Wisconsin News and Sports
The Green Bay Packers received the second-highest compensatory pick of the 32 that were handed out by the NFL yesterday.
The Packers get a 3rd round pick for the free agent loss of wide receiver Greg Jennings to the Minnesota Vikings and a 5th round pick for the loss of linebacker Erik Walden to the Indianapolis Colts.
That means the Packers will go into the May draft with 9 draft picks, including two picks in the 3rd round and two more in the 5th round.
The NFL owners are meeting in Orlando, Florida this week and they’re expected to announce compensatory picks today. Those awards are based on the net loss of free agents before last season.
In the Green Bay Packers case, they’re expected to receive compensation for the loss of wide receiver Greg Jennings to the Minnesota Vikings and linebacker Erik Walden to the Indianapolis Colts.
Jennings signed a five-year, $45 million contract with Minnesota and Walden got a four-year, $16-million contract with the Colts.
The Packers would be in line for 3rd and 6th round picks based on the fact that they didn’t sign any free agents and lost two of their own.
Team President & CEO Mark Murphy and head coach Mike McCarthy are both attending the meetings in Orlando.
The Green Bay Packers didn’t sign any free agents on the first day of free agency, but
Erik Walden
they did lose a player.
Linebacker Erik Walden, just 1-hour into free agency on Tuesday, signed a multi-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts, a deal that includes around $4-million in guaranteed money.
Walden played 70% of the defensive snaps for the Packers last season, ranking second behind Clay Matthews with 26 1/2 pressures.
The Packers resigned Walden for 1-year last season but made no effort to resign him this year. Kansas City and Oakland were the other teams that showed interest in the outside linebacker.
Erik Walden’s 1-game/week suspension is officially history. The Green Bay Packers outside linebacker was back at practice this
Erik Walden
afternoon but doesn’t count against the teams 53-man roster until Tuesday afternoon, which means the Packers have another day before having to make a roster move.
Walden had an excellent training camp, which means he’ll likely be brought back to the active roster right away.
The Packers have to decide who to release to make room for Walden. WR Jarrett Boykin, LB Terrell Manning, DE Phillip Merling and CB Brandian Ross could be candidates.
The Packers only injury in the game yesterday was a groin injury for defensive lineman C.J. Wilson. It’s not known how serious that injury is. If it’s anything serious, then you can probably take Merling off of the above list.
Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Erik Walden has been suspended one game by the NFL for violating the league’s personal
Erik Walden
conduct policy. That means if Walden makes the Packers 53-man roster, he’ll miss the teams season opener against the San Francisco 49ers on September 9th.
Walden was arrested last Thanksgiving after a dispute with his live-in girlfriend. He would eventually plead no contest to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct-domestic abuse charge.
Walden finished with 60 tackles and 3 sacks last season, but his play declined following the domestic incident.
Walden is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games.
Erik Walden has some damage, but the price was right for the Green Bay
Erik Walden
Packers. They re-signed the Outside Linebacker on Monday.
Walden originally signed with the Packers in October of 2010 and started 15 games last season. He was 5th on the team with 86 tackles and three sacks.
Walden reached a deferred judgment agreement in February to resolve the disorderly conduct-domestic abuse charge without pleading guilty that stemmed from an incident on Thanksgiving night with his live-in girlfriend. Walden agreed to perform 50 hours of community service and receive counseling.
Will Walden’s signing mean the Packers are set at OLB? Not likely. The Packers will still likely draft an outside linebacker and it could come in the first round on Thursday.
The Green Bay Packers have until 3pm today to reach a deal with any of their seven soon-to-be free agents. Without a deal by that deadline, the players will become unrestricted free agents and can negotiate with any other team in the league.
The top two in the Packers free agent class is center Scott Wells and defensive back/special teamer Jarrett Bush.
Packers general manager Ted Thompson has just shy of $7-million in salary cap space and he could be working on a deal to get Wells signed before the deadline.
Besides Wells and Bush, the Packers have five other players set to become free agents later today. They are: QB Matt Flynn, RB Ryan Grant, DE Howard Green, CB Pat Lee and LB Erik Walden.
Ryan Grant’s agent last week said his client will test the market, but the Packers have told him they would like to have him back.