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NFL releases dates for offseason workouts

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The National Football League released offseason workout dates for its teams.

The Green Bay Packers will start phase three of their offseason program with OTA’s on May 24.  OTA’s will run May 24-25, June 1-2, June 4, June 7-8 and June 10.

The Packers mandatory veteran minicamp is set for June 15-17.

All NFL teams are in phase one of the offseason program, which runs from April 19-May 14.  Activities during that period are limited to strength and conditioning, virtual meetings and physical rehabilitation.  The Packers have been going through phase one activities virtually.

The Packers will host a rookie minicamp May 14-15, before the start of OTA’s.

 

Packers agree to terms with rookie free agents

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The Green Bay Packers announced Monday that they’ve agreed to terms with seven rookie free agents.

The list includes former Wisconsin Badger Jon Dietzen.  The Black Creek, Wis. native, played his high school ball at Seymour High School before moving to Madison.  He played in 42 games with 39 starts for the Badgers.

In 2016-17, Dietzen played in 23 games with 20 starts at left guard and then in 2018 started all 12 games at left tackle.  After retiring following the 2018 season due to injuries, Dietzen returned in 2020 and started all seven games (four at left guard, two at left tackle, one at right guard).  Last season he played 437 snaps, the third most of any UW player.

Dietzen becomes the second member of the Badgers team to join the Packers after offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen was selected in the 6th round of the draft on Saturday.

The six other undrafted free agents the Packers agreed to contract terms are as follows:

Jacob Capra         6’5  300  OL    San Diego State
Coy Cronk            6’4  318  OL    Iowa
Bailey Gaither       6’0  188  WR   San Jose State
Jack Heflin            6’3  304  DL    Iowa
Carlo Kemp          6’3  281  LB     Michigan
Christian Uphoff   6’3  209   S     Illinois State

 

Tramon Williams retiring from the NFL

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Tramon Williams

After 14 seasons in the NFL, 10 of those 14 coming with the Green Bay Packers, defensive back Tramon Williams announced his retirement on his 38th birthday Tuesday.

Williams played in 205 career games with 153 starts.  He was originally signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2006 out of Louisiana Tech.  He was signed to the Packers practice squad later that season and then made the regular roster the following year.

Williams played for eight seasons in Green Bay and was a big part of their 2010 Super Bowl run.  He then signed with Cleveland in 2015, played for Arizona in 2017 and then returned to Green Bay for two more seasons. [Read more…]

Packers don’t use franchise tag

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Packers RB Aaron Jones

The Green Bay Packers elected not to put the “Franchise Tag” on running back Aaron Jones, although reports say they’re trying to sign him to a long term contract.  But the deadline to do so is Monday (March 15), otherwise Jones will become an unrestricted free agent and Green Bay would only get a compensatory draft pick in return.

ESPN reports Jones turned down multiple offers from the Packers because they lacked the guaranteed money he was seeking.

The Packers are strapped by the league’s new salary cap which is set at $182.5 million for 2021, down 8% from last season.  Right now, the Packers are roughly $10 million over the cap.

Jones has rushed for more than a thousand yards each of the last two years and last season he had a career high of 1,104 yards with a 5.5 yards per carry average.

Jones is one of only two players in NFL history to post 3,000-plus yards rushing (3,364) and 35-plus rushing touchdowns (37) with an average of 5-plus yards per carry (5.2) in their first four seasons.  Jim Brown is the other.

The Packers selected running back A.J. Dillon in the second round of the 2020 Draft last year.  If the Packers can’t reach a deal with Jones, Dillon stands to become the teams top running back heading into the 2021 season.

 

Watt agrees to deal with Arizona

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J.J. Watt – Photo Courtesy of Mike Clemens

Three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt has decided not to championship for less money, agreeing to a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals on Monday.

Several reports say the deal is worth $31 million with $23 million of it guaranteed.

A number of teams were said to be interested in Watt, including the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills, all of which have better chances at an NFL title.  But Watt decided not to chase an NFL Championship for less money.  If he’s going to win a championship, it’ll be at his price.

In Arizona, Watt will be paired with fellow pass rusher Chandler Jones, who leads the NFL in sacks since he was drafted in the first round of the 2012 draft with 97.  Watt is second on that list with 95.5.

Watt was drafted by the Houston Texans in 2011 with the 11th overall pick.  He asked for and was given his release last month, ending a 10-year run with the Texans.  He has 101 career sacks during his 10 NFL seasons in Houston.

Packers Among Teams Interested in Watt

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J.J. Watt

The Green Bay Packers are reportedly one of a dozen teams said to be interested in signing former Houston Texans All-Pro J.J. Watt.

ESPN.com’s Ed Werder reported “approximately a dozen teams have shown interest.  SI.com’s Bill Huber reported over the weekend that the Packers are said to be one of those teams.

The former Badger and Pewaukee, Wisconsin native would most likely have interest in the Packers with a chance to win the Super Bowl championship that has eluded him during his 10-year career.

The Packers will have to do some serious cap work just to get under the salary cap by the start of the new league-year on March 17. [Read more…]

Houston releases J.J. Watt, Could Packers be next?

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Former Wisconsin Badger standout J.J. Watt asked the Houston Texans for his release and it was granted today, ending a 10-year run in Houston.

Watt broke the news in a 2-minute video on Twitter Friday morning.

“I came here 10 years ago as a kid from Wisconsin who never really been to Texas before and now I can’t imagine my life without Texas in it,” Watt said.

Watt is a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was named the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2017 for his humanitarian work after Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston area.  He set out to raise $200,000 to help out and by the time he was done, the total collected was $41.6 million. [Read more…]

Order is set for 2021 NFL Draft’s opening round

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The completion of the NFL season means the first round order for the NFL Draft is set.

Jacksonville, following their 1-15 season, holds the number 1 pick, followed by the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins (trade from Houston), Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals rounding out the top five.

The next five are Philadelphia, Detroit, Carolina, Denver and Dallas at number 10.  The New York Giants have the 11th selection, followed by San Francisco, the L.A. Chargers, Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots at number-15.  Arizona has the 16th selection, followed by Las Vegas, Miami, Washington and the Chicago Bears at number-20.

Indianapolis has the 21st selection followed by Tennessee, New York Jets (from Seattle), Pittsburgh and Jacksonville (from the LA Rams) at number-25.  Cleveland has the 26th pick, followed by Baltimore, New Orleans, Green Bay and Buffalo at number-30.

Kansas City picks 31st after falling to Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl, with the Buccaneers getting the 32nd and final selection of the opening round.

The 2021 Draft starts with the opening round on Thursday, April 29, in Cleveland, Ohio.  The second and third rounds will be held Friday, April 30, followed by rounds four through seven on Saturday, May 1.

 

 

 

Rodgers wins third MVP Award

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Aaron Rodgers (File Photo)

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was the favorite to win the NFL’s MVP award on Saturday, so the announcement was not a surprise.  In fact, the only surprise came when he announced that he got engaged during the season.

Rodgers received 44 of the 50 votes conducted by a nationwide panel of media members, becoming just the sixth player to be named the NFL’s MVP at least three times.  He also captured the honor in 2011 and 2014.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen received four votes and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes earned two votes.

Rodgers led the Packers to a 13-3 record, leading the NFL with 48 touchdown passes and just five interceptions.  Rodgers became just the third quarterback in NFL history to lead the league in both categories.  Tom Brady did in in 2010 and Johnny Unitas did it in 1958.

The 37-year-old Packers quarterback completed over 70 percent of his passes for 4,299 yards.  His 48 touchdown passes nearly doubled his total from his first season in Matt LaFleur’s offense, when he threw 26 touchdown passes.

Rodgers joins Brett Favre, Jim Brown, Brady and Unitas as three-time winners.  Peyton Manning has five MVP awards.

Tennessee’s Derrick Henry won the Offensive Player of the Year award.  Aaron Donald of the Rams is the Defensive Player of the Year.  The Chargers Justin Herbert was named Offensive rookie of the year, while Washington’s Chase Young won the Defensive honor.  Cleveland’s Kevin Stefanski was named the Coach of the Year and Washington’s Alex Smith captured the Comeback Player of the Year award.

 

 

 

 

Woodson elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

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Charles Woodson

Charles Woodson became the latest Green Bay Packers star to join the NFL’s Hall of Fame.  Woodson joins the Hall as a first-ballot Hall of selection.

As a member of the Packers, Woodson lead the NFL in interceptions in 2009 and 2011.  He was a first-team All-Pro selection after both of those seasons and helped the Packers win the Super Bowl in 2010.

Woodson seven seasons in Green Bay and 11 more with the Raiders.  His 65 interceptions is tied for fifth on the NFL’s all-time list.  Thirty-eight of those interceptions came during his seven seasons with the Packers.  He ranks fourth on the team’s all-time interceptions list. [Read more…]