about $7 million a season. Wells is believed to be looking for a contract in that range, but the Packers appear unwilling to commit a long-term deal in that pay range to the 31-year-old.
Wells and the Packers have been negotiating this offseason, though there are no signs they’re anywhere close to a deal only a week before the start of free agency. Wells appears set on testing the open market, but if it doesn’t yield the kind of deal he’s hoping for, there’s a chance he could re-sign with the Packers.
A total of 21 NFL teams used their franchise tag this offseason.
