By CHRIS HAVEL

Gifted writer, public relations man extraordinaire was a credit to team

With a wry grin and in a booming, baritone voice, Lee Remmel would kick off the quarterback’s news conference in grand style: “And now, ladies and gentlemen, BRETT LORENZO FAVRE!”
Then, Remmel would stealthily step back into the shadows, one Packers’ legend quietly, proudly yielding the spotlight to another.
Remmel, 90, passed away Thursday, and the Green Bay Packers lost one of the kindest, wisest and most extraordinary men in team history.
The Shawano native attended his first Packers game in 1944 while working at The Shawano Evening-Leader. A year later, Remmel covered his first game as a writer for the Green Bay Press-Gazette, and it began a 62-year love affair between him and the Packers.
Remmel went from sports writer to Packers’ public relations man in 1974. When I arrived in Green Bay to cover the Packers for the Press-Gazette in August of 1991, Remmel was among the first people I met.
We went to Pizza Hut, I believe, and he explained his role as PR director. Simply put, he never betrayed the trust of his employer, and he would do everything in his power to assist me in doing my job.
That was pretty much it.
Then we ate, talked about the Packers (what else?), my family, the Press-Gazette’s history and more Packers.
Through the next two decades, I marveled at the way Lee would do his job with consistency, professionalism and good humor. Clearly, he loved what he was doing, and he enjoyed helping people.
Lee was small of stature, but his presence naturally caused folks to gravitate toward him. His smile invariably triggered a chain reaction and his voice caused heads to tilt his direction. When Lee talked, it was you own fault if you didn’t know enough to shut up and listen.
Remmel was a first-rate storyteller. The pitch was perfect, the timing impeccable and the delivery flawless. He could make a 20-minute wait preceding a news conference feel like the time it takes to laugh heartily.
Remmel’s ability to artfully fill the gaps was unforgettable. Whereas some PR people might consider a pause between interviews “killing time” Remmel viewed it as an opportunity. He’d seize the moment to do a bit of stand-up comedy liberally laced with Packers history.
The concoction was intoxicating. Undoubtedly more than a few news conferences were greeted with genuine shrugs of indifference because the lead-in show was over.  Remmel was that good.
Lee also was a historian and so much more.
Lee’s office was a monument to organized chaos. Super Bowl mementos, one-of-a-kind autographed items and priceless collectibles were mixed here and there with media guides, game programs and other assorted NFL-related paraphernalia.
When Lee passed, the Packers issued this release:
“The Packers lost a cherished family member today,” Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said. “Lee was a key member of the organization for many years, and his knowledge of Packers history was unparalleled. He was a great ambassador, and through his public relations work he helped multiple generations of Packers fans learn more about the team.
“We extend our sincerest condolences to his family.”
In 1996, Lee was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. His legacy also continues with the annual Lee Remmel Sports Awards banquet, which honors athletes of all ages with Wisconsin ties – prep and collegiate, amateur and professional – and raises scholarship money for area students.
Remmel was surprised by an award at his own banquet in 2009, when former Packers president/CEO Bob Harlan named him the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award.  It couldn’t have gone to anyone more deserving.
Remmel’s 62-year run with the Packers spanned Curly Lambeau’s era, it included the great Vince Lombardi’s phenomenal decade, and it spanned the Mike Holmgren-to-Mike McCarthy Super Bowl teams.
Remmel was one-of-a-kind as a scholar, gentleman and lover of life.
He will be missed.
Rest assured, if/when the Packers are playing in Super Bowl 50 one of the grandest storylines will be all about Lee Remmel watching over his beloved team.
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.

By CHRIS HAVEL

Thompson likely to let his draft board dictate where Green Bay goes for help

The Green Bay Packers are 17 days and a handful of hours away from annual infusion of rookie talent.
Naturally, Packers fans are eager to see GM Ted Thompson try to top his 2014 masterpiece that produced Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, DaVante Adams and Corey Linsley, among others.
It’s possible given the 2015 NFL draft’s depth and the Packers’ history of navigating the three-day affair with aplomb.
I’ll try to anticipate Thompson’s moves based on past performance.
Will he trade up? I don’t see it. The only way is if there’s a player the Packers absolutely love that also fills a glaring need AND happens to slide within trading distance.
That’s a lot of ifs.
Furthermore, Thompson dislikes parting with multiple picks to move up, which means less chances to hit on players in mid- to late-rounds.
Perhaps Thompson will trade back, acquire more picks and STILL select the player Green Bay covets. Moving back is always a possibility with Thompson because he trusts his board and his scouts to the point that they give him multiple viable options.
In turn, Thompson relies on his system and allows it to work for him. He may bypass a “name” player in the draft, trade back and land a lesser-known player who draws quizzical looks from Packers’ fans.
The truth is Thompson knows what he’s doing and is among the best when it comes to working the draft. That’s why I think he’ll sit tight at No. 30, allow the draft to unfold and nail a quality player at one of three positions of perceived need: Inside linebacker, cornerback and tight end.
If Thompson elects to choose an inside linebacker, one possibility is UCLA’s Eric Kendricks, a versatile backer with the range to cover tight ends or backs if necessary. Mississippi State’s Bernardrick McKinney is a big hitter with a much bigger frame (6-0, 232 vs. 6-4, 255), but he also could be a liability in coverage.
Some of this depends on how defensive coordinator Dom Capers and head coach Mike McCarthy plan to use the inside linebackers.
Another possibility is tight end, where Minnesota’s Maxx Williams appears to be the top talent by a long shot. If Williams is still around in the late twenties, the Packers might consider trading up but that’s only if they believe he can be an impact player in his first year.
Those types of talents are rare. On the other hand, if Williams is graded significantly higher than other players as the draft unwinds and the 30th pick is at hand, Thompson might go tight end and trust his board to fill other needs (cornerback and inside linebacker) in the second round and beyond.
That would be riskier if the Packers hadn’t matched Oakland’s offer for safety Sean Richardson on Monday. By retaining Richardson, Micah Hyde is free to play more cornerback. Also, if Morgan Burnett were to be injured, Richardson’s presence would allow Clinton-Dix to retain his role as a wide-ranging, ball-hawking last line of defense.
The Packers also re-signed fullback John Kuhn on Monday, which helps special teams and covers them on third downs.
Slowly, the pieces are falling into place at 1265.
I would expect Thompson to go inside linebacker at No. 30, followed by the best available player, especially if it’s a cornerback, defensive lineman or edge pass rusher.
The Packers also will snag a quarterback. My guess is they’ll begin looking in earnest as early as the fourth round. Also, Thompson’s apt to draft an offensive lineman with versatility ala Don Barclay.
Often, the team’s strategy is dictated by who’s gone and who’s still available. Back in the day, when the media tried to elicit a response from GM Ron Wolf in terms of who he might draft, he would reply, “I will if you can tell which players are gone.”
That summed it up.
Thompson, like his mentor Wolf, is willing to trust his scouts – and his board – and stay cool as a cucumber throughout. The Packers also don’t have a big-shot owner sticking his nose in football business, or an adversarial GM-head coach relationship to deal with.
In Green Bay it’s all about football, and in 17 days and a handful of hours Thompson is going to get busy improving the team’s roster. For Packers’ fans the draft is the gift that keeps on giving.
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.

By CHRIS HAVEL

Packers would be wise to follow Wisconsin’s blueprint to success

Even the 24-7, 365-day ‘round-the-year beast called the NFL pumps its brakes for the NCAA men’s basketball championship game.
It was especially so for the Green Bay Packers, who had to look no further than Madison to admire the Badgers’ brilliance all season.
Ultimately, Wisconsin fell to Duke, 68-63, in Monday night’s title game in Indianapolis. The loss was painful, but the way the Badgers responded to last year’s last-second loss to Kentucky was impressive.
The Badgers didn’t hide from the loss. They hurt from it. They absorbed it. They learned from it.
Sam Dekker got stronger. Nigel Hayes developed 3-point range. Bronson Koenig returned ready to consistently contribute as a sophomore. And Frank Kaminsky merely came back to capture the NCAA men’s basketball Player of the Year Award.
Constantly, they were motivated by the loss to Kentucky. I suspect the Packers’ response to that gut-wrenching 28-22 overtime loss at Seattle in the NFC Championship Game will be similar.
In fact, it has been so far.
Mike McCarthy didn’t shy away from the loss. He analyzed it. He was honest with himself. He made changes.
McCarthy fired his close friend and special teams’ coordinator Shawn Slocum. He relinquished the play-calling duties so that he could focus on the big picture. In addition, it allowed him to further empower assistant head coach Tom Clements and offensive coordinator/receivers coach Edgar Bennett.
While the Packers’ roster will experience significant turnover compared with Wisconsin’s, the key players remain to right the wrong.
Aaron Rodgers is highly driven by nature. Imagine what it’s like for him to have to swallow the fact that Green Bay was five minutes away from a Super Bowl berth? Others have similar attitudes and motivation.
Julius Peppers telling Morgan Burnett to take a knee, and Clay Matthews literally taking a knee to rest on the sidelines at the most critical moment, surely want vindication.
No doubt Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb would like another opportunity to light up the scoreboard in the second half at Seattle, or wherever the title game is played. It’s something they failed to do in this most recent and painful playoff loss.
So far, the Packers have had a strong off-season. When they arrive April 20 for the start of team activities, I suspect there will be a pervading attitude of vowing not to miss that opportunity again.
Likewise, the returning Badgers vowed to avenge last year’s loss to Kentucky, and to do everything in their power to rewrite the ending. Dekker’s cell phone wallpaper showed the Wildcats celebrating. It was a constant reminder of how much it hurt to get so close and fail.
The Packers could follow suit and use as a backdrop the Seahawks’ recovery of the onside kick as major motivation.
On Monday, the Badgers were poised to become national champions. They had a healthy Dekker, and Koenig was an upgrade over Traevon Jackson at point guard. Also, Duje Dukan had become a 3-point threat, Josh Gasser continued to play relentlessly on a surgically repaired knee, and Hayes kept getting better each day.
With all of that going for it, Wisconsin had a great chance to be cutting down the nets in Indy. Instead, the Blue Devils prevailed. But that did nothing to diminish the Badgers’ run to the title game.
The Badgers defeated Coastal Carolina by two touchdowns to open their NCAA Tournament run. They followed it with an epic stretch of seven-point victories over Oregon, North Carolina, Arizona and Kentucky.
Wisconsin was on a mission. The Badgers weren’t going to be denied. Not by a misspent off-season. Not by past demons. Not by anything except Duke’s terrific freshmen and perhaps tired legs from contending with Kentucky in the semi-finals.
The takeaway from this isn’t that the Badgers came up short. It’s that they gathered themselves from a difficult defeat, made tremendous use of the off-season and had the greatest season in the modern era of Wisconsin men’s basketball.
It’ll be interesting to watch the retooled, rejuvenated Packers try to get beyond that crushing loss at Seattle in the NFC Championship and return to the Super Bowl.
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.

By CHRIS HAVEL
Fritz Shurmur, the Packers’ feisty but sage defensive coordinator in the 1990s, once said, “If you don’t have a defensive line, you don’t have a defense.”
Shurmur had one of the NFL’s finest defensive lines of all-time with Reggie White, Santana Dotson and Sean Jones flanking Gilbert Brown, the Gravedigger, to torture opposing offenses.
Today, the Packers took measures to field a D-Line and thus, a defense. Letroy Guion and B.J. Raji will return, according to numerous reports.
Guion, 27, earned the starting nose tackle job last year in training camp when Raji, 29, suffered a season-ending biceps tear. The Packers’ decision to re-sign Guion and Raji makes sense for several reasons. They come at a below-market price not because of a lack of talent, but because of circumstances.
Guion’s deal is for one year worth $2.75 million, according to ESPN sources. Raji’s offer also is for one year at less than $2 million. That’s considerably less than the Lions paid Haloti Ngata.
True, Guion and Raji aren’t Ngata. But both are highly motivated.
Guion, who was arrested on felony marijuana and firearm possession charges in February, finalized a plea agreement last week. Then, he visited the Seattle Seahawks before electing to return to Green Bay. Without knowing what, if anything, the Seahawks offered it’s difficult to know why he chose the Packers. Then again, does it matter?
Guion isn’t in a position with great leverage given his off-field mistake. And Raji, who is coming off the biceps tear, has to prove himself fit and willing to play hard and at a respectable level.
Guion, who became the starter because of Raji’s injury, now finds himself in a battle to see who’s going to be in the lineup. That’s because Raji may have to start at the beginning of the season due to Guion’s possible suspension. The NFL is determining what course to take but it is likely Guion could miss two to four games to open the season.
Raji will have time to show what he can do. If he flashes his old form it sets him up for a nice payday after the season. It’s the same with Guion, who lost $190,000 cash and his new pickup truck in the arrest.
The Packers’ nose tackle signings also impact the draft. Now, the Packers are free to focus on inside linebacker, cornerback and tight end with the 30^th pick overall. No matter what happens with the first 29 selections the Packers are assuredly going to be in position to add a top-notch defensive player. The decision may come down to which of the remaining players at those positions are the highest-graded on their board.
Clearly, Packers GM Ted Thompson hasn’t painted himself into a corner. He has great flexibility in the draft, and he has more than enough ammo and acumen to go up or move down, whichever he sees fit. It is possible he could have to choose between the top inside linebacker and a cornerback they really like. It will be interesting.
Guion started every game in Green Bay last year. He finished with 3 ½ sacks and 62 tackles. He earned as much praise as money from the team, and he received unwavering support from head coach Mike McCarthy soon after his off-season arrest in Florida.
“I think to a man, everybody would like to see Letroy be a Green Bay Packer,” McCarthy told reporters at last week’s NFL annual meetings in Phoenix.
The Packers have now signed or re-signed Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga, Scott Tolzien, Guion and Raji.
In the big picture, the Packers had the NFL’s most potent offense last season. They haven’t lost any key figures and actually have added depth with Bulaga’s re-signing and Don Barclay’s return from injury. They should be able to score more than enough points to win a lot.
What they lacked was depth in the defensive line, competence at inside linebacker and quality special teams’ play.
McCarthy has already addressed the special teams, and Thompson will do likewise with inside linebacker, corner and tight end in the draft.
That’s the setup to having a really fine off-season.
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.

By CHRIS HAVEL
The NFL off-season’s initial flurry of free agent activity has quelled it is time to recap the key comings-and-goings, look to the Packers’ draft and bottom line the NFL’s owners meetings.

Headline: NFL seeks to expand replay

Bottom line: Haven’t we suffered enough?
Replay has its place in adjudicating and impacting NFL games, but those boundaries – like my patience – have been stretched to the limit. Some teams want replay to include all penalties. Others, such as New England, want it to include all plays.
It’s enough already.
The pure joy of celebrating a touchdown hasn’t been doubled because of replays double-takes, but rather it has been diminished. Getting the call correct trumps everything unless it delays and/or dilutes the game until it borders on being unwatchable.
Surely the NFL owners don’t need replay to see that.

Headline: NFL playoff expansion is coming in 2016

Bottom line: League should follow NCAA’s lead
The NFL is going to expand playoffs from 12 to 14 teams. It’s just a matter of when. The fact that it isn’t going to happen this year comes as a mild surprise because more post-season games equals more revenue.
I’m ok with 14 teams in the playoffs. It’s still less than 50 percent of the entire league. The concern is that 12 leads to 14 leads to where? When will the playoff expansion stop? What is the ideal number? The NFL has 32 teams so for balance’s sake 16 is a logical number.
Then again, 32 teams have worked pretty well for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Why not let everyone into the postseason? Consider the upset possibilities and the wild excitement in some cities as their teams shockingly advanced?
If all 32 teams were penciled into a bracket this past season, would the Super Bowl have been Seattle vs. New England?
OK, it’s a crazy idea. Seriously, though, there has to be a limit on the number of playoff teams. If the regular season is diluted, then why not shorten it, too? And that’s certainly not a direction the league wants to go.

Headline: Packers looking to draft, not free agency

Bottom line: And we should be surprised because… ?
The Packers have been operating this way for a decade under GM Ted Thompson. They allow the high-priced players and big spenders – aka two fools in the night – find crazy but common ground for deals.
Meantime, they re-sign their own key free agents before they hit the market. It worked with Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga this offseason. Clearly, you can’t keep them all, as was the case with Tramon Williams. It turns out Williams’ three-year, $21 million deal included $10 million in guaranteed money. The Packers were offering two years at $4 million per year, with no word on how much was being guaranteed.
Williams, at 32, made the smart move and took the $10 million in guaranteed money from the Cleveland Browns.
In turn, the Packers didn’t overpay to retain an aging veteran.

Headline: Packers lack depth at cornerback

Bottom line: Draft will bring cornerback help
The Packers’ loss of Williams creates a void that should be filled by Micah Hyde and/or Casey Hayward. However, the Packers do lack depth with Williams’ and Davon House’s departures, so expect them to go shopping for cornerbacks in the first three rounds.
They should be able to get a player who can contribute immediately in a specific role ala Ha Ha Clinton-Dix at safety. The idea would be to groom them to be the long-term starter at cornerback opposite Sam Shields.
The Packers also need to add inside linebacker help, a defensive lineman and perhaps a tight end. It seems like a rather significant number of needs for one draft. On the other hand, the Packers got contributions from four draft picks a year ago.
It happens, and probably more in Green Bay than elsewhere.
NEXT WEEK: A look at the draft’s cornerbacks
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.

By CHRIS HAVEL
Packers’ re-signing of Cobb, Bulaga a byproduct of culture
Randall Cobb? Check. Bryan Bulaga? Check. Tramon Williams? Nope.
Williams signed a three-year deal today with Cleveland according to ESPN reports. Williams, who turns 32 today, will be the NFL’s only cornerback above the age of 31. Reports indicate it was a three-year deal, which was one more year than the Packers were offering.
Frankly, two out of three isn’t bad, especially because the Packers re-signed the two most important of their own free agents. Now, it’s on to building the balance of the roster.
The Packers have a need for at least two inside linebackers, a nose tackle, a tight end and a third-down back/return specialist. They also may need to add a cornerback with Williams’ departure.
Otherwise, the offensive line’s starting five is intact and under contract for the next two seasons. The receiving corps is talented and deep. The running back tandem is strong with Eddie Lacy and James Starks.
The quarterback is merely the National Football League’s finest.
Defensively, a B.J. Raji-Letroy Guion combo would be a good stop-gap solution to what ails the Packers at defensive tackle. Look for the Packers to sign at least one veteran inside ‘backer (Brandon Spikes)?
GM Ted Thompson has positioned the Packers nicely with the balance of free agency and the NFL draft still ahead.
The key dominos were Cobb and Bulaga. The receiver and right tackle elected to stay in Green Bay for less cash in hand, but more of a chance to win and boost future earnings in the process. According to ESPN business analyst Andrew Brandt both bucked the trend to accept the highest offer. Instead, they chose what they determined to be the best offer.
“Bryan Bulaga, more money in Buffalo. He stayed,” Brandt said last week on ESPN’s Football Today podcast. “… They buy into this culture of a draft-and-develop team that is always going to be good.”
Cobb did likewise.
“Randall Cobb is a prime example,” Brandt said. “I know for a fact – I’m pretty tied in with his situation – he left a lot of money on the table. And I knew it was going to be hard to pry him away from Green Bay. It’s a system he liked; he knows he’s playing with the best quarterback.”
Here’s how I rank the NFC North’s current skill position players:
“Randall Cobb is a prime example,” Brandt said. “I know for a fact – I’m pretty tied in with his situation – he left a lot of money on the table. And I knew it was going to be hard to pry him away from Green Bay. It’s a system he liked; he knows he’s playing with the best quarterback.”
Here’s how I rank the NFC North’s current skill position players:

• QB – Aaron Rodgers, Packers; Matthew Stafford, Lions; Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings; Jay Cutler, Bears.
• RB – Matt Forte, Bears; Eddie Lacy, Packers; Joique Bell, Lions; Matt Asiata, Vikings.
• WR – Calvin Johnson, Lions; Jordy Nelson, Packers; Randall Cobb, Packers; Alshon Jeffery, Bears; Golden Tate, Lions; Cordarrelle Patterson, Vikings; Mike Wallace, Vikings; Davante Adams, Packers; Marquess Wilson, Bears.
•  TE – Martellus Bennett, Bears; Kyle Rudolph, Vikings; Eric Ebron, Lions; Andrew Quarless/Richard Rodgers, Packers.

The Packers’ skill position players, plus an entire offensive line intact, gives Green Bay a considerable edge over the rest of the division.
The defense is still a work in progress, but the framework for what may be an above-average group is in place. Williams’ loss in the secondary is a blow, but the Packers have time to find a replacement.
Casey Hayward is one possibility. Another is Micah Hyde. The Packers also could add a cornerback in the draft in one of the first three rounds. The special teams are in Packers head coach Mike McCarthy’s hands, especially since he vowed to “change the culture.”
In other free agent news, the Vikings released ex-Packers receiver Greg Jennings. Naturally, Green Bay fans are wondering if there’s a chance Jennings could return.
It’s unlikely given Jennings’ criticism of Rodgers and the Packers on his way to Minnesota. Jennings’ value to the Packers is worth signing him only if their receiving corps sustains a critical injury. Jennings presumably will be signed elsewhere by the time that might occur.
The Packers remain about $21 million beneath the NFL’s $143 million salary cap. They have the wherewithal to sign a veteran free agent or two in the coming weeks.
Otherwise, brace for the draft because that’s where Green Bay’s most substantial help is going to come from. If Thompson can replicate last year’s draft the Packers’ immediate and long-range future looks bright.
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.

By CHRIS HAVEL
Thompson continues history of keeping best young players beyond rookie deal
Thompson’s ability to retain his best draft picks at or before the end of their rookie contract is extraordinary. Cobb is merely the latest. Before him there was Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, Sam Shields, the offensive linemen and so on.
Re-signing the best players to at-or-below market price – while maintaining cohesion in the locker room – is essential to the Packers’ draft-and-develop philosophy. The Packers have done this masterfully.
Consider Cobb’s deal. It favors the Packers because Cobb’s $17 million guaranteed is likely $4 million less in guaranteed money than other teams were offering. Clearly, the Packers didn’t overpay to keep Cobb. They get a talented, high-production receiver who is just entering his prime (24) who is well-versed in the Green Bay offense. They also keep a play-maker who is the perfect complement to Jordy Nelson.
Essentially, the Packers guaranteed $17 million knowing Cobb merely needs to perform the next two seasons to make it money well spent. At his age, and given his quarterback’s Hall of Fame talent, there is no reason Cobb shouldn’t post huge numbers.
For Cobb, the deal is excellent on several levels. First, by guaranteeing Cobb $17 million the Packers got within reach of other team’s bigger offers. Cobb wasn’t put in the difficult position of having to choose between doing the economically wise thing by leaving for a lot more money or staying in Green Bay, winning and being happy. It would make no sense for Cobb to agree to a deal with Jacksonville, for instance, for only $1 million per year more in guaranteed money.
Second, Cobb’s deal is for four years, not the five years some suitors reportedly were seeking. Cobb will be 27 when he enters his next contract year. He will have been catching passes from Rodgers, barring disaster, which means big statistics and a big payday.
Third, Cobb gets to stay with a team who values and utilizes his talents. It doesn’t hurt that the Packers are perennial playoff contenders, and it is likely Cobb feels this team is close to a championship.
Frankly, the Packers surprised me by guaranteeing $17 million, and Cobb surprised me by keeping the Packers in the forefront throughout. This deal doesn’t happen if Cobb is unwilling to consider less money. To everyone who criticized Thompson a week ago because it appeared the Packers wouldn’t retain Cobb, feel free to send your apologies to 1265 Lombardi Ave. To everyone who guessed Cobb would be a selfish, greedy player who would sign the highest offer, feel free to re-board the bandwagon. There’s plenty of room.
In fact, there’s plenty of money remaining under the Packers’ salary cap with several key positions to fill. Don’t be surprised if the Packers show interest in veteran defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, at least one inside linebacker (Brandon Spikes, perhaps), and quite possibly a tight end (Julius Thomas).
In terms of re-signing their own, Thompson’s focus now turns to right tackle Bryan Bulaga and cornerback Tramon Williams. If everything works out, it’s possible the Packers could retain both.
So far this offseason, Thompson has cleaned house at inside linebacker, retained Cobb at a terrific but fair price, and set the stage for acquiring more help through free agency with the draft still weeks away. Isn’t it amazing how much smarter Thompson and the Packers look today than they did a week ago?
Some fans will never learn.
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.

By CHRIS HAVEL
Thompson, McCarthy need to replenish offensive weaponry
The Packers held to form Monday by declining to use their franchise tag to protect Randall Cobb or Bryan Bulaga.
It was the eighth time in 10 off-seasons Packers GM Ted Thompson chose to negotiate on his terms despite the risk of losing a key player. The Packers have until March 10 to continue talks with Cobb, and in a perfect world they would reach agreement on a long-term deal. The dynamic, play-making receiver has earned his millions. The question is how many million will another team pay to have Cobb play for them?
A couple seasons ago, ex-Packers receiver Greg Jennings hauled in $17.8 million in guaranteed money from Minnesota. Certainly, Cobb’s production coupled with an ever-increasing salary cap ($143 million in 2015) means the versatile receiver will be offered more than $20 million in guaranteed money.
Clearly, the Packers aren’t willing to pay Cobb the franchise tag price of $12.8 million for a receiver on a one-year deal. It’s also likely Cobb felt the desire to test the free-agent market, especially with Dallas’ Dez Bryant and Denver’s Demaryius Thomas being franchise tagged. A team such as Oakland or Jacksonville could make Cobb an offer that the Packers simply aren’t willing to match if given the chance.
So if it comes to it, how do the Packers proceed without Cobb? The safest, smoothest transition would be:

Sign a proven, above-average veteran tight end in free agency.

The cost would be much more cap friendly (the franchise tag for tight ends is $8.3 million, or $4.5 million less than receivers), and the results could be more explosive. Julius Thomas, the Denver Broncos’ free agent tight end, would be one possibility. The Broncos couldn’t afford to pay both Thomases (Julius and Demaryius) so they went with the receiver. Thomas’ value to the Packers should be obvious. They could control the middle of the field with the 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end as a receiver. Or, they could use play-action with running back Eddie Lacy and Thomas to give Aaron Rodgers a dangerous pass-run threat.
The Bengals’ Jermaine Gresham is another tight end who would fit. Gresham lacks Thomas’ downfield play-making ability, but he is more reliable as a receiver and a more-than-willing run blocker.
Another option is drafting a tight end. The problem is that Minnesota’s Maxx Williams appears to be the only rookie with the potential to make an immediate impact. It is a very shallow pool of top-flight tight ends. Furthermore, the Packers have Richard Rodgers to develop. He was a third-round pick last season, and I can’t see Thompson using a second high draft pick at tight end in back-to-back years.

Draft a receiver in the first or second round.

It is impossible to hear any discussion of the 2015 NFL Draft without someone gushing over the receiver class. It’s true this group is the deepest since, well, last year’s receiver class which was among the all-time best. If the Packers add a top-tier receiver in the draft, they should be fine at the position with Jordy Nelson, DaVante Adams, the draft pick, Jered Abrederis, Jeff Jannis and whoever else is on the training camp roster.

The money not spent on overpaying Cobb could be used to retain Bulaga and keep the offensive line intact.

Bulaga, like Cobb, may receive a hefty offer from another team. However, it’s more likely the Packers would pay competitive money to keep the right tackle as opposed to incredibly overspending for a receiver.
According to an article on JS Online, a source said Cobb’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, was seeking as much as $12 million per year. That figure would throw the Packers’ salary cap out of whack, especially among the receivers’ ranks where Nelson – you’re top receiver – would be making less than the No. 2 wide out, Cobb.
If the Packers’ offensive line protects Rodgers, he will complete a whole lot of passes to his receivers, whether their ranks include Cobb or not. The Packers have a week to try to strike a deal with Cobb before he actually hits free agency. I suspect he will command a significant offer, and ultimately he will leave via free agency. That would be disappointing to Packers fans.
However, look at the big picture: The Packers will find weapons to replace Cobb if he leaves. The Packers had Cobb and Nelson playing at a high level last season and it wasn’t enough to get past Seattle. If Cobb leaves it opens the door to adding a big-time tight end – something the Packers have been missing since Jermichael Finley’s retirement – and drafting a receiver in a year that’s loaded.
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.

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By CHRIS HAVEL
Thompson, McCarthy get busy upgrading coaches, personnel
Throughout the NFL, and certainly in Green Bay, second-guessing knows no offseason.
The Packers have made several significant changes in the five weeks since their 28-22 overtime loss in the NFC Championship at Seattle. Most addressed Green Bay’s failures in the final five minutes. They included special teams’ gaffes, painfully conservative play-calling and poor communication in all three phases.
Packers head coach Mike McCarthy has since fired special teams’ coordinator Shawn Slocum, relinquished the play-calling duties in order to better oversee the entire operation and committed to re-signing free agents Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga and retaining Julius Peppers. That’s a lot in less than six weeks.
Standing pat wasn’t an option. That much was apparent in Seattle. The Packers have since released tight end Brandon Bostick, who was recently signed by Minnesota, and linebacker Brad Jones. Also, veteran linebacker A.J. Hawk’s disappearing act in the second half of the season can at least be partially explained by post-season ankle surgery. While Hawk’s future with Green Bay remains doubtful, McCarthy’s urgency and sincerity in effecting change is crystal clear.
McCarthy began by yielding the play-calling duties. Since then, cynics have been bashing him for doing so. They believe it will weaken the Packers’ prolific offense and render the team mediocre. It’s an intriguing topic, and a baseless one. Associate head coach/offense Tom Clements has been with McCarthy for nine years. He and MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers have worked together with considerable success. There is no reason to believe that will change.
It is infinitely more likely that McCarthy’s “big picture” approach will be the difference between just being close or winning Super Bowls. Re-signing Cobb and Bulaga is a priority. I suspect GM Ted Thompson will be able to retain Cobb and quite likely Bulaga as well. McCarthy made it clear the Packers intend to keep Peppers, who at 35 still has plenty of juice left.
The Packers’ personnel moves will be interesting between now and the start of training camp. However, the more important development was McCarthy’s willingness to make change for the better. Perhaps new special teams’ coordinator Ron Zook will be ineffective. Maybe McCarthy should have considered other options. That’s just speculation at this point. The fact is McCarthy intends to change the culture on special teams, and that means more than just handing over the keys to the new coordinator.
It means McCarthy sitting in meetings and making sure what’s discussed and practiced during the week comes to fruition on game day. Where is the downside to that Furthermore, when it comes to the Packers and personnel decisions the common response is, “In Ted we trust.”
The 2014 NFL draft was outstanding for the Packers. It brought a starting, play-making safety (Ha Ha Clinton-Dix), a starting center (Corey Linsley), a developing receiver (DaVante Adams) and tight end (Richard Rodgers) among others.
A similar draft this spring could catapult the Packers into serious Super Bowl 50 contention. As the draft approaches, it’ll be interesting to see which players likely will be available when the Packers pick at No. 30. An inside linebacker, tight end or outside linebacker makes sense. So does selecting the best available player, even if it’s Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon, Jr., for example. The Packers are in position to let the draft board work for them.
I wouldn’t rule out the Packers trading up if a player they absolutely love falls within drafting range (say within three or four spots of 30). However, Thompson generally plays it cool, bides his time, entertains offers and then makes the call.
Among other positions, the Packers also have need for a defensive tackle, especially with Letroy Guion’s felony arrest and other legal difficulties in Starke, Fla. B.J. Raji is a possibility the Packers have to seriously consider. They also need second-year tackle Khyri Thornton to develop in much the way Josh Boyd did the previous offseason.
The Packers are close to having all the right pieces in place. To second-guess McCarthy for making moves that, quite frankly, could’ve been criticized for coming too slowly is ridiculous.
No one knows if McCarthy’s play-calling change or Thompson’s personnel moves will lead to a berth in Super Bowl 50. What we do know is that the moves were necessary, they made sense and they show beyond a doubt the organization’s desire to win.
 
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.