Brad Jones is next inside linebacker up; could Nick Barnett make GB return?
By CHRIS HAVEL
Desmond Bishop is out. Brad Jones is in.
Two questions come to mind. First, do the Packers and defensive coordinator Dom Capers have the right guy to replace Bishop in Jones? Second, have the Packers completed their depth chart at inside linebacker? Or is it possible ex-Packers’ linebacker Nick Barnett, currently a free agent and recently seen in Green Bay, be in the mix?
News of Bishop’s release came via a source quoted in on the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s website. Bishop, who missed last season with a nasty hamstring injury, was set to earn $3.464 million this season. A source indicated last week, according to the story, that the Packers were going to trade, restructure or release Bishop.
According to JSOnline, Bishop said in May that he was “100 percent healed.” Said Bishop: “My injury side is perfect … it’s 100%. But I have little nicks and knacks here just from being out and trying to get back in. So we’ll see how I feel, but I don’t really want to rush it. There’s no point in rushing it right now.” Now, Bishop will complete his recovery in another NFL uniform.
Jones, who received an offseason contract extension, is expected to fill Bishop’s cleats. That won’t be easy. Bishop racked up 218 tackles, eight sacks and four forced fumbles as a starter in 2010 and 2011. Jones started the Packers’ final 10 regular-season games last year after D.J. Smith went down with an Achille’s injury in Week 6. He had a team-high 13 tackles at Chicago, and made 11 solo tackles in the Packers’ 45-31 playoff loss at San Francisco. Jones played his way into a contract extension, but is he going to bring an edge to a defense sorely in need of one? For all Bishop’s production it was his tenacity that made him valuable. Bishop didn’t merely fill a hole. He delivered a blow that would wear down backs.
Bishop also had a knack for blitzing, especially on cross-blitzes and stunts. Jones hasn’t shown the same level of success in rushing the passer. Jones joins holdover veteran A.J. Hawk, who like Bishop also restructured his contract. Are Jones and Hawk strong enough to hold up at inside linebacker? Is there room for a veteran to possibly earn a roster spot and contribute?
One possibility may be Barnett, 32, who most recently played for the Buffalo Bills and is a free agent. Barnett, a former No. 1 pick of the Packers, has ties to Green Bay and occasionally visits.Barnett’s overall speed and lateral movement remain his strongest attributes and could play into the Packers’ defensive future. Barnett played in 16 games at Buffalo last season. He racked up 112 tackles, two sacks and three forced fumbles for the Bills. He also is familiar with the 3-4 and his leadership could be an asset on a defense that was torched last year.
Jones, who made 102 tackles in 2012, also chipped in with six passes defended and two sacks. The Packers liked him enough to extend his contract, likely with the idea in mind of replacing Bishop.
It would be interesting to see Barnett back in a Packers’ uniform. The competition between Barnett and Hawk, for example, would qualify as a “must watch” training camp battle. While the defense continues to find its way, this much is true: The Packers are counting on Jones to replace Bishop in a big way. They have a lot riding on the decision to release Bishop, and to restructure Hawk.
The pressure is on the Packers’ defense. The spotlight is on Jones.
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.

Legendary coach’s 100th birthday a milestone worth remembering
By CHRIS HAVEL
Vincent Thomas Lombardi would have celebrated his 100th birthday on Tuesday. Both the milestone and the NFL’s greatest head coach are worth remembering for many reasons.
Foremost, all things Lombardi are synonymous with success.
There are the 1960’s Green Bay Packers teams that became a dynasty. There is the NFL as it grew to become this country’s national pastime. There is the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s that shared Lombardi’s belief that regardless of race, creed or color all people are created equal.
Perhaps the most enduring legacy is the one that exists inside his players. To this day, and to a man, everyone from Willie Wood and Willie Davis to Herb Adderley and Jerry Kramer espouses his virtues.
“There isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t think of the great coach,” Davis said. “He is with me – he is with us – all the time.”
ESPN’s three-hour documentary, “Lombardi’s Legacy,” that continues to air this week illustrates the seemingly simple approach from such a complex man.
His philosophies were basic. His execution was genius.
He was one of the great leaders of the 20th century.
The question occasionally arises, “How would Lombardi do in today’s NFL?” The answer should be self-evident.
Hard work, maximum effort, consistency and attention to detail never go out of style. Treating players with respect, rather than an attitude of “What can he do for me?” never grows old. Learning from past mistakes, rather than being doomed to repeat them, is eternally wise.
Lombardi also had the gift of being able to recognize talent, coupled with the insight to put his players in the best chance to be successful. What Lombardi did with a minimal staffing today requires an army of assistant coaches and scouts.
He looked at Willie Davis, the struggling offensive tackle in Cleveland, and saw a Hall of Fame defensive end. He watched Herb Adderley as a game-breaking running back at Michigan State, and determined he would be a phenomenal defensive back. He studied Willie Wood, a talented college quarterback, and helped him became a great safety.
All of them became Hall of Fame players. All owe a debt to the coach.
Lombardi won five championships in nine seasons in Green Bay.
It wasn’t a fluke. He knew himself, and he knew men, and he realized early on that you only get what you demand.
Lombardi, who was born June 11, 1913, knew what it was like to experience prejudice. As a dark-skinned Italian growing up in New York he knew firsthand the evil that lurks inside some men. As a good but not great athlete he knew that his mind could overcome most shortcomings.
As a man of faith who was burdened by passion that occasionally boiled over into volatility, he knew the condition of human frailty.
Lombardi did his best to practice what he preached. I have often thought that Lombardi’s strict Catholic upbringing and Jesuit education built the foundation for the coach that he would become. His ritual of attending daily Mass wasn’t born out of any thought that he was pious. Instead, it was born out of a belief that he was a sinner striving to be better.
That humble truth, wrapped in an intelligent, dynamic and explosive persona, led him to become a tremendous leader.
He compiled a win-loss record of 98-30-4 (including playoffs) during his nine seasons in Green Bay. He never had a losing season.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971 and the Packer Hall of Fame in 1975. Shortly after his death Sept. 3, 1970, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle renamed the Super Bowl trophy the “Vince Lombardi Trophy” in his memory.
Could Lombardi coach today’s NFL players and be successful?
The answer is a resounding, “Yes!”
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’ front fours in 1962, 1996 rank among the NFL’s best ever
By CHRIS HAVEL
The Green Bay Packers’ 1996 defensive line is among the NFL’s greatest of all-time. It is probably the most underrated, too.
News of the great David “Deacon” Jones’ death Monday at age 74 triggered a barrage of bone-jarring memories. Images flashed of Jones using a since-outlawed head slap to shock opposing offensive linemen before obliterating the quarterback. Jones, along with Merlin Olsen, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier comprised the Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome,” long considered one of the greatest defensive lines in NFL history.
Jones’ passing resurrected thoughts of the great pass rushers. It also begged the question: Which defensive lines rank among the NFL’s greatest of all-time? After numerous online searches a couple of things became obvious.
First, there are more than a handful of great defensive lines with multiple Hall of Fame players to choose from. Deciding which is the greatest is an intriguing but unscientific endeavor.
Second, there isn’t a defensive line in the league’s history that has been underrated more than the Packers’ unit of 1996.
Led by Reggie White, the Minister of Defense, the Packers’ defense terrorized opposing ball carriers and quarterbacks alike. White lined up at left end opposite right end Sean Jones to create a dynamic duo. Jones, one of the NFL’s all-time leading sack masters, gave opponents nowhere to run, or hide, from White. Whatever plays the 6-foot-5, 320-pound White didn’t blow up, the 6-foot-7, 295-pound Jones did.
Tackles Gilbert Brown, at 6-2, 340, and Santana Dotson, at 6-5, 300, rounded out a physically imposing group. There were times when offensive linemen would break the huddle, turn to trot toward the line of scrimmage, and be heard to utter expletives as they gazed at the Packers’ front four.
The Packers’ 1996 defense under the masterful direction of coordinator Fritz Shurmur established the NFL’s record for fewest points allowed (210) in a 16-game season. Amazingly, there isn’t a mention of the Packers’ 1996 unit among the all-time greats.
“I think that’s one case where being a small-market team probably affects that,” Sean Jones said Tuesday. “We didn’t have the nickname or the accolades, but we did have the numbers and the Super Bowl trophy to prove it. I think in time that defense will be considered among the greatest, but it might be long after you and I aren’t here anymore.”
Sean Jones expressed great sadness at Deacon Jones’ passing.
“He was a great mentor to me,” Sean Jones said. “He told me that no matter how the game changes, how the rules change, make sure that you’re always being aggressive. He preached aggressive play. He loved defensive ends, and he hated quarterbacks. I don’t even think he had any teammates that were quarterbacks that he considered a friend.”
So who are the greatest defensive lines of all-time? Here’s one writer’s opinion of the top five (in no particular order):

• The Dallas Cowboys’ “Doomsday Defense” in the late 1970s was led by a defensive line that included Jethro Pugh, Harvey Martin, Ed “Too Tall” Jones and Randy White. That was as dominant a group as I can remember.
• The Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive line of the late 1960s featured Curley Culp, Jerry Mays, Bobby Bell and Buck Buchanan with the great Willie Lanier at middle linebacker. It was among the great AFC defensive lines in history.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Steel Curtain” owned the mid-1970s. “Mean” Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Ernie Holmes and Dwight White were the most recognizable quartet of pass rushers in the game.
• The 1969 Minnesota Vikings’ “Purple People Eaters” were arguably the most talented front four ever assembled. Carl Eller, Alan Page, Jim Marshall and Gary Larsen led a defense that allowed a measly 9.9 points per game in 1969.
• The 1981 New York Jets’ “Sack Exchange” of Mark Gastineau, Abdul Salaam, Marty Lyons and Joe Klecko could bring it. A clever nickname, plus Gastineau’s off-field exploits, created a buzz. Then, come Sunday afternoon, the defensive line would deliver on the field.
•  The 1960’s Green Bay Packers’ defensive front included Willie Davis, Lionel Aldridge, Dave “Hawg” Hanner and Henry Jordan. Davis and Jordan are Hall of Fame players.

Packers Notes From Tuesday’s Practice

Coach Mike McCarthy expressed confidence in his offensive line, but added that it will take time for Bryan Bulaga and Josh Sitton to work in concert on the left side.
“We have some work to do,” he said. “But I have confidence we’ll be OK on the offensive line.”
Sam Shields signed his free agent tender and immediately was inserted into the starting lineup. Shields worked with the first group at cornerback along with Tramon Williams, while Casey Hayward worked as the nickel back and Davon House (injured) watched.
Shields said he wanted to be paid, but that he signed his tender and is “ready to rock and roll.”
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.

Past accomplishments, recent shakeups give reason to think Packers will be among NFC’s elite teams in 2013
By CHRIS HAVEL
The numbers don’t lie.
A look at the Packers’ offensive production under coach Mike McCarthy reveals an explosive unit that has everything it needs to be dominant. Everything, that is, except a running game and upgraded pass protection. The draft and the offensive line changes should facilitate improvement in both of those areas.
By maintaining all that’s been good in Green Bay’s offensive attack, McCarthy wisely moved to make significant changes sooner than later.
The key is more consistency. Increased consistency means more snaps. More snaps means more chances to make explosive plays. More explosive plays means more points.
All of this adds up to less pressure on a defense that’s in transition.
Consider some of these striking offensive numbers from 2012:

• After a 2-3 start last season, the Packers won nine of 11 to go 11-5. The only losses were at the New York Giants (38-10) and at Minnesota (37-34) in the season finale. The loss at Minnesota ended the Packers’ 12-game winning streak within the NFC North.
• Since 2006, the Packers are 32-10 against division foes. That is second-best in the NFL behind New England’s 34-8 mark in that span.
•  The Packers’ 26-2 record at home since Week 10 of 2009 is tops in the NFL. New England (24-3) and Baltimore (24-4) are Nos. 2 and 3. The Packers have dominated at home in the past three-plus seasons.
• The Packers’ offense has finished in the NFL’s top five in each of the past six seasons. In 2012, the top five were New England (34.8), Denver (30.1), New Orleans (28.8), Washington (27.3) and Green Bay (27.1).
• The incomparable Aaron Rodgers ranked No. 1 in passer rating (108), No. 2 in touchdown passes (39) and No. 3 in completion percentage (67.1 percent). Rodgers led the league in passer rating for the second straight season, the first NFL quarterback to do so since Peyton Manning led the league in that category three straight seasons (2005-06).

Despite these staggering offensive numbers the Packers lacked the offensive balance and defensive consistency to go deep in the playoffs. That is why McCarthy made significant moves early this offseason.
It might be tempting, if not easy, for an NFL coach to be stubborn. It might be especially so for a coach who has won a Super Bowl, and whose offenses annually have been among the NFL’s best.
McCarthy has elected not to stand pat.
“We were inconsistent,” Packers offensive coordinator Tom Clements told reporters after a recent OTA workout. “If we’re more consistent in every aspect, we’ll get more plays. We’re not at the number of plays we want to be at.”
The Packers’ offensive decline easily could’ve been rationalized by the significant number of injuries, and the fact that the defense frequently put Green Bay’s offense in poor situations.
However, the reality is that pre-snap penalties, sacks and resulting fumbles killed way too many drives in 2012. Rodgers was sacked 51 times, the most of any NFL quarterback last season.
That, plus the lack of explosion and consistency in the run game, led McCarthy to shift the offensive line. Bryan Bulaga will be at left tackle, Josh Sitton at left guard, Evan Diedrich-Smith at center, T.J. Lang at right tackle and Marshall Newhouse playing right tackle.
“We want to be stronger on the left side … get our two most accomplished players on that side to protect the back side of the quarterback,” offensive line coach James Campen told Packers.com.
Rodgers faced defenses that didn’t respect the run. They played their safeties deep, forced throws underneath and dared the Packers to run. All of this made Rodgers’ job that much more difficult. Big plays were that much tougher to come by.
“We want to run the ball better,” Clements said. “If we do run the ball better, we’ll probably run the ball more. It’ll prevent the defense from teeing off on the passer. We have to be effective running the ball.”
Rookie draft picks Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin should help.
In Tuesday’s OTA practice, veteran running back Alex Green fumbled on the first play, according to reports. That won’t cut it. On the plus side, tight end Andrew Quarless – a capable receiver and arguably the team’s best in-line blocking tight end – looked sharp off a bad knee injury.
Thanks to the draft McCarthy has viable options at running back.
If the offensive line changes prove to be the cure for what ails the Packers’ pass protection and running game there’s no reason to think Green Bay won’t be among the NFC’s elite teams.
Even if the additions and changes are slow to produce, the statistics listed above are proof enough that Green Bay’s offense will be good.
The only question is, “How good?”
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.

Bulaga isn’t the only offensive lineman who is being counted on heavily
By CHRIS HAVEL
Rookies and first-year free agents receive the majority of scrutiny in the off-season, and understandably so, but it is the returning core players who largely decide an NFL team’s fate.
In the offseason, the possibilities seem endless for newcomers such as Datone Jones, Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin. The reality is this: For the Packers to advance deep into the 2013 playoffs, they will need more than a boost from the new players. They will need at least a handful of veterans to post strong bounce-back seasons.
Here are the five most-important “comeback” Packers:

1. – Bryan Bulaga, left tackle.

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy has placed as much responsibility on Bulaga’s shoulders as he has any player who isn’t Aaron Rodgers.
The success of the team’s offensive line shuffle this offseason hinges on Bulaga. If he succeeds at left tackle, coming off a hip injury no less, it paves the way for the rest of the line to stay intact and find a rhythm. Josh Sitton gets to hunker down next to him at left guard, T.J. Lang stays at right guard and Derek Sherrod gets to work at right tackle.
If Bulaga fails, the dominos begin to fall.
Does McCarthy go with one of the fourth-round draft picks at left tackle? Does he move Marshal Newhouse back from the right side? Can Don Barclay handle right tackle if Newhouse has to switch back?
Bulaga renders that moot with a strong season. One of McCarthy’s trademarks has been the ability to put players in position to succeed. This coaching attribute will be put to the test.

2. Jordy Nelson, wide receiver.

Nelson is looking to recapture the magic that enabled him and Greg Jennings to put up monster numbers in 2011. Nelson caught 68 passes for 1,253 yards and 15 touchdowns. His numbers dropped due to injury and inconsistency in 2012, when he caught 49 passes for 745 yards and seven touchdowns.
Nelson looks to be healthy and eager coming into 2013.
He should benefit from Randall Cobb’s presence more than he will be impaired by Greg Jennings’ absence for two reasons: First, Cobb has been healthier than Jennings the past two seasons; Second, Nelson and Cobb both have James Jones to ramp up the pressure on defenses.

3. Mason Crosby, kicker.

This is almost too obvious to mention. Crosby connected on 68 of 69 PATs and 24 of 28 field goals in 2011. Last season, it was a nightmare.
Crosby will have competition in training camp. It comes in the form of Giorgio Tavecchio, who hails from Cal, which happens to be ex-Packers’ kicker Ryan Longwell’s alma mater. Longwell, you may recall, beat out Brett Conway, a 1997 third-round pick from Penn State, before becoming Green Bay’s all-time leading scorer.

4. – Tramon Williams, cornerback.

Williams was outstanding in 2011. Last year, he was merely OK. The Packers’ defense needs more from its shutdown cornerback than it got a year ago.
Williams, who is entering his seventh season, has become the elder statesman of the secondary with Charles Woodson’s departure. That means he needs to be a leader in terms of communicating coverage, being a willing and effective tackler, and being available each week.
If Williams falters, young players such as Davon House, Sam Shields and others are waiting to step up. For the Packers, it’s best if Williams recaptures his 2011 form and smothers opposing receivers.
In the NFC North, a defense can’t have too many good defensive backs. Williams’ return to form is critical.

5. – Josh Sitton, left guard.

It goes full circle, first Bulaga and now Sitton. While Sitton has been a very good offensive lineman for the Packers, he also has room to improve. To whom much is given, much is expected and the Packers expect Sitton to team with Bulaga and form a kick-butt left side of the offensive line.
Sitton, while receiving Pro Bowl acclaim, is a key cog in everything the Packers’ offense is trying to do. That includes building a potent running game with the newcomers.
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.

Lacy, Franklin hope to be Green Bay’s 1-2 punch
by CHRIS HAVEL
Last week on Sports Line – the afternoon sports radio talk show I host on The Fan – I asked Packers’ fans to air their grievances. It seems their level of satisfaction is almost as high as their optimism. There wasn’t much griping and few complaints.
Can one draft class and a reshuffled offensive line really make fans forget the number “579” and the 45-31 playoff loss at San Francisco?
Yes, it appears that it can.
Packers’ fans are hopeful and expectant all at once. They know the 49ers shredded the Green Bay defense for 579 yards, but they also know GM Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy are working to plug the sieve.
Thompson selected UCLA defensive end Datone Jones with the 26th pick, a move designed to balance the defense (with Clay Matthews on the other side), add depth to the defensive line and boost the pass rush.
The retooled offensive line came as a mild but pleasant surprise.
McCarthy had to do something. Aaron Rodgers was running for his life way too often. That or he was being sacked 51 times. Furthermore, the Packers’ long-absent running game showed only faint signs of life.
So will rookies Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin be the answer to what ails the Packers’ running game?
Yes and here’s why: Both have more talent than any other Packers’ backs in the past decade. If one gets injured, the other can carry the load along with DuJuan Harris. The talent here is sure to make Packers’ fans “ooh” and “aah” early and often.
It has been a long time since the Packers had a 1,000-yard rusher. Lacy looks to be a great candidate based on his resume and his attitude. At the Packers’ rookie camp this weekend, Lacy showed a willingness to work hard and accept whatever role he is asked to fill.
Lacy also has a chip on his shoulder pad since being asked about his toe fusion surgery. That occurred before his junior season at Alabama. Just because the Pittsburgh Steelers’ medical staff wouldn’t clear him doesn’t mean the Packers’ medical staff made a mistake.
Lacy is determined to go on to become a powerful lead back.
Franklin, who has 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash, is tough for his size (5-10, 207) and also possesses great hands. He becomes an immediate threat out of the backfield and on screens and draws.
Franklin was aggressive during the Packers’ rookie camp, and his enthusiasm in being able to participate (there was a question because UCLA is on the semester system), this fourth-rounder is ready to roll.
Here are several other questions that Packers’ fans raised on The Fan: Who will emerge at safety opposite Morgan Burnett?
The best guess among a group that includes: M.D. Jennings, Jeron McMillian and Sean Richardson. Right now, Jennings and McMillian appear locked in a tight battle. The likely scenario is that Jennings wins the job out of training camp, but McMillian pushes him.
Fans want to know if James Jones can find a way to repeat the big numbers that he posted last season.
Jones has been ascending for the past several years, and he has maximized his opportunities. Jones left to try his luck in free agency, didn’t like what was out there and returned to the Packers. That dose of humility, coupled with talent and opportunity, conspired to hasten Jones’ breakout season.
I would expect nothing less this 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
Write it down. Save it for posterity. Take it to the bank.
Years from now, Packers’ fans will reflect on this past week, smile and be reminded that the football operation simply wasn’t in good hands.
It was in Ted Thompson’s hands.
At the conclusion of an epic week in which the Packers’ top two stars were re-signed to record contract extensions, and the GM conducted the draft like a maestro, the NFL’s top story was this: Jets release Tebow!
No problem with that in Green Bay. Here, the GM seeks no praise – which probably explains why he receives so little. That seems fine with him, and it seems OK with Packers’ fans, too.
The longer Thompson runs the Packers – it is nine drafts and counting – the more Green Bay’s fans have come to understand and appreciate their GM’s understated but effective style.
Consider how smooth this offseason has gone despite major shakeups.
Early in the offseason the Packers said good-bye to icons Greg Jennings and Charles Woodson. Those decisions would have created uproars in most NFL cities. The GMs would have been assailed with demands by media and fans wanting to know how those stars would be replaced.
In Green Bay, it was offseason business as usual. The fans and everyone else essentially trust that Thompson will find a way to get it done. Meantime, the Packers tried to keep several of their own free agents and signed a few (linebacker Brad Jones, for example) to new contracts.
Now, think about the past week in the NFL’s tiniest town.
The Packers signed their top two stars at the NFL’s most important offensive and defensive positions to record-breaking extensions.
Neither received an abundance of national attention.
Clay Matthews announced his deal via Twitter. Aaron Rodgers held a hastily called news conference and humbly talked about leading the team to greatness.
What would have been earth-shattering news in most NFL cities was greeted with a Thompson-like understated, matter-of-fact approach.
It is why Green Bay remains one of the NFL’s most enduring and endearing stories. It takes care of its business, and it contends for titles. No drama here.
That goes for the draft, too. In fact, the draft reflects much of what makes the Packers’ football operation among the league’s finest.
Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy provide terrific leadership.
That’s where it starts.
Both allow their scouts and/or assistants to do their jobs. McCarthy’s ability to communicate his football vision, and Thompson’s ability to grasp it and apply it in the draft, is what keeps Green Bay competitive.
The Packers were wise to sit tight with the 26th pick.
Datone Jones, the 6-foot-4, 285-pound defensive end from UCLA, gives Packers’ defensive coordinator Dom Capers athleticism and versatility. Both of those attributes were painfully absent in Green Bay’s 45-31 loss at San Francisco in the NFC Divisional Playoffs in January.
Jones should be on the field in the base 3-4 and most sub-packages.
Alabama running back Eddie Lacy, the Packers’ selection at No. 61, is an interesting pick. The 5-foot-11, 230-pound back was seen as a late-first round possibility. However, Lacy fell for a variety of reasons. One report suggested he has a toe fusion, which allegedly could cause injury issues in the future. Another suggested he was out of shape.
The Packers, who are renowned for their due diligence, were comfortable with Lacy’s health and chose accordingly. Instead of taking him at No. 55, they traded back six spots and still got him.
The selection of Lacy, in addition to UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin, provides a much-needed infusion of talent to the unit. After Day One, when Thompson left both on the board, fans wondered, “How will the running game improve?”
That question has been answered with a dual response.
Lacy should provide a tough inside-outside threat that may force defenses to bring eight in the box. Franklin, who runs a 4.4 40-yard dash, is a legit home run threat that has been long absent in Green Bay.
Thompson sat out the third round, collected picks and attacked in the fourth by taking a pair of offensive tackles. Colorado’s David Bakhtiari (6-4, 300) and Cornell’s J.C. Tretter (6-4, 307) are athletic linemen with basketball/tight end backgrounds who could play guard and/or center.
The Packers’ logic in these selections is sound.
Left tackles frequently are their college team’s best lineman, so it makes sense that they should be the best NFL prospects, regardless of position. Whether Bakhtiari (an early entry) and Tretter (a former tight end) play tackle, guard or center, at day’s end they are tough, athletic, 300-pound plus linemen with solid backgrounds, great work ethics and intelligence.
They should upgrade the competition in the entire offensive line. That can only hasten the running game’s growth while lessening the times Rodgers is sacked.
The Packers added toughness, size and defense in the final six picks.
I will focus on those in next week’s column. Meantime, consider the past week’s place among the most significant in the team’s offseason history, and think about how fortunate Packers’ fans are that GM Ted Thompson is running the show.
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.

Tall, athletic defensive end figures to add speed, versatility to Green Bay front seven
By CHRIS HAVEL
GREEN BAY – With the 26th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers chose Common Sense, embodied by a tall, athletic defensive end from UCLA named Datone Jones.
Jones – whose first name is pronounced DAY-tone – thus the nickname, Da Tone Setter, is at once an obvious, exciting and encouraging pick.
The obvious, of course, is that the Packers’ need at defensive end could not be overstated. Four of the top five – including B.J. Raji – are in the final year of their contract. Clay Matthews, the league’s highest-paid linebacker, needed a pass rushing counterpart not named C.J. Wilson.
The exciting part is that Jones (6-4, 280) looks like he can play.
His energy and versatility stand out on film.
So does his ability to get the edge, and more important, to close in a flash once he does. It’s merely the blink of an eye, but it’s often the difference between a sack and a touchdown pass.
Jones, who will wear No. 95, is going to be given ample opportunity to win significant playing time. He’s likely to line up at the “five” technique in the base 3-4. He’s also going to be an inside pass rusher in the Packers’ four-man fronts in sub-packages.
With Matthews and Pickett on one side, and a healthy Nick Perry and Jones on the other, the Packers’ defense should be much-improved.
The encouraging aspect is that Thompson stayed true to his philosophy.
The Packers’ GM sat tight at No. 26 and let the first round play out.
It’s a strategy that requires patience, vigilance and trust in the scouting department. Frankly, most NFL owners tend to be impatient, easily bored by details (they pay people for that) and neither know nor care about the trials, travels and tribulations of an NFL scout.
Thompson gets it because that’s who he is – a former NFL player who became a scout and eventually was entrusted to run the show.
Talk of Green Bay taking a running back at No. 26 was a pipe dream.
The Packers are a passing team. A running back that high just doesn’t make sense for a team whose stock-and-trade is an aerial attack.
Consider the New Orleans Saints and the 2011 draft. The so-called experts said Drew Brees and Co. would be unstoppable if only they had a bona fide running game. So the Saints drafted Alabama running back Mark Ingram with the 28th pick. In two seasons, Ingram has rushed for little more than 1,000 yards and the Saints haven’t won a playoff game.
Wisely, Thompson avoided any temptation to draft Alabama running back Eddie Lacy with the 26th pick. When the Giants rolled up 37 points in the 2011 playoffs, and the 49ers notched 45 in the 2012 postseason, the Packers didn’t lose because they lacked a running game.
What they lacked was a will to run, perhaps, but more important they lacked a defense capable of stopping Eli Manning’s Giants and Colin Kaepernick’s 49ers.
Thompson knew it and has attempted to do something about it.
Furthermore, Thompson seldom selects skill players in the first round. In his nine drafts, he has chosen one skill player in the first round – quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the 25th pick in 2005.
In 2008, Thompson traded out of the first round rather than reach for a receiver he coveted. Patiently, almost inevitably, he ultimately landed the receiver he wanted all along: Kansas State’s Jordy Nelson.
Thompson wasn’t taking a back, tight end or receiver then in the first round, and he wasn’t going to take one Thursday night.
The only question when the Packers were on the clock was, “Do they take Jones or North Carolina defensive tackle Sylvester Williams?”
Thompson chose the end over the tackle. He chose speed over size. He chose a player whose relentless style was patterned after none other than Reggie White, the Packers’ Hall of Fame defensive end.
“Reggie White played one way: with maniacal effort and just with complete hunger, no matter who he lined up against,” said Jones, who volunteered to reporters his admiration for White. In fact, when he saw “Datone Jones” and “Packers” together on the TV screen, he said, “I almost fainted, man. This is like a dream come true.”
Reggie White had Sean Jones. Now, Matthews has Datone Jones.
It makes for an interesting Day Two.
Look for Thompson to trade into the second round – likely before their pick at No. 55 – to acquire their highest-rated safety or interior offensive lineman. Then, with the 55th pick, look for the possibilities to include a tight end or running back.
Florida International’s Jonathan Cyprien and South Carolina’s D.J. Swearinger are intriguing safeties, San Diego State’s Gavin Escobar is a tight end possibility and UCLA running back Jonathan Franklin might be reunited with fellow Bruins star Datone Jones in Green Bay.
Stay tuned.
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

To them the schedule is the straw that stirs the drink. Weddings, vacations, reunions and perhaps funerals are planned around the Packers’ game dates – both home and away. It is why there is such an uptick in all things Packers when the schedule is released.
Local businesses plan much of what they do around the Packers. Whether they are diehard Packers’ fans or closet Bears’ fans they understand and accept that the dates are integrated in people’s lives.
The schedule’s release enables Packers’ fans to plan their future.
When fans print out the 2013 schedule they likely will acknowledge that it is a brute. They also are apt to find more W’s than L’s when they check out the dates and opponents.
The Packers open Sept. 8 in a nationally televised 3:25 p.m. start at San Francisco, the site of their most recent playoff embarrassment.
To suggest the Packers are seeking revenge is to forget January’s nightmare. Forget revenge. The focus is on competing, challenging and winning – none of which the Packers did to any great extent in bookend losses to the 49ers in 2012.
“Opening day is always exciting,” Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said. “Playing the San Francisco 49ers is obviously a challenge that we look forward to.”
The Packers play host to Washington and quarterback Robert Griffin III in their Sept. 15 noon opener at Lambeau Field. That’s two read-option teams in as many games, so we’ll find out early if the Packers’ defensive staff learned anything from its off-season trip to Texas A&M.
An early bye week (Sept. 29) is offset by a Thanksgiving Day game at Detroit against the Lions. The four-day turnaround from a Nov. 24 home game against Minnesota to a Nov. 28 Thanksgiving game is tough. The bright side is it gives McCarthy and his team a second “bye” in that players should get four or five days off before the four-game stretch run.
The Packers’ first quarter of the season is difficult in that it begins with three games against playoff teams (49ers, Redskins and Bengals), including two on the road.
After wrapping up the first four games with a home contest against the Detroit Lions Oct. 6, the Packers travel to Baltimore to face the defending Super Bowl-champion Ravens Oct. 13.
The season’s fourth quarter is even more challenging than its first.
It begins with a Sunday night game at Lambeau Field against the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 8. The Falcons have adopted a “Super Bowl or bust” mentality. Undoubtedly this game will have significant playoff implications.
After that, it’s on to Dallas to face the Cowboys Dec. 15. Then it’s back home to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers before a Dec. 29 regular season finale at Chicago against the Bears.
While fans’ lives revolve around the schedule the Packers’ draft is the lifeblood of the team.
No other NFL team places as much emphasis on it.
The Packers’ financial situation dictates that they spend wisely, if sparingly, in free agency. The Packers’ “draft and develop” philosophy has served them well, and GM Ted Thompson and his scouts widely are considered among the best in the league.
The draft gives hope to fans whose team doesn’t play in free agency. Every pick is potential starter. Every draftee is a possible Pro Bowler; every pick is gold waiting to be mined.
Most Packers’ fans like their chances at San Francisco in the opener, and they love their chances in the draft.
Meantime, they’ve got a great deal of planning to do. Weddings, vacations and reunions will wait only so long.
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.