Carl Bradford

Martinez out 2 to 4 weeks

November 23, 2016 By Bill Scott

Blake Martinez

The Green Bay Packers may be forced to move Clay Matthews back to inside linebacker after losing rookie starter Blake Martinez.

Martinez is expected to miss two to four weeks with an MCL sprain to his left knee, an injury that he suffered late in the Packers 42-24 loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday night.

The Packers finished the game Sunday with Joe Thomas and Carl Bradford manning the inside. Bradford has just been signed off of the practice squad earlier in the week. [Read more…]

Packers close the preseason against New Orleans tonight

September 3, 2015 By Bill Scott

Tim Masthay (8)

The Green Bay Packers have one more preseason test, tonight (6 pm) against the New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field. It’s a game that will feature very few starters, if at all. It’s about giving reserves one final shot to make an impression in their attempt to win a roster spot with the Packers. It’s also about staying as healthy as possible with the season opener against the Chicago Bears just over a week away.

So what do we look for tonight? After rookie Brett Hundley completed 22 of 31 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns last week, we’re all wondering if Hundley can do it again. Scott Tolzien, who has been cleared to play after a concussion, is expected to start tonight, then give way to Hundley. Hundley won the third QB job after his outing against the Eagles and the Packers released Matt Blanchard this week in the first roster cut to 75 players.

Khyri Thornton and Carl Bradford are last years third and fourth round draft picks and could be on their way out. Both have been so disappointing that the Packers may be ready to cut ties, which is rare for such high draft picks to be released after just one NFL season. [Read more…]

Matthews misses practice again, McCarthy wants more from ILB’s

August 5, 2015 By Bill Scott

Clay Matthews

Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews skipped training camp practice for the second straight day on Tuesday. He continued to rest his sore knee that he first experienced on Saturday.

Matthews not practicing opens the door for a number of other inside linebackers to get valuable opportunities alongside Sam Barrington.

The problem is, those linebackers aren’t producing.

“It’s a big opportunity for the inside linebackers,” McCarthy said. “And they need to start making more plays, frankly.”

The players vying for added opportunities are Nate Palmer, who is practicing with a club like cast, Carl Bradford, Joe Thomas and rookie Jake Ryan.

Palmer is getting the majority of the first team reps with Barrington.

McCarthy knows his team is in the installation phase for the rest of the week. “There’s too much thinking going on, and that’s understandable,” McCarthy said. “They need to settle in and start playing.”

AUDIO: Mike McCarthy wants to see more from ILB’s

Packers plan to continue with Matthews at ILB (AUDIO)

May 29, 2015 By Bill Scott

Clay Matthews

When the Green Bay Packers didn’t select a middle linebacker until the third day of the recent NFL Draft, reporters buzzed GM Ted Thompson with questions about the lack of urgency at linebacker.

After the second night of the draft, Thompson assured reporters that the Packers would be just fine at inside linebacker and felt they had current options on their roster.

Many of us assumed the Packers would do what they could to address the position in the draft. It was assumed the Packers would do everything they could to make sure Clay Matthews returned to his true position at outside linebacker. [Read more…]

Bradford gives ILB a shot

August 26, 2014 By Bill Scott

Carl Bradford

Green Bay Packers fourth round draft pick Carl Bradford doesn’t think his roster spot is in jeopardy, but he also knows the more you can do the better.

Bradford has done little to stand out in training camp as an outside linebacker, so Monday, Bradford worked on the inside in the Packers half-line drill. With the final preseason game just two days away, there is a sense of urgency with Bradford.

Bradford dominated games in college at Arizona State. That’s the main reason why the Packers used a fourth round draft pick on him. Once in an NFL training camp, they haven’t seen that same dominating player.

The Packers have moved players before and it’s worked out great. Current inside linebackers Brad Jones and Jamari Lattimore both started on the outside and made the switch. Now the Packers have to ask themselves if it’s worth spending the time on Bradford to see if he can successfully make that switch.

The Packers don’t practice today and have a short workout Wednesday before facing Kansas City on Thursday night at Lambeau Field. The starters won’t play long which means players like Carl Bradford will have ample opportunity to give the coaches that one last impression.

AUDIO: Carl Bradford on playing ILB for the 1st time Monday :10