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Nine former Packers on Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees list

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Charles Woodson

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced a total of 130 modern-era nominees for the 2021 class on Wednesday.  That list includes a total of nine former Green Bay Packers.

Safety LeRoy Butler, who was a finalist last year, is on the ballot again this year, while Charles Woodson is one of 14 first-year nominees.

Woodson played 18 years in the NFL.  Seven of those seasons came in Green Bay, where he helped the Packers win the 2010 Super Bowl.  During his time with the Packers, Woodson registered 38 interceptions and 11.5 quarterback sacks.

The other former Packers on the list of nominees are:  WR Donald Driver (1999-2012), kicker Ryan Longwell (1997-2005), TE Keith Jackson (1995-96), TE Wesley Walls (2003), safety Nick Collins (2005-11), cornerback Allen Rossum (2000-01) and center Jeff Saturday (2012).

 

Packers lose Lane Taylor for the season

By

Lane Taylor

The Green Bay Packers had to do some shuffling on their offensive line prior to last Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.  They’ll have to do more this week against the Detroit Lions.

Lane Taylor went down with a right knee injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game at Minnesota.  After undergoing an MRI on Monday, Taylor learned the injury would require surgery and force him to miss the rest of the season.

“My heart goes out to him,” Coach Matt LaFleur said Monday.  “Just battling back from the significant injury that he had last year (torn biceps) and to get to a position where he was in our starting lineup, certainly he will be missed.  I feel bad for him as an athlete, as a man.”

The Packers also lost Lucas Patrick (shoulder), who started the game at left guard.  That meant Elgton Jenkins, who started the game at right tackle, moved back to his normal position at left guard.  Rookie Jon Runyan replaced Taylor at right guard and Rick Wagner entered the game at right tackle.  Wagner (former Badger) has seven years of NFL experience as a starter and performed well.

Many teams would have experienced turmoil with that much change during a game, but the Packers handled the shuffling well.  Quarterback Aaron Rodgers wasn’t sacked the entire game, which is a great sign for any offensive line, let alone a line that had to undergo some major changes right in the middle of a game. [Read more…]

Packers display plenty of offense in season opening win (AUDIO)

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Packers beat Vikings in empty U.S. Bank Stadium

When the Green Bay Packers didn’t draft a wide receiver in the NFL Draft, many thought the Packers offense would be in trouble.  But a second year in Matt LaFleur’s system appears to be more important, at least after the first week of the new season.

Aaron Rodgers completed 32-of-44 for 364 yards and four touchdowns in the Packers 43-34 season opening win over the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.  Two of the four touchdown receptions were to the Packers number-one receiver, Davante Adams.  Adams was targeted 17 times and caught 14 passes, tying Don Hutson’s 1942 franchise record of 14 receptions in a single game.

Rodgers also tossed touchdown passes to Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard, finishing with a quarterback rating of 127.5.  His four touchdown passes moved him past Eli Manning and into seventh place on the all-time list with 368.

It was a dominating offensive performance for the Packers, who racked up 522 total yards of offense in the win.  They [Read more…]

Kumerow lands on Buffalo’s practice squad

By

16 Jake Kumerow

Former UW-Whitewater standout Jake Kumerow has landed with the Buffalo Bills, signed to their practice squad on Tuesday.

Kumerow was released by the Packers on Saturday after quarterback Aaron Rodgers called Kumerow “super reliable” in discussing the Green Bay receivers in a Zoom session.

Kumerow had one touchdown reception in each of his first two seasons in Green Bay, finishing last season with 12 receptions for 219 yards.

Buffalo is looking for more depth at receiver after rookie Isaiah Hodgins was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

Packers sign 14 players to practice squad

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After trimming their roster to 53 players on Saturday, the Green Bay Packers started filling out their practice squad on Sunday.

Practice squads have been expanded to 16 players this year.  The Packers signed:

LB Krys Barnes, WR Reggie Begelton, S Henry Black, RB Damarea Crockett, LB Tipa Galeai, C Jake Hanson, G Zach Johnson, T/G Alex Light, TE John Lovett, DL Willington Previlon, LB Greg Roberts, CB Stanford Samuels, D Delonae Scott and WR Darrius Shepherd.

All 14 of the signees to the practice squad were with the Packers during 2020 training camp.

Packers trim roster to 53 players on Saturday

By

Jake Kumerow

The Green Bay Packers trimmed their roster to the regular season roster limit of 53 players on Saturday.  The only real surprises came when the Packers parted company with wide receiver Jake Kumerow and left tackle Alex Light.

The Packers elected to keep Malik Taylor as their fifth receiver, instead of hanging on to Kumerow, who finished ninth on the team with just 12 catches last season.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, in a Thursday interview on Sirus XM NFL Radio, was busy going to bat for Kumerow.

“Jake Kumerow has been such a solid performer for us for the last couple years,” Rodgers said.  “I love his reliability.  I  think he’s a fantastic, steady player who’s very heady on the field, he makes plays.  He plays with a lot of confidence, and he’s a guy you love having on the squad.” [Read more…]

Packers rookie linebacker Kamal Martin out after knee surgery

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Kamal Martin works during training camp practice.

Green Bay Packers rookie linebacker Kamal Martin, who was pushing for a starting job on the inside, had surgery for a torn meniscus on Tuesday and will miss at least six weeks.

The news was first reported by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.  The fifth-round pick from Minnesota, suffered the injury to his left knee during the team’s scrimmage at Lambeau Field on Sunday.  Martin didn’t play in his college team’s bowl game last year, opting instead for surgery on his right knee.

Martin was having perhaps the best training camp of all the rookies and was in line to either start or at least play a large role in the defense.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur refused to confirm the injury during his Wednesday zoom conference with reporters, saying only that the Packers would put out an injury report next Wednesday.

Martin had been competing with Oren Burks and Ty Summers for the starting job opposite newcomer Christian Kirksey.

Packers wrap up training camp, head into regular season mode

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The Green Bay Packers wrapped up Training Camp with a practice inside Lambeau Field on Sunday.  Packers coach Matt LaFleur used the 2 hour, 14 minute practice to get his team ready for the Sept. 13th season opener against the Minnesota Vikings.

Of the 100 or so plays run from scrimmage, the starters got 51 of them.  It would have been more, but a couple of players got nicked up late in the practice and the coach decided to pull the plug.

“They’ve got to realize that two weeks from today we’re going to be playing our first game,” LaFleur said.  “So, they’ve got to stack consistent practices on top of each other.”

The Packers begin regular season planning and practice this week.  Players get a workout on Monday, an off day on Tuesday and won’t practice again until Wednesday.  They’ll spend the rest of this week giving GM Brian Gutekunst as much [Read more…]

Packers to hold final Lambeau workout Sunday (AUDIO)

By

Matt LaFleur

Sunday’s Lambeau Field practice will be the last big chance for players trying to make the Packers 53-man roster to show what they have.  Next week, the Packers will start to focus on the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings.

Sunday’s practice will be as close to game-like conditions that the Packers can get.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said the players will wear their uniforms, coaches will be in the press box working with tablets and communicating through headsets.  the NFL is coming in to help with game-day procedures and the practice will include officials for the first time.

The Packers need to trim their roster to 53 players by the end of the week, so Sunday’s practice will be an opportunity for LaFleur and GM Brian Gutekunst to see how the young players react to game conditions.

AUDIO: Matt LaFleur on final Lambeau Field practice on Sunday :22

AUDIO: Matt LaFleur on what he’s looking to do on Sunday :22

AUDIO: Matt LaFleur said he’s looking forward to seeing WR group on Sunday :22

Crosby feeling good after COVID quarantine (AUDIO)

By

Mason Crosby

The start of 2020 training camp for Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby was delayed after his second COVID-19 test came up positive.  But Crosby told reporters on Monday that his symptoms were very mild.  He waited 10-days (protocol time period) to get back and he feels as strong as ever.

Crosby said he was surprised to test positive given his relative lack of symptoms.  He said he socially distanced this offseason, limiting his interactions to his family.

Crosby is entering his 14th NFL season and said he’s feeling great coming out of COVID.  He turns 36 in September, but age hasn’t slowed him down a bit.

Crosby signed a three-year contract worth $12.9 million with the Packers during the offseason.  It made Crosby the third highest paid kicker in the league. [Read more…]