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Live tackling is a question mark for the Packers

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Matt LaFleur

With the Green Bay Packers and every other NFL team not getting preseason games, it is assumed they’ll use some of their padded practice work on live tackling.

Asked about how much live tackling the Packers expected to do, head coach Matt LaFleur said he’s really not sure.  The Packers coach seemed to have reservations about putting his veteran players through live tackling, opting instead to make sure they stay as healthy as possible heading into the regular season.  LaFleur said he would more than likely put his rookies and young players through some live tackling work.

NFL teams had the number of padded practices reduced from 16 to 14 in this training camp, but LaFleur [Read more…]

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…]

A dry year for Badgers in the NFL in 2013

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A total of seven Wisconsin football players had a chance to be drafted in last week’s

Mike Taylor

Mike Taylor

2013 NFL Draft.  Three of them ended up being selected, including center Travis Frederick to Dallas in the 1st round.  Runningback Montee Ball also went in round 2 to Denver and tackle Ricky Wagner was picked by Baltimore in the fifth round.

Three more players signed as undrafted free agents following the conclusion of the draft.  Safety Shelton Johnson went to Oakland, cornerback Marcus Cromartie to San Diego and cornerback Devin Smith to Dallas.

Wisconsin (Green Bay) linebacker Mike Taylor, who was among the nation’s leading tacklers last year, remains unsigned after a sports hernia.

Three other in-state athletes have found their way onto NFL rosters.  Kimberly’s A.J. Klein was selected in the 5th round by the Carolina Panthers.  Wisconsin-Platteville safety Ryan McWethy signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns.  UW-Milwaukee basketball player Demetrius Harris signed a free agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Rick Wagner becomes the third Wisconsin player taken

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Ricky Wagner Photo/Wisconsin

Ricky Wagner
Photo/Wisconsin

The Baltimore Ravens drafted Wisconsin OT Ricky Wagner in the last pick in the 5th round, the 168th pick in the draft.

Heading into 2012, Wagner was thought to be a potential first round talent.  However, the way 2012 started with the issues on the offensive line and an early coaching change, Wagner saw his stock drop.  Wagner received all-Big Ten honorable mention recognition in 2010 and 2011 and was started most of the games he appeared in.

He joins C Travis Frederick and RB Montee Ball as Wisconsin players drafted this year.

Ball is better at Wisconsin’s Pro Day

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Montee Ball didn’t say anything at the Indianapolis Scouting Combine last week, butMontee Ball he informed reporters yesterday that he was going through all of the tests with a Sinus Infection and it may have slowed him down just a bit.

Ball ran a pedestrian 4.66 40-yard dash time at the combine.  But he had an opportunity to improve on that time yesterday at Wisconsin’s Pro Day inside the Don McClain Center and that’s exactly what he did.  Ball cut his time to 4.46 seconds in the 40.

AUDIO: Monte Ball on his Pro Day improvement :10

The Wisconsin Pro Day attracted personnel from 17 NFL clubs, including the Green Bay Packers.  Ball said Packers GM Ted Thompson talked to him afterwards. [Read more…]