Packers’ recent ‘Headlines & Bottom lines’ – Packers News @ PFT

| 06/18/2012
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‘] GREEN BAY – Headline: Rumor mill says Packers interested in trading WR James Jones
Bottom line: The Houston Chronicle reported this late last week, just like several media outlets have in the past, and I’m still not buying it. My question is this: Why the rush to get Jones out of Green Bay?

These are the facts: Jones is the No. 3 receiver in the NFL’s most potent passing attack. That is a critical role in the Packers’ arsenal, and one that Jones filled admirably in 2011.
Jones caught 38 passes last season, 27 of which went for a first down. Eleven of his 38 receptions went for 20-plus yards. That is an average of two big plays in every three games.
He also caught a career-high seven touchdown passes.
That is significant production in the Packers’ passing game. To suggest Jones simply could be cast aside in favor of second-year pro Randall Cobb is both premature and presumptuous.
Cobb caught 25 passes for one touchdown. Three covered 20-plus yards. All are considerably below Jones’ production. It is likely that Cobb’s numbers will increase with an expanded role, but to think he could haul in 63 passes (Cobb’s 25 plus Jones’ 38) is awful optimistic.
Jones’ value to the Packers’ passing game shouldn’t be undervalued.
Let’s say for conversation’s sake that a team offered a fourth-round pick in return for Jones. I would decline in a heartbeat because it seems unlikely the Packers’ next fourth-round pick is going to play as significant a role on the team as Jones currently does.
A third-round pick would give me pause, but I doubt any team would make such an offer. That is based upon the high value of third-round picks in today’s NFL, and the fact that Jones drew minimal interest during his most recent foray into free agency.
Donald Driver’s expected return for a 14th season leads some to think it suggests Jones is out the door. On the contrary, Driver’s numbers in 2011 were comparable to Jones’. I would argue that both play key roles in Packers’ coach Mike McCarthy’s offense.
They aren’t an either-or proposition.
While much of the offseason focus – and rightly so – has been on revamping the defense, it seems imperative the Packers’ offense remains strong in two areas: pass protection and pass reception.
So long as Aaron Rodgers is upright and he has an ample arsenal the Packers are Super Bowl contenders. Both Jones and Driver are keys.
Headline: McCarthy says he might keep six WRs
Bottom line: I would hope so.
The Packers have the talent at the receiver position to warrant it. They also rely too heavily on the passing attack to cut it too thin there. Whether it is Tori Gurley, Diondre Borel or someone else who stays as the sixth man, it will be a necessary offensive insurance policy.
The Packers’ problem on defense last year wasn’t a lack of depth. It was a lack of quality. The defense doesn’t need more players. It needs better players, a situation that was addressed early and often in the draft.
Keeping six receivers isn’t being gluttonous. It is being prepared.
Also, for those that believe tight end Jermichael Finley should be considered a receiver, and therefore McCarthy would be keeping seven receivers, look at the numbers.
Finley caught 55 passes for eight touchdowns and 44 first downs in 2011. That is significant production already. Even if Finley puts up crazy numbers this season, he can’t make up for Jones’ loss in addition to duplicating his 2011 statistics.
Look for six receivers on the final roster.
Headline: Hawk looking to up production
Bottom line: Glad to hear it. Of all the defensive numbers guaranteed to make you cringe, how about the Packers’ shocking lack of production at linebacker in 2011?
Hawk was part of the problem, and as such, he told a local paper that he has dropped his weight (from a reported 247) to 238 pounds in order to be more effective. Last season, Hawk had 1 ½ sacks, two tackles for a loss and three passes defended. He had zero forced fumbles and no fumble recoveries. He also had way too many tackles beyond the line of scrimmage.
Headline: Packers’ running game a concern
Bottom line: So what’s new?
The Packers rushed for 12 touchdowns last season, a low number until you consider that opponents rushed for 10. Opponents only out-rushed the Packers by 14 yards per game. Packers’ running backs accounted for 89 first downs, compared to 96 for opposing backs, a negligible amount.
The fact is McCarthy is going to go with James Starks as his starter and Alex Green as his third down back with a bit of Brandon Saine and John Kuhn sprinkled into the mix. Cobb may line up more often in the backfield, but remember he had just two carries all of last season.
Starks, Green and Saine – in my opinion – are enough to make it work. The Packers just can’t afford to have any injuries at this position.
Headline: Hargrove still looking at 8-game suspension
Bottom line: It’s time to move on and deal with it. The sooner the Packers are totally committed to surviving the first eight weeks without defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove’s services, the better.
The defensive line was too much the liability last season to leave anything to chance. To wait for Hargrove’s return to be the difference is to be unrealistic. Anything the Packers’ defensive front gets from Hargrove should be considered a bonus.
That way, if he provides fresh legs and renewed energy at the midseason point, it could be a tremendous infusion at a key position. Teams seldom find defensive line help that late in a season, so at least from that optimist’s viewpoint Hargrove’s return is worth anticipating. It’s just that it would be foolish to be counting on it.
Chris Havel is a Packers News expert and national best-selling author. His latest book is Lombardi: An Illustrated Life. Havel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. CDT on WDUZ FM 107.5 The Fan, or on AM-1400, as well as Fan Internet Radio (www.thefan1075.com). Havel also hosts Event USA’ Player Autograph Parties the evening before home games.

Packers 2012 Training Camp Schedule

| 06/17/2012
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‘] Hot off the presses! We’ve got your printable 2012 Green Bay Packers Training Camp Schedule ready to go! Grab your copy now – and be sure to stop by our Event USA kiosk during Training Camp for your chance to win some great prizes!
2012 Packers Training Camp Schedule (1mb PDF)

As Lombardi turns 99, NFL still thriving – Packers News @ PFT

| 06/11/2012
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‘] GREEN BAY – Vince Lombardi would be 99 today.
When the National Football League’s greatest coach died Sept. 3, 1970, at the age of 59, the league had just conquered the color barrier. Unfettered free agency for players was non-existent. The Super Bowl trophy was called just that – the Super Bowl trophy – only to later become known as the Lombardi Trophy.
The AFL-NFL merger was just kicking off that fall.
Monday Night Football was still several years away.

Billion-dollar TV contracts were unheard of, and the possible long-term health problems associated with playing football weren’t considered.
So much has changed since the great coach’s passing.
However, I would argue that for all its differences, the NFL still bears enough resemblance to its pre-merger days that Lombardi and his methods would be relevant.
Lombardi would thrive, just like the league has, for several reasons.
First, Lombardi was a tremendous communicator. He could get his intended message across with scant room for misinterpretation. He knew what he wanted from his assistants and his players, and just as important, they knew it, too.
For all of the portrayals that paint Lombardi as a screaming lunatic, the fact is he was much more complex than that. He understood and treated his players as individuals, but never at the expense of the team. He explained the methods behind his madness – when necessary – and his dynamic and sometimes combustible personality were assets.
Players of any era, I believe, respond to passion. That’s especially true so long as the passion also brings credible, valuable information that can help a player improve his career path.
Lombardi was a dominant personality, an alpha dog in today’s vernacular, but he also was a deep thinker. He didn’t talk to hear himself talk, and he didn’t shout simply for shouting’s sake.
He had a purpose. The purpose was to improve the team.
Lombardi’s ability to effectively communicate was powerful because he had something to say that was worth hearing. Forget what you read about players being lazy. The vast majority want to improve. They want to be coached. They want to be led.
What they detest is being misled, or being made to look foolish on the football field because they got bad or useless information from a coach. That’s when doubt creeps in, mistrust sprouts and defeat sets in.
Lombardi’s ability to communicate was guided by unwavering convictions. He demanded that the game be played a certain way, and he shared his vision with his players in crystal clear fashion. It didn’t mean he was always right, but it surely lessened the possibility of confusion.
Along with his ability to communicate, Lombardi also was an uncanny judge of character and talent. His ability to project college running backs such as Herb Adderley and Bob Jeter into all-pro cornerbacks is just one example. In today’s NFL free agency, and the draft, I suspect Lombardi wouldn’t make many mistakes.
Lombardi turned Willie Davis from a so-so offensive tackle into a perennial all-pro defensive end. He drafted Dave Robinson to play linebacker, rather than tight end. Robinson did both at Penn State.
Lombardi had a gift for talent evaluation.
That gift was augmented by his humanity.
He was among the first NFL coaches to oppose racism. He took it head on with a zero tolerance approach. He made it clear that the best players – whether white or black or gay – would play for him. If a player didn’t like it, he could pack up and hit the road.
He was a complex man. He also was a man for all ages.
Lombardi would be 99 today. After a bit of time to get reacquainted with what the NFL has become I’m guessing Lombardi would be impressed.
I also think he would approve.
Chris Havel is a Packers News expert and national best-selling author. His latest book is Lombardi: An Illustrated Life. Havel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. CDT on WDUZ FM 107.5 The Fan, or on AM-1400, as well as Fan Internet Radio (www.thefan1075.com). Havel also hosts Event USA’ Player Autograph Parties the evening before home games.

On Rodgers, Favre and being a Packer for life – Packers News @ PFT

| 06/04/2012
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‘] GREEN BAY – Donald Driver wants to be a Packer for life. Aaron Rodgers wants to be a Packer for life.
Brett Favre wanted to be a Packer for life.
I suspect anyone who has ever played for the Packers – at some point – wants or wanted to be a Packer for life. In the context of “life” being defined as the balance of a player’s NFL career even the loathsome Jim McMahon wanted to be a Packer for life.

For McMahon, it was about collecting a paycheck, getting a Super Bowl ring and hitching a ride to the White House so he could flash President Clinton with the Bears’ jersey cleverly hid beneath the green and gold.
For Favre, it was much the same reason as Driver and Rodgers: He loved playing for the Green Bay Packers. He loved the fans. He loved the small-town feel. He loved the ability to go deer hunting, if only for a few hours, the day before a home game.
Favre loved the Packers and vice-versa.
I recall interviewing Brett for an article in the Packers’ Yearbook. It was circa 2003, before Irvin Favre’s death, before Mike Sherman’s departure, before Aaron Rodgers’ arrival, before the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings and all the rest.
Brett and I were standing on Lambeau Field near the tunnel to the home team’s locker room. It was a sunny early summer day, much like any of the recent days in Green Bay, with the team’s OTA’s in full swing.
Favre scanned the empty stadium, soaking up the sun along with everything that is wonderful about the place, and he said, “I couldn’t imagine ever playing for another team.”
Favre pointed to the tunnel and wondered aloud, “Could you see me come running out the tunnel, let’s say, in San Diego playing for the Chargers? Could you see me in a Raiders’ uniform? Could you picture me wearing a Cardinals’ uniform?
He didn’t wait for a reply.
“Me neither,” he said, wrinkling his nose.
Back then, the likelihood of Favre suiting up for any other NFL team seemed somewhere between none and non-existent.
Last week, Driver professed his love of the Packers in word and deed. He said so and he followed it up with agreeing to take a pay cut. The contract restructuring doesn’t guarantee Driver a roster spot. It merely insures the opportunity to earn one.
For Driver’s sake, and his fans’ sake, I hope he retires a Packer.
The sentiment for Rodgers is the same. However, the receiver and the quarterback are in different stages of their career.
Driver is still charming and capable, but he also is near the end.
Rodgers, equally captivating in his own way, seems on the verge of sustained greatness. Rodgers says he wants to be a Packer for life, and his fans shake with delight.
They can’t imagine Rodgers throwing touchdowns for another NFL team like they couldn’t imagine Favre doing likewise.
Look at Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. In 2009, Brees led them victory in the Super Bowl. He was the king of the Big Easy. Brees wasn’t the Saints’ quarterback. He was the Saints, period.
Now, Brees and the Saints are locked in a difficult contract negotiation. Common sense suggests each has too much to lose to blow it up. Then again, when has common sense dictated all the action in the NFL?
Surely, it warms Packers’ fans hearts to hear Driver and Rodgers espouse their enduring love of the team. That’s because the thought of them playing elsewhere is painful, just as it Favre’s exit hurt.
Sadly, with one retired (Favre) and two to go (Driver and Rodgers), the reality of “life” in the NFL suggests McMahon likely will be the only one of the four to retire as a member of the Green Bay Packers.
Here is a well-intentioned though unsolicited suggestion: Enjoy Driver and Rodgers for as long as the Packers have them. Just try not to be crushed if the definition of “life” in this context shifts between now and then.
Chris Havel is a Packers News expert and national best-selling author. His latest book is Lombardi: An Illustrated Life. Havel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. CDT on WDUZ FM 107.5 The Fan, or on AM-1400, as well as Fan Internet Radio (www.thefan1075.com). Havel also hosts Event USA’ Player Autograph Parties the evening before home games.

In praise of The Donald, and why #80 remains relevant – Packers News @ PFT

| 05/28/2012
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‘] GREEN BAY – Now that Donald Driver has danced his way to stardom everybody wants to know: Will the Packers save the last dance for him?
Interest in Driver, and affection toward him, is at an all-time high.

Driver’s compelling appearances on “Dancing With The Stars” enthralled a national TV audience that extends beyond Packers’ fans. Viewers of all walks were captivated by Driver’s charm and won over by his amazing life.
Imagine this: After 13 NFL seasons, 735 catches and 59 touchdown receptions, Driver has become an overnight sensation.
The 37-year-old’s victory on “DWTS” is especially engaging because it comes at a time when Driver’s “day job” hangs in the balance.
What will the Green Bay Packers do?
Will they keep him? Will they cut him?
If they keep him, some will suggest he’s a charity case. If they cut him, others will say the Packers’ GM and head coach weren’t loyal.
In fact, neither would be true.
If the Packers’ Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy elect to keep Driver on the 53-man roster, rest assured it won’t be due to any sentimentality. The Packers didn’t become a team of the present, and future, by making uninformed, emotion-based decisions. If they can cut a player as likeable and skilled as Nick Collins, they can cut anybody.
On the other hand, if Thompson and McCarthy elect to cut Driver, it doesn’t make them disloyal or ungrateful or villains.
It means they are doing their jobs.
Some fans are so focused on expressing “their opinion” that they haven’t taken the steps to form an opinion worth hearing. That said, if the Packers ultimately waive Driver, all it will take is a few wins to wash away the discord.
The simple fact is this: If Driver didn’t bring value to the Packers, rest assured he would have been cut yesterday.
Furthermore, now isn’t the time to make this decision.
What happens if – God forbid – there is a catastrophic injury at receiver?
What happens if the collective receiving corps continues to be thwarted by a case of the drops?
What happens if Diondre Borel and/or Tory Gurley flinch in the spotlight? What happens if they simply aren’t good enough? They wouldn’t be the first.
What happens if the tight ends and/or offensive line suffer a major setback? What happens if Jermichael Finley doesn’t dominate, or if Jeff Saturday grows old overnight? What happens then?
Donald Driver is what happens.
He brings value in so many ways. Occasionally, it’s because of the things he doesn’t do.
He doesn’t groan and moan if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t throw him the ball. He doesn’t gripe about his contract – in fact, he is willing to play at or near the veteran’s minimum salary. He doesn’t make it about him.
What he does is lead by example.
Whether he can still play at a level high enough remains to be seen, but that’s nothing new. Every year the challenge is great.
When McCarthy talks about the 2012 Packers being “the most talented and experienced” team he has coached it is because of players such as Driver. When McCarthy talks about “the great competition” he also is talking about players such as Driver.
Veterans like No. 80 will be pushed, or pushed out.
It is the way the best NFL teams operate. It is how the Packers operate.
So the question remains: What will be Donald Driver’s fate? Will the Packers save the last dance for him?
The answer is fairly obvious.
If one of the Packers’ young receivers proves to be as good as Driver, the veteran will be waived. If Driver sustains any setbacks in training camp, he will be waived. If his play remains clearly better than any of the contenders, or mitigating circumstances demand it, he stays.
My best guess is a young receiver emerges and the offense remains powerful though Driver-less for the first time since 1999. Translation: The Packers play in the Super Bowl and Driver plays in Cleveland.
Chris Havel is a Packers News expert and national best-selling author. His latest book is Lombardi: An Illustrated Life. Havel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. CDT on WDUZ FM 107.5 The Fan, or on AM-1400, as well as Fan Internet Radio (www.thefan1075.com). Havel also hosts Event USA’ Player Autograph Parties the evening before home games.

Ten things (I think) I know about the Packers – Packers News @ PFT

| 05/21/2012
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‘] GREEN BAY – It has been a long, trying offseason for the NFL.
The New Orleans Saints’ “Bounty Program” and subsequent stories, including the eight-game suspension of Packers defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove, coupled with lawsuits filed by former players against the league, have been front and center.

Meantime, the Packers go about the business of getting back to the Super Bowl. There isn’t a lot of fanfare, and scant little hype. There haven’t been many big stories surrounding the Packers. Recent headlines in the state media have been pretty ho-hum.
For example, safety Charlie Peprah intends to retain his starting job at safety. Really? And here I thought he would just hand it over. Another headline, “Brett Favre to be inducted into Packer Hall of Fame.” That was revealed during the Packers’ Tailgate Tour. No surprise. The real question – when? – was not addressed.
In light of the slow news, I am presenting readers with a list of “Ten Things (I think I know) about the Packers.”
Number 10: At least one and perhaps more players will emerge from the Packers’ ranks of the undrafted. It is a routine offseason occurrence. In 2010, it was cornerback Sam Shields who caught fans’ eyes and earned a spot on the final roster of a Super Bowl champion. So did punter Tim Masthay and the aforementioned Peprah.
In 2011, corner M.D. Jennings, running back Brandon Saine and several other undrafted free agents contributed.
Who will it be this year? Nic Cooper, a fullback from Winston-Salem State, and corner Otis Merrill from Illinois State might be the next undrafted free agents to make their mark. Rest assured, some will.
Number 9: The Packer Hall of Fame Golf Outing, which takes place Monday, July 9, is my favorite golf outing of all-time. Every ex-Packers player that can make it does so. It makes for a star-studded list of men that qualify as friends to Packers’ fans. Packers’ greats such as Willie Davis, Dave Robinson and Lynn Dickey are always great to see. It makes for a memorable day, and a terrific show on 107.5 FM The FAN from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. with all the wonderful player interviews.
Number 8: I think Jerel Worthy wearing No. 99 is a good thing. A tough, rugged NFL defense should have a kick-butt player who wears No. 99. One of the Packers’ more recent No. 99, Jamal “Too Small” Reynolds, didn’t quite cut it. Worthy certainly has the size and pedigree to make No. 99 stand tall and proud.
Number 7: The defense is better. It has to be. Worthy, Nick Perry and Casey Hayward in addition to the later defensive draft picks and undrafted free agents infuse the defense with talent and physical prowess it sorely lacked. The attention GM Ted Thompson paid to that side of the ball is going to bear fruit.
Number 6: Aaron Rodgers is the rare great player who not only can get better, but actually will get better. Count on it.
Number 5: The Packers are putting a lot of faith in running back Alex Green. It is one position that failed to be addressed in the recent draft. It shows that Thompson isn’t giving up on Green, and that last year’s third-round draft pick from Hawaii still figures in the team’s plans. Green has to because it’s up to him, James Starks and Brandon Saine to carry the load out of the backfield.
Number 4: When Anthony Hargrove’s suspension ends, the veteran defensive end is going to contribute in a big way. Hargrove and others involved in the Saints’ “Bounty Program” – in my opinion – were given much too harsh punishment. The commissioner should have placed great blame and responsibility on the men (Gregg Williams, Sean Payton, etc.) who ran or allowed the programs, not the players.
Number 3: When the Packers hired Mike McCarthy over Brad Childress, Sean Payton and others in 2006, they got the pick of the litter.
Number 2: The Packers will win fewer games in 2012 but be a better team than in 2011. Count on it. Thompson and McCarthy have invested major time in making this a more-rounded team. They generally accomplish what they set out to do.
Number 1: I can’t wait for the start of training camp, and the Milwaukee Brewers aren’t helping the situation.
Stay tuned, and have a safe, reflective and fun Memorial Day Weekend.
Chris Havel is a Packers News expert and national best-selling author. His latest book is Lombardi: An Illustrated Life. Havel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. CDT on WDUZ FM 107.5 The Fan, or on AM-1400, as well as Fan Internet Radio (www.thefan1075.com). Havel also hosts Event USA’ Player Autograph Parties the evening before home games.

Rookie, free agent talent pool key to Packers’ success – Packers News @ PFT

| 05/14/2012
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‘] GREEN BAY – Packers coach Mike McCarthy seemed pleased with his players’ progress during this past weekend’s three-day rookie camp.
McCarthy especially liked what he saw in Sunday’s final gathering.
“Today was our best practice,” McCarthy told reporters afterward. “The tempo was the best we had of the three. I really felt the practice environment for the team as a whole got better through the weekend. That’s a credit to the players and a credit to our coaches.”
McCarthy said his team “actually finished a little ahead of schedule” coming off the practice field.

“I don’t think that’s ever happened for a rookie orientation camp,” he said. “They were flying around (Sunday).”
The three-day camp included eight draft picks, 14 undrafted free agents and 29 tryout players. McCarthy and General Manager Ted Thompson met immediately after the final practice to begin determining which of the tryout players would fill the final four spots on the 90-man roster.
McCarthy’s desire to get his young players up to speed as quickly as possible is twofold: It hastens the young players’ development, and it allows the veterans to hit the field running when voluntary OTA’s (Organized Team Activities) begin May 22.
The Packers had a league-high number of rookies and first-year players on their roster last season, according to the team.
“The way our program is designed tells you how we feel about young players,” McCarthy said. “We’ve been a draft-and-develop program going on Year Seven now. It’s a young man’s league, in my opinion. I think that’s a trend that potentially is only going to pick up, so it would not surprise me if you continue to see those numbers.”
So where on a team coming off a 15-1 season do young players have the best shot to stick? Opportunity exists in the receiving corps, to be sure, as well as along the offensive line and in each of the three levels (defensive line, linebacker and secondary) on the defense.
At receiver, Donald Driver appears to be the most vulnerable.
Driver enters his 14th season playing a position not known for its longevity. Whether he fends off young wideouts such as Tori Gurley and/or Diondre Borel remains to be seen. Typically, an aging veteran must be clearly better – rather than the equal of – a possible successor.
Thus far, Driver has been able to prevail over all comers, but that may change for the wildly popular “Dancing With The Stars” contestant.
“Gurley and Borel stood out and that’s what you expect,” McCarthy said. “It’s a camp that you don’t have a lot of contact. You look for their skill set, what they bring to the table, how they fit, the potential for a roster spot. There are definitely a few guys that’ll have a chance to stay.”
Offensive line depth is critical. Florida State’s Andrew Datko seems a strong candidate for the 2012 practice squad, but it’s still early.
Defensively, the top three picks (linebacker Nick Perry, defensive lineman Jerel Worthy and cornerback Casey Hayward) are in position to earn significant roles and playing time.
Who stays and who goes remains to be seen, but McCarthy takes pains not to prejudice himself. It is a wise course. All too often factors such as injuries can transform a position of great depth into a position of need.
“I don’t concern myself with (roster spots) in May,” he said. “Create the competition and your roster will come to you. I don’t chase roster moves in May and June. I don’t ever try to pick the team this early.”
Indeed, it isn’t for the head coach to chase roster spots this early.
That concern is left to the Donald Drivers of the team, and the young players who dream of supplanting them.
Chris Havel is a Packers News expert and national best-selling author. His latest book is Lombardi: An Illustrated Life. Havel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. CDT on WDUZ FM 107.5 The Fan, or on AM-1400, as well as Fan Internet Radio (www.thefan1075.com). Havel also hosts Event USA’ Player Autograph Parties the evening before home games.

May 7: All eyes on 2012 draft, but Packers need help from 2011 in a big way

| 05/07/2012
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‘] GREEN BAY – The general rule of thumb is that it takes three NFL seasons to accurately evaluate a team’s draft class.

The thumb isn’t always right.
There are instances when educated conclusions can be drawn early on. For instance, there is the Green Bay Packers’ 2011 rookie pool, and the educated conclusion is this: They are critical to the team’s success this season. With them, the Packers could be a complete team. Without them, the Packers will be severely limited in several key areas.
After one season, eight of GM Ted Thompson’s 10 draft picks from 2011 are still on the roster, which means they are still projected – if not expected – to contribute in a meaningful role.
They are: First round – Derek Sherrod, offensive lineman, Mississippi State; Second round – Randall Cobb, receiver/return specialist, Kentucky, second round; Third round – Alex Green, running back, Hawaii; Fourth round – Davon House, cornerback, New Mexico State; Fifth round – D.J. Williams, tight end, Arkansas; Sixth round – D.J. Smith, linebacker, Appalachian State; Seventh round – Ryan Taylor, tight end, North Carolina; and Seventh round – Lawrence Guy – defensive end, Arizona State.
That is a lot of young players with key roles on a 15-1 team that returns as a Super Bowl favorite among Las Vegas odds-makers.
Five of the eight contribute either on offense or special teams.
All are areas that Thompson couldn’t address for two reasons: The defense – like an emergency room patient – demanded immediate attention; and these areas all were tended to in the previous 2011 draft.
Thompson’s greatest strength may be his ability to evaluate talent. His second-greatest strength may be his ability to stay true to his evaluations, and therefore the players, rather than falling in love with the quote/unquote “next great player” in the upcoming draft.
While all eyes are on the Class of 2012 and its potential to re-energize the team’s sagging defense, the 2011 group’s performance is critical.
Everything the Packers didn’t get in this year’s draft was accounted for in last year’s. Think about it. The Packers’ need for defense superseded any needs on offense or in the return game.
Fortunately, Thompson’s 2011 draft covered those areas.
Now it is time for second-year players such as Sherrod, Green, House and Williams to step into critical roles at their positions.
Sherrod, who is recovering from a broken leg, was hurt by the NFL’s lockout last offseason. Consider SI.com’s pre-2011 draft evaluation:
“Sherrod has been a consistent player at Mississippi State and possesses all the skills necessary to develop into a left tackle at the next level. He’ll need time to physically mature and add strength to his frame, but he is one of the better blind side tackle prospects in this draft.”

Fate didn’t allow Sherrod’s body the time it needed to develop last season. Now, he has had a full offseason to gain the necessary strength. The Packers are counting on him to provide depth, if not eventually become the starting left tackle.
Green, a powerfully built 6-foot-1, 220-pound athlete, is coming off a knee injury. Reports are that he is fully healed and ready to assume a role as the third-down back in the Packers’ offense.
Some may have preferred a smaller, quicker, more elusive player in that role – a Darren Sproles type – but Green’s limited offseason a year ago stunted his growth. He spent too much time thinking and not enough time reacting until a knee injury ended his season.
Green, I suspect, will surprise fans with his explosion this time around.
While Packers’ fans marveled at Cobb’s exploits in the return game last year, it should be noted that both Green and Cobb were timed at identical 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash last year.
Green has the necessary burst to add punch to the running game, especially as a threat to catch it out of the backfield. Here is SI.com’s 2011 pre-draft analysis of Green:
“Green is a physically gifted ball carrier with the athletic skills and running abilities to make it at the next level. He offers potential as a second back in the NFL if he rounds out his game and carries the ball with more physicality.”
Give Green a chance.
Next up is House, a cornerback, who was beset by an array of injuries during training camp. House, like Green, was a victim of circumstances but shouldn’t be dismissed. Here is SI.com’s pre-draft evaluation:

“House is a talented player who has been productive on the college level. He comes with a great amount of upside and has starting potential in the NFL if he is able to fine-tune his game and consistently do the little things well.”
Fine tuning comes through repetition. House is a big corner (six feet, 200 pounds) who runs a 4.42-second 40-yeard dash. He is being counted on to compete with rookie Casey Hayward as a dime defensive back, and also to bolster the special teams’ coverage units.
For those who are skeptical of the pre-draft reports, please consider what SI.com had to say about Cobb:

“(Cobb) is a versatile skill player who positively affects the offense in a variety of ways. Shows terrific quickness, has a burst of speed, and is dynamic handling the ball. (Cobb’s) a fluid receiver who comes back to the pass out of breaks, easily adjusts to the errant throw, and possesses both soft and strong hands. He plays with intelligence.”
That sounds a lot like the player Cobb has become in Green Bay. The Packers need Sherrod, Green and the rest to do likewise.
Chris Havel is a national best-selling author and his latest book is Lombardi: An Illustrated Life. Havel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. CDT on WDUZ FM 107.5 The Fan, or on AM-1400, as well as Fan Internet Radio (www.thefan1075.com). Havel also hosts Event USA’ MVP Parties the evening before home games.

Packers draft for defense, more defense – Packers News @ PFT

| 04/30/2012
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‘] GREEN BAY – Ted Thompson would take an oath that he drafts based upon his board, rather than need, but nobody seems to believe it.
Jerel Worthy
Well, believe it.
The Packers’ general manager drafted for defense, defense and more defense in last weekend’s 2012 NFL draft. The picks weren’t based upon need, though, because Thompson was aggressive.
He didn’t reach for a position of need. He simply traded up to the point in the draft where the Packers’ need and his board merged. It didn’t make a liar out of Thompson, and it may have cured what ails the team.
In the first round, Thompson sat tight and waited for USC linebacker Nick Perry to fall to the 28th pick. By refusing to panic, or worse, to reach, Thompson acquired a top 20 talent at the team’s most critical position of need. And he did it by being patient.
Perry, at 6-3 and 271 pounds, is a beast. He ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash, and he tossed up 225 pounds an impressive 38 times without breaking a sweat. He can rush the passer, and he can set an edge, and most important he can play.
Perry is strong enough to avoid being steamrolled by opposing offenses, and he is fast enough to chase down plays from behind should they choose to attack Clay Matthews.
He gives Packers’ defensive coordinator Dom Capers options, and he makes it really difficult for offenses to load up on Matthews.
The Packers’ likely selection, according to nine out of 10 mock drafts, was Boise State defensive end Shea McClellin. Six weeks ago, reports said Thompson was high on McClellin. My guess is that prompted several NFL teams to take another close look at McClellin. The Chicago Bears must have liked what they saw and selected him at No. 19.
The Bears may have reached given McClellin’s serious concussion history. Frankly, I was glad the Bears took him and Thompson didn’t have to make that call. In fact, I believe Thompson would have selected Perry over McClellin anyway, based on the fact that Thompson DID TAKE PERRY at No. 28.
Then, in the second round, Thompson got acutely aggressive.
He traded up not once, but twice to ensure quality over quantity.
The first came when Thompson traded up to get the 51st pick, which guaranteed the Packers one of two players: Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead or Michigan State defensive lineman Jerel Worthy. Pead went to St. Louis at No. 50, so Thompson jumped on Worthy.
Worthy, a 6-foot-2, 308-pound stud, was projected by many so-called experts to go in the mid- to late-first round. Worthy has strength and power against the run, and definite pass rush capability. One of the knocks was against his motor, which some believe runs hot and cold.
I will say this for Worthy: Twice against the Wisconsin Badgers’ highly rated offensive line he was dominant. He stood out against the best competition, which means he loves to rise to a challenge.
Then, in the second round, Thompson traded up to acquire the 62nd pick, meaning he would get either Oregon running back LaMichael James, or Vanderbilt cornerback Casey Hayward. When the San Francisco 49ers took James, the Packers countered with Hayward, who was highly regarded by a significant number of scouts.
Again, it is my guess that Thompson could have been happy with either.
The Packers’ one need on offense – a speed back – didn’t get satisfied. But an occasionally woeful Green Bay defense got a terrific infusion of youth, speed and strength in the first two rounds.
Obviously, any GM can trade up to acquire a specific player. The trick is to get the correct player. By being aggressive, Thompson parlayed 12 picks into presumably a handful of quality players.
In the final analysis, the Packers were fortunate USC’s Nick Perry was there for the taking at No. 28. Then, they relied on their scouts’ talent and hard work to target high second-round players to stoke the defense.
Now that Thompson’s and his scouts’ work is done it is time for Phase 2 of the Packers’ operation to kick in: The player development side.
Rest assured Dom Capers and Co. can’t wait to get to work.
Chris Havel is a Packers News expert and national best-selling author. His latest book is Lombardi: An Illustrated Life. Havel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. CDT on WDUZ FM 107.5 The Fan, or on AM-1400, as well as Fan Internet Radio (www.thefan1075.com). Havel also hosts Event USA’ Player Autograph Parties the evening before home games.