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Packers hold 29th pick in tonight’s NFL Draft

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The Green Bay Packers have many needs heading into the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft tonight.  Cover corner and a pass rusher top the list.

After losing Sam Shields, the Packers struggled in the secondary last season.  They also struggled to rush the passer and will enter the season without one of their top pressure players in Julius Peppers, who signed a free agent deal with Carolina.

They’re hoping Clay Matthews can stay healthy this season after he had one of his worst seasons.

They could go the corner route right away, and if the player or players they want aren’t available at that position, then a pass rushing outside linebacker could be on the agenda.  State football fans would love to see them take Wisconsin’s T.J. Watt, although Missouri’s Charles Harris is considered to be a better bet. [Read more…]

Packers get some help at guard

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Packers offensive lineman work during OTA’s

The immediate need to find a replacement for right guard T.J. Lang may have been addressed by the Green Bay Packers.

One day before the 2017 NFL Draft, the Packers signed six-time Pro Bowl guard Jahri Evans.

Evans spent 11 seasons with the New Orleans Saints and started all 16 games for the Seattle Seahawks last season.

It doesn’t mean the Packers won’t look for guard help in the draft, but the immediate need has diminished with Evans signing.

The Packers decided not to match the three-year, $28.5 million deal that Lang signed with the Detroit Lions.

The Seahawks, who had offensive line issues last season, didn’t think Evans had much left.  The Packers are hoping he does, for at least one season.

Packers interview controversial running back Joe Mixon

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Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon was barred from attending the NFL’s scouting combine because he punched a woman in the face back in 2014.

The Green Bay Packers brought Mixon to Green Bay for an interview.  Several teams have taken Mixon off of their draft boards, but the Packers are in need of running back help and Mixon has been one of the best in college football over the past couple of seasons.

Mixon received a deferred one-year sentence and was ordered to undergo counseling.  He was also ordered to serve 100 hours of community service and was suspended for the 2014 season.

Upon his return, Mixon has put together back-to-back strong seasons and rushed for 1,274 yards and 10 [Read more…]

Packers looking for running back depth (AUDIO)

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Packers GM Ted Thompson

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson admitted to reporters on Monday that they need to add to their running back depth chart, but he wasn’t willing to say if they had any interest in free agent Adrian Peterson.

“Let’s all together answer that question,” Thompson said while addressing reporters at the NFL Owners spring meetings in Phoenix.  “We don’t talk about players that are not on our team.  We never have, we never will.  It doesn’t serve a purpose, I don’t think.”

After losing starter Eddie Lacy in free agency to Seattle, the Packers have just three running backs under contract on their roster.  Don Jackson and Christine Michael were both re-signed and converted receiver Ty Montgomery is under contract. [Read more…]

NFL Scouting Combine starts today

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Packers GM Ted Thompson

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson, head coach Mike McCarthy and the rest of the Packers personnel department are in Indianapolis for today’s start of the NFL Scouting Combine.

Thompson, who is getting ready for his 13th season in Green Bay, has been very limited in the amount of free agent acquisition’s he’s made.  Not much is expected to change as free agency gets underway next week.

When Thompson has turned to free agency, things have worked out well.  But Thompson has shown that he won’t overspend and generally does his spending after the other NFL teams are done throwing their money around. [Read more…]

DB Sam Shields says he’s been released by the Packers

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After missing 15 regular season games and all of the playoffs, defensive back Sam Shields announced on his Instagram account this morning that he has been released by the Green Bay Packers.

Shields would have been entering the final year of a four year deal that would have paid him $9 million.

Shields missed almost the entire season after sustaining his fifth documented concussion in the opener at Jacksonville.

Shields told reporters after the NFC Championship game loss in Atlanta that he wanted to continue to play, despite his concussion issues.  If he does return to the game, it will now most likely be with another team.

Shields is facing charges for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia from an incident at his home in October.  He has a hearing scheduled in Brown County Circuit Court this week. [Read more…]

Packers magical run comes to a crashing halt

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The Green Bay Packers were one step away from a trip to Super Bowl 51.  They had the momentum of eight straight wins, but the Atlanta Falcons made sure the momentum came to a screeching halt.

The Packers won the toss but deferred.  That allowed the Falcons to take the opening possession and drive the length of the field for an opening touchdown.  By the time the first half was over, the Packers trailed 24-0, on the way to a 44-21 loss in the final game at the Georgia Dome, which is not set for demolition.

Matt Ryan threw for 392 yards and four touchdowns.  He also added a 14-yard run for a touchdown, his first rushing touchdown since 2012.

Wide receiver Julio Jones, after barely practicing during the week because of a toe injury, finished with nine catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns. [Read more…]

Wolf to stay in Green Bay, Gutekunst still in 49ers GM hunt

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Eliot Wolf

Green Bay Packers Director of Football Operations, Eliot Wolf, withdrew his name from consideration for the San Francisco 49ers general manager and has reportedly signed a new deal with the Packers.

The Packers increased Wolf’s salary but isn’t believed to have received a new title with his latest deal.

The 34-year-old Wolf, who is the son of former Packers general manager Ron Wolf, is most likely a strong candidate to succeed Ted Thompson when the 64-year-old general manager decides to retire.

This is Wolf’s fifth promotion since Ted Thompson took over as general manager in 2005.

Packers director of player personnel, Brian Gutekunst, is still a strong candidate for the 49ers GM position and some believe he is the front runner to replace the fired Trent Baalke.

Packer executives set to interview in San Francisco

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Eliot Wolf

According to several media reports, Green Bay Packers director of football operations Eliot Wolf and director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst will interview for the San Francisco 49ers general manager vacancy.

Wolf has been considered a potential general manager in waiting with the Packers.  It’s not known how much longer the 63-year-old Thompson plans to keep working in that capacity for the Packers.  He is under contract through the 2018 season.

Both Wolf and Gutekunst were promoted to their current jobs in March.  The 34-year-old Wolf is the son of former Packers Hall of Fame GM Ron Wolf.  Eliot was reportedly the top consideration for the Lions GM vacancy last year, but the Packers denied a request to interview him.

The 49ers fired general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Chip Kelly after the 49ers final game on Sunday.

 

 

Packers drop third straight, suffer worst loss of the season

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Mike McCarthy

Mike McCarthy

By the time the first quarter was over, the Green Bay Packers had fallen behind 21-0 to the Tennessee Titans.  In what was the worst performance of the season, the Packers suffered their third straight defeat, falling to the Titans 47-25.

The Packers allowed 111 points in the three games and have dropped four of their last five overall.  The Packers allowed 30 or more points in each of the four losses.

Aaron Rodgers was sacked five times and the Packers (4-5) were penalized 12 times, including four personal foul penalties.

Throw in the fact that the Packers lost starters Jake Ryan (ankle), T.J. Lang (ankle) and David Bakhtiari (knee) during the game, hardly anything went right. [Read more…]