May 23, 2012

Packers won’t get a report on Collins prior to the draft

Safety Nick Collins may or may not return to play safety for the Green Bay

Ted Thompson

Packers.  What is certain is that the team won’t have an answer prior to the start of the NFL Draft next Thursday. 

AUDIO: GM Ted Thompson said there’s nothing new on the Nick Collins front :07

Thompson said it’s not that important for the Packers to have that information before the draft either. 

Collins future is certainly in question.  Without him last season, the Packers allowed more passing yards than any team in NFL history.  One might think Thompson would be looking at safety help early on.  But Thompson said that’s not the way they do things. [Read more...]

A quiet start to free agency for Packers

While teams started shopping and signing free agent players around the NFL,

Scott Wells

all is quiet so far on the Green Bay Packers front.

Free agency officially got underway at 3pm Tuesday afternoon and the Packers started with nearly $7-million in salary cap room.  But Ted Thompson and company didn’t reach a deal with veteran center Scott Wells or defensive back Jarrett Bush.

The Packers are likely looking to reach a deal with one and most likely both players, but they’ll have to wait to see what the market will bear for both.

If Wells and Bush don’t get the kind of deals they’re hoping for, there’s a chance they could return to the Packers.

There was no interest in any other free agents from other teams, but that’s not a shocker.  Thompson rarely plays the free agent game, other than to sign his own players.

QB Matt Flynn has drawn some interest.  The Miami Dolphins are hoping to land Peyton Manning, but that’s not real likely.  Should the Dolphins miss out on that deal, they’ve already reached out to the Flynn camp to express their interest in the former Packers backup.

Running back Ryan Grant is also seeking offers from other teams, but the Packers have already said they would like to resign him.

Packers don’t use tag on Flynn

The deadline to place a franchise or transition tag on pending free agents has

Matt Flynn

come and gone with the Green Bay Packers not tagging their backup quarterback Matt Flynn.

Had Packers general manager franchised Flynn without a deal in place, he have had to try to work out a trade after the start of free agency.  But first, Thompson would have had to find a way to clear several million dollars in salary cap space to fit Flynn’s $14.4-million guaranteed salary.  Then if he couldn’t find a trade partner, Thompson would have been stuck with a backup quarterback making as much as $6-million more than starter Aaron Rodgers. [Read more...]

Packers set to defend their title!

The NFL’s labor issues are in the rearview mirror and it’s time to play football.  The Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints kick off

Aaron Rodgers / WRN Photo

the 2011 season tonight at Lambeau Field.

The Packers have dealt with questions during the entire preseason about defending their title.  Coach Mike McCarthy had that one covered from the very start.  He told his team before training camp workouts officially got underway that they will be the hunters and not the hunted.  The players have had that stock answer in their hip pocket every time they encountered the question.

General Manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy will once again, try to win with youth.  After keeping 10 rookies on the 53-man roster, the Packers head into the regular season opener tonight with the second youngest team in the NFL.  Only Tampa Bay is younger.

While several teams have decided to dip into the free agent market when the signing period began just prior to the start of training camp, Thompson elected to stand pat.  When the Packers won the Super Bowl title last season, Thompson’s only dip into free agency came while trying to fill the shoes of injured starters.  It appears he’ll use the same formula this season. [Read more...]

Packers do well early in NFL Draft

The Green Bay Packers went into the NFL Draft with 9 selections and when the dust settled, came out with 10-players.  At least two of those players should make an immediate impact.

Offensive tackle Derek Sherrod with the first round pick and wide receiver/return specialist Randall Cobb should jump right in and help the Packers. [Read more...]