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NFL teams vote to expand postseason

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NFL teams voted Tuesday to expand the postseason by two teams, beginning with the upcoming 2020 season.  The vote during a league meeting held remotely follows the recommendation of the Competition Committee, Management Council Executive Committee and Media Committee on increasing the number of playoff teams from 12 to 14.

Two additional Wild Card teams, one each in the AFC and NFC, will qualify for the playoffs.  The No. 1 seed in each conference will receive a bye in the Wild Card round.  The remaining division champions in each conference with the best records will be seeded 2, 3 and 4, followed by the next three teams per conference with the best records seeded 5, 6, and 7.

Wild Card Weekend for the 2020 NFL season now will consist of three games on Saturday, January 9, and three games on Sunday, January 10, 2021.

The NFL last expanded the playoffs for the 1990 season, increasing from 10 to 12 the number of teams to qualify for the postseason.

 

 

Lambeau Field will remain closed

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The Green Bay Packers announced Thursday that Lambeau Field and the team-run operations at Titletown District will remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic until at least April 24.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers earlier this week issued a “Safer at Home” order directing people to stay at home as much as possible until April 24.

Operations that are closed include the Packers Hall of Fame museum, the Packers Hall of Fame and 1919 Kitchen & Tap, as well as all team-run public activities in Titletown.

Teams are allowed to conduct normal business operations, which includes signing players and evaluating players for the upcoming NFL Draft.

But the look of the NFL Draft is expected to look different.  NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reiterated that the draft dates of April 23-25 will not be moved.  But Goodell informed teams they “should be doing the necessary planning to conduct Draft operations in a location outside of your facility, with a limited number of people present, and with sufficient technology resources to…communicate with other clubs and Draft headquarters.”

 

Packers add wide receiver help

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Aaron Rodgers

The Green Bay Packers are hoping wide receiver Devin Funchess can bounce back after missing all but one game last season due to a clavical injury.

The NFL Network reported Tuesday that Funchess was expected to sign a free-agent deal with the Packers.

Funchess caught 44 passes for 549 yards and four touchdowns in 2018, then played in just one game last season after a week one injury.  Funchess was a second-round pick by Carolina in 2015.

During his career, Funchess has averaged 13.8 yards per catch and scored 21 touchdowns.

The Packers started the day Tuesday about $13 million under the cap and have ten picks in the upcoming NFL Draft.  They’re expected to use a couple of those picks on wide receiver help.

But the NFL’s offseason workouts won’t take place this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.  That is going to give those young receivers less time to prepare for the NFL game.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been hard on young receivers who aren’t ready for NFL action, but he may have to ease up on his expectations of young receivers and live with some of their struggles as the season moves along.

 

Bulaga gets three-year deal with the Chargers

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Bryan Bulaga

Bryan Bulaga had spent his entire career with the Green Bay Packers, after being drafted in the first round back in 2010.  On Tuesday, Bulaga agreed to a three-year, $30-million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Bulaga started 111 of his 115 games, having gone through a pair of ACL injuries in 2013 and 2017.

The Packers counted on Bulaga’s leadership during his time in Green Bay.  They’ll now look to veterans David Bakhtiari and Corey Linsley for some of that responsibility.

The Packers did sign tackle Rick Wagner, the former Badger from West Allis, to replace Bulaga.  Wagner has started 87 of his 102 games and was released by the Detroit Lions in a cost-cutting measure.

Packers linebackers headed to the Big Apple

The Packers signed free agent linebacker Christian Kirksey to and have now seen two of their own head to New York. [Read more…]

Martinez, Graham land deals elsewhere

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Blake Martinez

With the Green Bay Packers adding free agent inside linebacker Christian Kirksey on Monday, former Packers linebacker Blake Martinez is headed elsewhere.

Martinez has received a three-year deal from the New York Giants, worth $30 million.

Martinez was a fourth-round draft pick by the Packers out of Stanford in 2016.  Martinez has collected at least 140 tackles in each of the last three seasons and hadn’t missed a game since his rookie season.

Tight end Jimmy Graham, released after two seasons in Green Bay, got a two-year, $16 million deal from the Chicago Bears.  Graham caught just five touchdown passes during his two seasons in Green Bay.

NFL Draft will go forward as scheduled

The NFL Draft is going ahead as scheduled, but without public events in Las Vegas.  The draft will take place April 23rd through the 25th and will still be televised.  NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says they are exploring innovative options for how the process plays out.

The NFL is putting its offseason workouts on hold.  Roger Goodell says the league and players union have agreed to indefinitely delay the start of team workouts.  Prospective free agents are also not allowed to travel to meet with teams or vice versa.

 

Packers secure deals with two free agents on Monday

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Packers GM Brian Gutekunst at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

Bryan Bulaga’s long run with the Packers in Green Bay would appear to be over.

The Packers agreed to a two-year deal with former Badger tackle Ricky Wagner on Monday morning.  Wagner was a fifth round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2013 and signed a five-year free agent deal with the Detroit Lions in 2017.  Detroit decided not to pay the $9 million due in 2020, releasing him March 13th in a cost cutting move.

The Packers were able to sign the West Allis, Wisconsin native right away because of his release in Detroit.  While with the Ravens and Lions, Wagner started 87 of 102 career games.

Bulaga started all 16 games for the Packers last season but is expected to get a considerable bump in pay elsewhere. [Read more…]

The NFL Draft will go on, without the fans

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Roger Goodell and Mark Murphy during Shareholder’s meeting

The NFL announced Monday that the annual draft will go on as scheduled, April 23-25, but it will do so without without fans.  The league says it will cancel all public events that were originally scheduled in Las Vegas in an effort reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Sunday that all gatherings of 50 or more people be postponed or canceled for at least the next eight weeks in order to help curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

“This decision reflects our foremost priority, the health and safety of all fans and citizens,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday in a statement.  “While this outcome is disappointing both to the NFL and to the Las Vegas community, we look forward to partnering with the Raiders, the City of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for a future NFL Draft as well as evaluating opportunities for other major NFL events in Las Vegas in the future, including the Super Bowl.”

While the sports world has shut down a number of events, the NFL is continuing with the start of its new league year as scheduled, which opens at 3 p.m. CT on Wednesday.  But teams can begin negotiating with players today (Monday) as part of the league’s legal tampering window.

Packers set to part ways with Jimmy Graham Thursday

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Jimmy Graham

The Green Bay Packers are reportedly set to part ways with veteran tight end Jimmy Graham today, after two seasons with the team.

ESPN first reported the move that was highly anticipated.  Graham thanks Packers fans via Twitter on Wednesday for their support and memories from the past two seasons.

Graham’s departure will save the Packers about $8 million on their salary cap for 2020.

Graham had 38 receptions for 447 yards in 2019, both totals being his lowest since his 2010 rookie season.

Graham signed a three-year deal with the Packers in 2018 and played in every game during his two seasons in Green Bay.  But he dealt with a number of physical issues during that time.  When he signed, it was thought Graham would play a large roll in the red zone, but he finished with just five touchdown receptions.

The Packers roster will be thin at tight end with Graham’s departure, but the Packers are thought to be interested in Atlanta free agent Austin Hooper who caught 75 passes for the Falcons last season.  Hooper won’t turn 26 until October.

NFL teams can begin talking with potential free agents on Monday.

Crosby agree’s to three-year deal with Packers

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Mason Crosby

Kicker Mason Crosby will have the chance to spend his entire career with one organization, agreeing to a three-year contract extension with the Green Bay Packers worth a reported $12.9 million.

Crosby turns 36-years-old in September and will enter his 14th season with the Packers.  The new deal will pay him $6 million in the first year and $9.5 million through year two.

Crosby will become the third-highest-paid kicker in yearly average at $4.3 million, behind only Baltimore’s Justin Tucker ($5 million) and San Francisco’s Robbie Gould ($4.75 million).

Despite dealing with his wife Molly’s medical issues and then the death of his sister-in-law (ovarian cancer), Crosby had one of his best seasons.  He hit 22 of 24 field goals (91.7%), which ranked fifth in the NFL last season.

Crosby could have become a free agent on March 18th.

 

 

Hall of Famer Willie Wood passes away

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Pro Football Hall of Fame safety Willie Wood, who played for the Packers from 1960-71, passed away Monday in Washington D.C..  Wood was 83.

“The Green Bay Packers Family lost a legend today with the passing of Willie Wood,” said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy.  “Willie’s success story, rising from an undrafted rookie free agent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is an inspiration to generations of football fans.  While his health challenges kept him from returning to Lambeau Field in recent years, his alumni weekend visits were cherished by both Willie and our fans.  We extend our deepest condolences to Willie’s family and friends.”

Coming out of USC in 1960, Wood sent postcards to several NFL teams asking for a tryout.  He ended up signing with the Packers as a rookie free agent and started at free safety on five NFL championship teams.  An Associated Press All-Pro five straight years from 1964-68, he also was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times, was named to the NFL’s 1960’s All-Decade Team and was one of two safeties chosen on the Super Bowl Silver Anniversary Team in 1990.

Wood broke open a close contest in the third quarter of Super Bowl 1, intercepting a Len Dawson pass and returning it 50 yards to the Kansas City Chiefs’ 5.  He finished his career with 48 interceptions and won the NFL title in 1962 with nine picks.

Wood is one of only 16 undrafted free agents to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame.