The 53 - Packers beat Lions for 23rd connsecutive time in Wisconsin

As I mentioned leading up to my fabulous trip to South America with Cheesehead Chick, posting is going to be spotty while I am out of the country but I still want to give quick recaps of games despite being out of the country.

I am not sure whether this is a badge of honor or a sad commentary on my devotion to the Green Bay Packers but their 22-9 victory over the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field in Week 6 of the 2013 NFL season on Sunday, October 6th is the first Packers games that I've missed watching on television (live or tape delay) or in-person since the Packers hosted the New Orleans Saints on October 9, 2005.

I know the exact date because I missed the game to travel all over Chicago to root on my girlfriend at the time and the future Cheesehead Chick as she ran the 2005 Chicago Marathon.  For those that don't remember, the Packers had a rough start to their 2005 season.  Heading into that game the Packers were 0-4 (en route to going 4-12 and head coach Mike Sherman getting fired) while the Saints were 2-2.

I walked into the now defunct Solstice on Halsted, don't be fooled by the new dessert bar with the same name, for a post-marathon celebration with future Cheesehead Chick, future In-Law-Cheese, and Company just as Packers middle linebacker Nick Barnett was returning an interception 95 yards for a touchdown to seal a 52-3 victory for the Packers over the New Orleans Saints.  The week before the Packers lost starting running back Ahman Green to a season ending injury so Najeh Davenport started in place of Green.  Davenport had a memorable game in what turned out to be his only start and last game for the Packers amassing two touchdowns on the ground before breaking his ankle to guarantee that his most memorable contribution as a Packer was saying "Where's the evidence? Where's the manure?" in a press conference when asked about the allegations that he defecated in a women's laundry hamper.

I missed the Packers/Saints game because I wanted to support Cheesehead Chick given how much time and effort she put into training for the marathon.  If we are being completely honest, the other reason I went is that I didn't want future In-Law-Cheese to know the depth of my passion for the Packers before they got to know me better.  I would have never known then but a little less than seven years later Cheesehead Chick, In-Law-Cheese, Mama Cheese, Papa Cheese, and I went to a Packers/Saints game in Lambeau Field.

Fast forward to 2013, the Packers beat the Lions to notch their 23rd consecutive victory in Wisconsin over the Lions.  As it turns out I missed a game with a fairly forgettable score line, 6-3 at halftime and finished 22-9, but nevertheless a game that will go a long way towards shaping the season.  The Packers caught a huge break when the Lions decided to sit wide receiver Calvin Johnson due to a lingering knee issue because Johnson is always good for at least 100-yards receiving and a touchdown when he faces the Packers.

The inactives for the Packers were: Brandon Bostick (TE, healthy scratch), Josh Boyd (DE, healthy scratch), Casey Hayward (CB, hamstring), Nate Palmer (LB, healthy scratch), James Starks (RB, knee), Greg Van Roten (C/G, foot), and C.J. Wilson (DE, healthy scratch).  The Packers are going to be adding some names to that inactive list next week because they suffered a number of serious injuries at linebacker: lost backup middle linebacker Robert Francois for the season, starting outside linebacker Clay Matthews for at least a month with a broken thumb, and starting middle linebacker Brad Jones for at least a week with a hamstring injury.  The injuries and settling for field goals instead of touchdowns were the only real negatives for the Packers.

One the positive side of the equation safety Morgan Burnett played his first snaps of 2013 after playing every defensive snap in 2012.  Much maligned placekicker Mason Cosby went 5 for 5 on field goal attempts with three coming from over 40 yards with a long of 52 to not only tie a franchise record but stay a perfect 9 for 9 in 2013.  Rookie running back Eddie Lacy looked like a very rich man's Najeh Davenport rushing for 99 yards (3rd game in a row where the team ran for at least 135 yards, which is the first time that has happened in a decade)  Wide receiver Randall Cobb had over 100 yards from scrimmage and wide receiver James Jones had over 100 yards receiving thanks in large part to a career long 83-yard touchdown catch.  Finally outside linebackers not named Clay Matthews registered three sack (two for Nick Perry and one for Mike Neal).

With Johnson out, the Packers defense focused on containing running back Reggie Bush, which they accomplished since Bush only had 69 yards from scrimmage on 13 carries for 44 yards and four catches for 25 yards.

Even more embarrassing than losing 23 straight times to the Packers in Wisconsin was starting Lions center Dominic Raiola verbally abusing the University of Wisconsin band.  The details of Raiola's disgusting outburst were posted on Facebook and Twitter so look for a fine from the NFL and a hallow apology from Raiola.

Make sure to check back next week for a quick recap of the Packers/Ravens game.  The following week I am going to the Packers/Browns game at Lambeau Field so these posts will return to their usual format with updated player rankings in two weeks.

Super Bowl XLV Rings Disperse Around the NFL

After the NFL Lockout was finally lifted the Green Bay Packers cut five veterans: Nick Barnett (MLB), Brandon Chillar (MLB), Justin Harrell (DL), Brady Poppinga (OLB), and Mark Tauscher (T). Besides Chillar, the rest of the guys cut never played for another NFL franchise but unfortunately father time or injuries caught up with all of them.

Chillar (recently injured), Harrell (perpetually hurt), and Tauscher (old and injured) have not signed with another team yet while the other guys signed with different NFL teams:
- Nick Barnett signed a three-year, $11.5 million contract ($1.5 million signing bonus) with the Buffalo Bills.
- Brady Poppinga signed a one-year, $685,000 veteran minimum contract with the St. Louis Rams.

All of the players cut by the Packers allowed them to trim roughly $15.4 million off their 2011 salary cap* with roughly $2 million in "dead money" hitting their salary cap in 2012 thanks NFL accounting rules. For how sad it is to see all of the veterans go, the youth movement continues in Green Bay so the cuts are understandable.

The Green Bay Packers had 11 unrestricted free agents: Atari Bigby (S), Daryn Colledge (G), Mason Crosby (K), Korey Hall (FB), Brandon Jackson (RB), Cullen Jenkins (DE), James Jones (WR), John Kuhn (FB), Anthony Smith (S), Jason Spitz (G), and Matt Wilhelm (LB) once the lockout was lifted. Predictably Green Bay Packer general manager Ted Thompson let most of those guys leave via free agency without even offering them a legitimate contract offer:
- Daryn Colledge signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract ($7.5 million signing bonus) with the Arizona Cardinals.
- Korey Hall signed a two-year, $2.1 million ($400,000 signing bonus) contract with the New Orleans Saints.
- Brandon Jackson signed a two-year, $4.5 million ($1 million signing bonus) contract with the Cleveland Browns.
- Cullen Jenkins signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Jason Spitz signed a three-year, $5.25 million contract ($750,000 signing bonus) with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
- Anthony Smith signed a contract for an undisclosed amount with the Tennessee Titans.

Of the guys that the Packer decided not to resign, Jenkins is the only guy that I would have tried to resign if I was general manager Ted Thompson. The Eagles will only pay Jenkins $4 million in 2011 and have an out where they can terminate the contract with very small cap ramifications if Jenkins struggles in 2011 according to various reports. At that price, especially with the question marks along the defensive line for the Packers, Jenkins should have been resigned. Besides Jenkins the Packers have younger, better, and cheaper options than the guys they let leave via free agency.

With eight of the 11 unrestricted free agents signing elsewhere or remaining free agents** that means that the Packers only resigned three of their 11 unrestricted free agents:
- Mason Crosby signed a five-year, $14.75 million contract with a $3 million signing bonus.
- James Jones signed a three-year, $9.5 million contract with a $1.5 million signing bonus.
- John Kuhn signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract with a $750,000 signing bonus.

Crosby signed one of the richest contracts ever given to an NFL kicker, which feels a little expensive based on Crosby being merely an average NFL kicker. Jones resigning with the Packers shows that general managers around the league are either think that Jones was a product of playing in one of the most potent offenses in the NFL or they think Jones will continue to drop passes in important situations. Either way the Packers were able to resign Jones at a reasonable price to give the 2011 Green Bay Packers the most prolific wide receiving core in the NFL heading into the 2011 NFL preseason. The Kuhn deal makes the most sense of three contracts because it gives the Packers hybrid running back, fullback, and special teams player that fits perfectly on the team.

There were some other minor contracts signed in the last week*** that barely deserve a mention. The free agency period for the Green Bay Packers proceeded exactly how most people thought it would, older guys were cut or let go via free agency while younger guys (besides Crosby) were retained at a reasonable price. Check back for more Green Bay Packers coverage as the preseason kicks into high gear.


Footnote:
* = Barnett ($5 million), Tauscher ($4.5 million), Poppinga ($2.3 million), Chillar ($2.3 million), and Harrell ($1.3 million).

** = Atari Bigby and Matt Wilhelm remain unsigned.

*** = Restricted free agents Brett Swain (WR) and Spencer Havner (TE/LB) resigned with the Packers but look like prime candidates to get cut at the end of training camp while former Packer Donald Lee (TE) signed a one-year, $850,000 contract ($40,000 signing bonus) with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Ranking Injured Reserve List for 2010 Green Bay Packers

The 2010 Green Bay Packers suffered 16 season ending injuries on their way to Super Bowl XLV. With so many injuries, I thought it would be interesting to rank the 16 players on injured reserve as a little complimentary Super Bowl XLV coverage. Luckily the Packers suffered most of those injuries early in the season so their back-ups were able to get almost a full season under their belt. There are various accounts of how many games the 16 players on injured reserve missed but the prevailing numbers are that players missed 180 regular season games due to injury with 12 starters missing 86 regular season games. Here are my rankings for the players currently on injured reserve:

#16 - Justin Harrell (DE): Jamal Reynolds must love how much of a bust Harrell has become since it let's Reynolds off the hook. With Brian Brohm no longer on the roster, Harrell stands as general manager Ted Thompson's worst draft pick currently still associated with the Packers.

#15 - Josh Bell (CB): Gave up the touchdown to Mike Wallace as time expired to give the Steelers a 37-36 victory over the Packers the last time the two teams met in Pittsburgh in 2009. Bell didn't even make the opening day 53-man roster this year but the Packers saw enough in Bell to put him on injured reserve as opposed to reaching an injury settlement.

#14 - Anthony Levine (S): There are too many able bodied safeties (Bigby, Burnett, Bush, Collins, Martin, Peprah, and Smith) on the roster for Levine to have a realistic shot of wearing the Green and Gold on Sundays anytime soon.

#13 - Spencer Havner (TE): According to various sources, Havner thought he was the best tight end on the roster in training camp. Havner was obviously wrong because the Packer kept four other tight ends (Crabtree, Finley, Lee, and Quarless) ahead of him. If healthy, Havner has a chance to make the roster in 2011 because he is good on special teams and can fill in at linebacker in a pinch.

#12 - Anthony Smith (S): It still perplexes me why Smith was cut in favor of Aaron Rouse at the end of the 2009 training camp. The only way Smith returns to the Packers in 2011 is if Bigby, Martin, and Peprah are not on the roster.

#11 - Brady Poppinga (OLB): Much like safety, the Packers have a ton of young outside linebackers on the roster (Briggs, Francois, Jones, Walden, and Zombo) so Poppinga's time in Green Bay has most likely come to an end. Furthermore, Poppinga looks better suited to play outside linebacker in a 4-3 defense as opposed to a 3-4 defense. If Poppinga is healthy in 2011 he will be playing somewhere else in a 4-3 defense.

#10 - Marshall Newhouse (G/T): The Packers see Newhouse as a developmental prospect with a chance to be their left tackle of the future. With how well Chad Clifton played in 2010, the only way Newhouse sees the field in 2011 is if the Packers suffer a number of injuries along the offensive line. That means 2012 looks like the year for Newhouse to break into the starting lineup.

#9 - Derrick Martin (S): Much like Jarrett Bush, Martin is a special teams ace that is worth a roster spot for that reason alone despite being a liability on defense. Martin has a chance to make the roster in 2011 but it might come down to whether the Packers want to keep Bigby or Martin. If I were in charge, Martin would get the roster spot over Bigby.

#8 - Brandon Chillar (MLB): When the Packers signed Chillar to a four-year extension that runs through the 2013 season he looked like a perfect combo linebacker and special teams contributor with a secure roster spot. Chillar struggled at outside linebacker in training camp so he can only contribute at middle linebacker and on special teams. With the emergence of Desmond Bishop at middle linebacker, Chillar will have to show ability at outside linebacker in 2011 or possibly look for a new home in 2011.

#7 - Mark Tauscher (RT): The Packers asked Tauscher to rehab in Green Bay and help mentor rookie offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga. Tauscher complied but might have helped Bulaga too much because Bulaga owns the right tackle spot no matter how healthy Tauscher is at the start of 2011. With a hefty base salary in 2011, Tauscher might be informally asked to retire so the Packers are not forced to cut him.

#6 - Morgan Burnett (S): The emergence of Charlie Peprah at safety made up for the loss of promising rookie Morgan Burnett. In 2011 Burnett has to prove that he can stay healthy before the Packers hand him the starting safety spot next to Nick Collins.

#5 - Michael Neal (DE): Showed flashes of being a beast along the defensive line but injuries claimed most of Neal's rookie season. Nose tackle B.J. Raji struggled with injuries in his rookie season and flourished this year in his second season in the NFL. Hopefully Neal can follow a similar path and become a force along the defensive line in 2011.

#4 - Brad Jones (OLB): The emergence of Erik Walden and Frank Zombo shows that whoever lines up at the other outside linebacker spot opposite of Clay Matthews will most likely thrive. When healthy, Jones is a better option than Walden or Zombo but all three players struggled with injuries in 2010. Unless the Packers use an early draft choice on an outside linebacker in the 2011 NFL Draft, whoever is healthiest in 2011 deserves a chance to start opposite Matthews.

#3 - Nick Barnett (MLB): Suffering a season ending injury for the second time in three years has called into question how Barnett fits in long-term in Green Bay. Barnett is signed through the 2012 season with high base salaries of $6 million in 2011 and $6.5 million in 2012. According to various talent evaluators, Barnett does not have the right body type to contribute at outside linebacker. That may be true but the Packers play more exotic defensive packages than the standard 3-4 defense. As a result, Barnett deserves the chance to make the 2011 opening day roster.

#2 - Ryan Grant (RB): The Packers lost Grant for the season in Week 1 in Philadelphia. The Packers’ inability to generate a rushing game in 2010 after they lost Grant for the season shows how valuable Grant is to the Packers' rushing offense. The zone blocking scheme the Packers use favors a running back that makes one cut and hits the hole. Ironically it wasn't till the Packers re-visited Philadelphia in the playoffs that they put together another impressive game on the ground when rookie running back James Starks set a Packer rookie playoff rushing record. The running back depth chart going into 2011 should be: Ryan Grant, James Starks, 2011 draft pick, and John Kuhn. That would leave Brandon Jackson off the roster. I know Jackson has improved his blocking which makes him a good 3rd down back but Jackson showed this season that he is not a starting NFL running back.

#1 - Jermichael Finley (TE): Too tall to cover with a defensive back and too fast to cover with a linebacker, Finley is a physical freak that has a chance to be a real NFL superstar. The Packers geared their 2010 offense around Finley so when he was lost for the season it took the Packers a few weeks to get back in rhythm. It will be interesting to see how the Packers re-integrate Finley in their offensive scheme in 2011.

With how well the back-ups played in place of the aforementioned players, only a handful of the players currently on injured reserve will be on the 2011 Green Bay Packers opening day roster. Here are my current guesses for how likely it is that the 16 players above make the 2011 opening day roster:

No Chance: Bell, Harrell, Levine, and Poppinga

Slight Chance: Havner, Martin, Smith, and Tauscher

Great Chance: Barnett, Chillar, and Newhouse

Lock: Burnett, Finley, Grant, Jones, and Neal

Check back throughout the week for more Super Bowl XLV coverage.

Week 4 of 2010 - Packers/Lions Review & NFL Notes

I thought this space was going to be devoted to an in-depth discussion of how a lackluster win over the lowly Detroit Lions was a win nonetheless. Unfortunately with all the injuries and trades that happened in the last 72 hours, the game review will be brief. Following the game review, I will take an in-depth look at Morgan Burnett's season ending injury, Nick Barnett's potentially season ending injury, Randy Moss getting traded to the Minnesota Vikings, and Marshawn Lynch getting traded to the Seattle Seahawks.

Packers/Lions Revisited:

There were a number of players and plays that stood out from the Packers/Lions game but two players, Jordy Nelson (KR/WR) and Charles Woodson (CB), are worth talking about the most for two very different reasons.

Until week 4 Nelson was the John Kuhn of kickoff returns...nothing to fast or flashy but reliable. Every time Kuhn or Nelson have a long run or return, it feels like anyone off the street could have done the exact same thing. Well reliable went out the window against the Lions when Nelson fumbled twice.

I know I have talked about this a number of times but it is becoming borderline criminal that Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson refuses to use the 53rd roster spot on a dedicated return man. Absent a run of catastrophic injuries to the offensive line, there is no way that Nick McDonald (53rd ranked guy in my pre-season rankings) will play a meaningful snap for the 2010 Green Bay Packers. Meanwhile, every time the Packers field a kickoff or punt, they could have a dedicated specialist threatening to return it for a touchdown. Just to drive the point home, probably the biggest reason why the Packers won Super Bowl XXXI was Desmond Howard.

With the negative talk out of the way, Charles Woodson (and 5,000 Packer fans) made the regional sports illustrated cover this week. The aforementioned cover shows Woodson acrobatically capping his 48-yard interception return for a touchdown ("pick-six"). A number of interesting footnotes accompanied that play by Woodson, it was his: 3rd consecutive season with a pick-six against the Detroit Lions (NFL record), 8th pick-six as a Packer (broke Herb Adderly's club record of 7), 9th defensive touchdown as a Packer (team record), and 10th career pick-six (3rd all-time behind Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper). Woodson is challenging the late, great Reggie White for the best free agent acquisition in Packers' history. It would take two Super Bowl rings on Woodson's fingers to top White but since Woodson will be a Packer for the next 5 years he has a window.

Unfortunately the Packers/Lions game might be the like the Packers/49ers game from last year when the Packers lost two players to season ending injuries. It was Al Harris and Aaron Kampman against the 49ers...this year Burnett and Barnett might suffer the same fate.


Morgan Burnett:

Sometime during the Packers/Lions game rookie safety Morgan Burnett tore his ACL. Everyone is puzzled as to when the injury actually occurred but one thing is certain, Burnett is out for the rest of the 2010 NFL season. Burnett, a third-round draft out of Georgia Tech, showed flashes of flashed of brilliance (interception against the Bills) mixed with rookie growing pains (pass interference against the Bears that nullified a game changing interception). Paired with Nick Collins (one of the best young safeties in the NFL) Burnett was just starting to get comfortable when he suffered a season ending knee injury. So now the question is where the Packers go from here?

Former starting safety Atari Bigby is scheduled to come off the physically unable to perform list after week 6. It is questionable whether Bigby will be healthy enough to play right away since he has not faced live action in over 10 months. In the meantime, the Packers have two other reserve safeties on the roster (Charlie Peprah and Derrick Martin) and another reserve safety on the practice squad (Anthony Levine).

If Peprah can get fully healthy by Sunday then he will start opposite Nick Collins against the Redskins in Washington this weekend. If Peprah is unable to go, Martin is next in line. Finally, if Levine gets promoted to the active roster in place of Burnett, that is an indication that Bigby is not quite at full strength.


Nick Barnett:

Not to be confused with Morgan Burnett, starting middle linebacker Nick Barnett faces potentially season ending wrist surgery. Barnett (and his samurai sword) is the leader of the vocal leader of the Packers defense. With Brandon Chillar already injured, the Packers only have two healthy middle linebackers on their current roster: A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop. The Packers have former Arena Leaguer Maurice Simpkins on their practice squad but Simpkins is really only a short term solution. If Barnett is lost for the season, the Packers will be forced to make a trade or sign a free agent.

Barnett has been an integral part of the Packers defense since they drafted him in the first-round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Many Packer fans remember that Barnett suffered a season ending knee injury against the Vikings in 2008. After losing Barnett in 2008 the Packers imploded, losing 5 of their last 7 games.

If Barnett is able to continue, he only needs 8 tackles to break John Anderson's franchise record of 1,020 tackles. Unfortunately there is a small asterisk on that record though because tackles only became an official statistic starting in 1975.

Barnett is schedule to get a second opinion, hopefully he can gut it out and take care of the injury in the off-season. If losing Ryan Grant for the season seemed bad, as 2008 showed, losing Nick Barnett for the year would be a borderline season killer.


Randy Moss:

While still wearing the green and gold, Brett Favre lobbied on numerous occasions for the Packers to acquire Randy Moss. Favre finally got his wish to be paired with Randy Moss. Although Favre gets his chance to hook-up with Moss, albeit three years later than he hoped, this might not necessarily be a match made in heaven like it would have been in 2007. For the first time in a long time, Favre looks his age and Randy Moss is no fountain of youth.

Since Favre has held the Vikings hostage for the last year and a half, I am sure there was a clause in his contract that forced the Vikings to trade for Moss at Favre's direction. Would Vikings coach Brad Childress step in the way? No way, Childress and Company have become Favre's lap dog. By giving up a third-round pick for Moss the Vikings mortgaged their future to win now. That said, you have to give the Vikings credit for going all-in for 2010. With how old Favre looks, the Vikings knew this might be Favre's last season so they are going for it all, good for them.


Marshawn Lynch:

According to NFL sources the Seahawks, Packers, Eagles, and Patriots were vying for the services of running back Marshawn Lynch. As we all know by now, former Green Bay Packer front office employee and current Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider acquired Marshawn Lynch for a fourth-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and a conditional sixth-round pick (that could be a fifth-round pick) in the 2012 NFL Draft.

The good news is that Ted Thompson was actually involved in trying to acquire Lynch. The bad news is that the pupil (Schneider) outdid the teacher (Thompson). According to the aforementioned sources, Thompson offered a fourth-round pick and a borderline starter. This is pure speculation but based on the Buffalo Bills' offensive line issues, I am guessing the unnamed borderline starter was either Jason Spitz or T.J. Lang. Including Spitz is fine by me but if Lang was involved the Packers might have dodged a bullet by the trade failing to go through.

The Bills balked at the Packers offer because the Packers fourth-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft will likely be 20 spots later than the Seahawks fourth-round pick. As a result, the source speculated that Thompson would have had to offer the Packers' third-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Thompson was probably reluctant to part with a third-round pick because that has been fertile ground for him. Look at Thompson's third-round picks: Jason Spitz (2006), James Jones (2007), Jermichael Finley (2008), and Morgan Burnett (2010). Thompson used the Packers' 2009 third-round pick (along with two other picks) to move back into the first-round in 2009 to select Clay Matthews. Needless to say, Thompson has been successful drafting in the third-round.

Much like the failed acquisition of Randy Moss in 2007 and Tony Gonzalez in 2008, Thompson had a chance to "overpay" for Lynch according to his personal valuation but decided against overpaying. The failed Moss and Gonzalez acquisitions pale in comparison to the failure to acquire Lynch.

If rookie running back James Starks doesn't hit the ground running (no pun intended) after coming off the physically unable to perform list after week 6 then the groans are only going to get louder.

Will failing to acquire Lynch mean the Packers have no chance to win the Super Bowl this year, no. Does the failure to acquire Lynch make it much harder, yes. Bottom line, despite Lynch only being under contract through 2011, Thompson should have pulled the trigger and sent a 3rd round pick to the Buffalo Bills for Marshawn Lynch.

2010 Green Bay Packers 53-man Roster 3.0

As you know by now if you are an avid reader of the blog (or a football fan), NFL rosters are always a work in progress. On Sunday, September 12, 2010 the Green Bay Packers open their 2010 season on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. Although the Packers will only have 45 guys on their game day roster, they will have 53 players on their active roster.

I didn't change my training camp predictions at the final 53-man roster too much over the last few weeks (first and second attempts) but it is still worth a read. Here is my third training camp crack at how I think Ted Thompson will pick the final 53-man roster for the 2010 Green Bay Packers (although I think there will be at least one trade around cut down time...the most likely guys to move are Jason Spitz and Donald Lee):

Offense: 26 (PUP: 1, PS: 5, CUT: 7, and IR: 1)

Quarterback: 2 (PS:1)
Aaron Rodgers
Matt Flynn
PS: Graham Harrell

Running Back: 3 (PUP: 1 and IR: 1)
Ryan Grant
Brandon Jackson
Kregg Lumpkin
PUP: James Starks
IR: Quinn Porter

Fullback: 2 (CUT: 1)
Korey Hall
John Kuhn
CUT: Quinn Johnson

Tight End: 4 (PS: 1)
Jermichael Finley
Donald Lee
Spencer Havner
Andrew Quarless
PS: Tom Crabtree

Wide Receiver: 5 (PS: 1 and CUT: 4)
Donald Driver
Greg Jennings
Jordy Nelson
James Jones
Brett Swain
PS: Jason Chery
CUT: Chastin West, Patrick Williams, Charles Dillon, and Shawn Gore

Offensive Line: 10 (PS: 2 and CUT: 2)
Chad Clifton
Daryn Colledge
Scott Wells
Josh Sitton
Mark Tauscher
Bryan Bulaga
Jason Spitz
T.J. Lang
Evan Dietrich-Smith
Marshall Newhouse
PS: Chris Campbell and Nick McDonald
CUT: Allen Barbre and Breno Giacomini


Defense: 24 (PUP: 2, PS: 3, and CUT: 7)

Defensive Line: 6 (PS: 1 and CUT: 2)
Ryan Pickett
B.J. Raji
Cullen Jenkins
Mike Neal
Justin Harrell
Ronald Talley
PS: C.J. Wilson
CUT: Jarius Wynn and Anthony Toribio

Linebacker: 8 (PS: 1 and CUT: 3)
Clay Matthews
A.J. Hawk
Nick Barnett
Brandon Chillar
Brady Poppinga
Desmond Bishop
Brad Jones
Frank Zombo
PS: Robert Francois
CUT: Cyril Obiozor, Alex Joseph, and Maurice Simpkins

Defensive Back: 10 (PUP: 2, PS: 1, and CUT: 2)
Charles Woodson
Tramon Williams
Brandon Underwood
Pat Lee
Sam Shields
Nick Collins
Morgan Burnett
Derrick Martin
Jarrett Bush
Will Blackmon
PUP: Al Harris and Atari Bigby
PS: Anthony Levine
CUT: D.J. Clark and Charlie Peprah


Special Teams: 3 (CUT: 1)

Kicker: 1
Mason Crosby

Punter: 1 (CUT: 1)
Tim Masthay
CUT: Chris Bryan

Long Snapper: 1
Brett Goode

2010 Green Bay Packers 53-man Roster 2.0

An NFL roster is always a work in progress. On Sunday, September 12, 2010 the Green Bay Packers open their 2010 season on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. Although the Packers will only have 45 guys on their game day roster, they will have 53 players on their active roster. I didn't change too many predictions from my last look at this a few weeks ago but it is still worth a read. Here is my second training camp crack at how I think Ted Thompson will pick the final 53-man roster for the 2010 Green Bay Packers:

Offense: 26 (PUP: 1, PS: 5, and CUT: 8)

Quarterback: 2 (PS:1)
Aaron Rodgers
Matt Flynn
PS: Graham Harrell

Running Back: 3 (PUP: 1 and PS: 1)
Ryan Grant
Brandon Jackson
Kregg Lumpkin
PUP: James Starks
PS: Quinn Porter

Fullback: 2 (CUT: 1)
Korey Hall
John Kuhn
CUT: Quinn Johnson

Tight End: 4 (PS: 1)
Jermichael Finley
Donald Lee
Spencer Havner
Andrew Quarless
PS: Tom Crabtree

Wide Receiver: 5 (PS: 1 and CUT: 4)
Donald Driver
Greg Jennings
Jordy Nelson
James Jones
Brett Swain
PS: Jason Chery
CUT: Chastin West, Patrick Williams, Charles Dillon, and Shawn Gore

Offensive Line: 10 (PS: 1 and CUT: 3)
Chad Clifton
Daryn Colledge
Scott Wells
Josh Sitton
Mark Tauscher
Bryan Bulaga
Jason Spitz
T.J. Lang
Breno Giacomini
Marshall Newhouse
PS: Chris Campbell
CUT: Allen Barbre, Evan Dietrich-Smith, and Nick McDonald


Defense: 24 (PUP: 2, PS: 3, and CUT: 7)

Defensive Line: 6 (PS: 1 and CUT: 2)
Ryan Pickett
B.J. Raji
Cullen Jenkins
Mike Neal
Justin Harrell
Anthony Toribio
PS: C.J. Wilson
CUT: Jarius Wynn and Ronald Talley

Linebacker: 8 (PS: 1 and CUT: 3)
Clay Matthews
A.J. Hawk
Nick Barnett
Brandon Chillar
Brady Poppinga
Desmond Bishop
Brad Jones
Frank Zombo
PS: Robert Francois
CUT: Cyril Obiozor, Alex Joseph, and Maurice Simpkins

Defensive Back: 10 (PUP: 2, PS: 1, and CUT: 2)
Charles Woodson
Tramon Williams
Brandon Underwood
Pat Lee
Sam Shields
Nick Collins
Morgan Burnett
Derrick Martin
Jarrett Bush
Will Blackmon
PUP: Al Harris and Atari Bigby
PS: Anthony Levine
CUT: D.J. Clark and Charlie Peprah


Special Teams: 3 (CUT: 1)

Kicker: 1
Mason Crosby

Punter: 1 (CUT: 1)
Chris Bryan
CUT: Tim Masthay

Long Snapper: 1
Brett Goode

2011 Madden Green Bay Packer Player Ratings

Tuesday, August 10, 2010 was the official release date of Madden 2011 by EA Sports. By the way, why is it called Madden 2011 instead of Madden 2010? Anyhow, the annual release of Madden is a special day for football and video game afficaiandos (like myself) around the world.

The annual Madden release leads to trash talking amongst NFL players. NFL players get so worked up about their ratings that they have gone so far as to petition EA Sports to improve their ratings. Here are some highlights from the 2011 Madden Green Bay Packer player ratings:

The 10 highest rated Green Bay Packers in Madden 2011 are:
- Charles Woodson: 97
- Aaron Rodgers: 94
- Nick Collins: 93
- Greg Jennings: 90
- Donald Driver: 89
- Ryan Grant: 88
- Nick Barnett: 87
- Cullen Jenkins: 87
- Clay Matthews: 86
- Jermichael Finley: 86

Ratings Jennings 90 and Nick Barnett 87 feels a little low, especially with Matthews and Finley getting a rating of 86. If you buy into all of the preseason hype, Rodgers should be a 99. Obviously I don't think Rodgers should be a 99 but with all the hype he is getting, 94 almost feels low.


The 10 lowest rated Green Bay Packers in Madden 2011 are:
- Marshall Newhouse: 64
- Will Blackmon: 63
- Jarrett Bush: 63
- Anthony Toribio: 63
- Spencer Havner: 62
- Justin Harrell: 62
- Jarius Wynn: 60
- Allen Barbre: 60
- Matt Flynn: 57
- Tim Masthay: 49

It is only fair that the lowest rated Packer is a punter, their punting game has been horrible since cutting Jon Ryan right before the start of the 2008 regular season. Besides that, even though Harrell has been hurt since entering the NFL there is no way he should be ranked behind Newhouse, Blackmon, Bush, and Toribio. I know I am splitting hairs over a 64 rating v. a 62 rating but this might be my last chance to give Harrell a backhanded compliment.


The 5 fastest Green Bay Packers in Madden 2011 are:
- Greg Jennings: 93
- Will Blackmon: 92
- Tramon Williams: 90
- Charles Woodson: 89
- Nick Collins: 89

Madden did not include Sam Shields on the Packers roster otherwise the Packers would have had at least one player with a 99 speed rating. Only having 3 players with a speed rating of 90 or higher is a little disconcerting though.


The 5 slowest Green Bay Packers in Madden 2011 are:
- Scott Wells: 58
- Evan Dietrich-Smith: 56
- Chad Clifton: 55
- Mark Tauscher: 52
- Jason Spitz: 52

No big surprises here, offensive lineman are almost always the slowest players on the team.


Only 6 Green Bay Packers had an awareness rating of 90 or higher in Madden 2011:
- Charles Woodson: 98
- Al Harris: 97
- Chad Clifton: 93
- Mark Tauscher: 91
- Greg Jennings: 90
- Donald Driver: 90

If I were in charge of the Madden franchise (I hope you are reading this EA Sports), Aaron Rodgers would have a 99 awareness rating solely for how well he handled the whole Brett Favre saga. Rodgers took a prominent leadership role in short order after taking over for a living legend in Green Bay. Add in that Rodgers is the closest thing to the perfect team player you will ever find in professional sports and Madden missed the boat on this one. There is no way that Rodgers should have an 84 awareness rating.


The Green Bay Packers with an awareness rating of lower than 50 in Madden 2011 are:
- Allen Barbre: 48
- Jarius Wynn: 46
- Anthony Toribio: 45
- Tim Masthay: 45
- Evan Dietrich-Smith: 45
- Andrew Quarless: 40
- James Starks: 37
- Marshall Newhouse: 37
- Morgan Burnett: 29

Brandon Underwood barely missed this list by getting a 52 awareness rating. I am guessing if EA Sports could factor in Blackmon's recent transgressions he would overtake Burnett for the lowest awareness rating. Speaking of Burnett, it is never a good thing when one of your projected starters (with Bigby out injured) has the lowest awareness rating on your entire roster.

2009 Green Bay Packers Middseason Report

The NFL Trade Deadline passed a few weeks ago so the Packers have to play with their current roster the rest of the season unless they cut/place someone on the injured reserve and sign a new player. As a result, I thought I would rank the players on the Packers' current 53-man roster from #53 to #1 based solely on their performance this season and what upside they might have for the rest of the season:

To quote Herm Edwards, the most unintentionally funny head coach of all-time, "you play to win the game!" Unfortunately for these guys, they have not played very much...

#53 - Breno Giacomini (T): he only suited up week eight and fortunately did not play. The Italian Stallion is buried deep on the Packers' depth chart for good reason.

#52 - Evan Dietrich-Smith (C/G): edged out the Italian Stallion by one spot because he suited up for five games, although has yet to see any game action.

#51 - Biren Ealy (WR): he did not join the Packers organization until week eight when he was signed to the practice squad. Last week Ealy was active because of all the injuries the Packers have at wide receiver. Coming into the season who would have thought guys like this would be on the active roster when the Packers cut Ruvell Martin at the end of the preseason?

#50 - Jake Allen (WR): spent the first seven weeks on the practice squad, was active week eight and inactive week nine with an injury. Please come back soon Jordy...we need you!

#49 - Jarius Wynn (DE): after being active for the first four games of the season, Wynn has been inactive the last four games. Let's just move on.


At this point the sample size is too small to make a very informed judgment on these guys...

#48 - Matt Giordano (S): signed week three after the Packers finally gave up on Aaron Rouse, the most over-hyped underachiever of the Ted Thompson Era not named Justin Harrell. Another question TT, would you rather have Anthony Smith (a guy versed in the 3-4 that you tried to pick up on the waiver wire a few weeks back) or Giordano?

#47 - Brandon Underwood (CB): a promising project at cornerback (wish that could be said for injury reserve main stay and former second round pick Patrick Lee). Underwood was a highly recruited prospect out of high school. He went to Ohio State but had some academic trouble. Underwood resurfaced at Cincinnati and was All-Big-Easy at safety in 2008. Only time will tell if he turns out to be a 6th round steal.

#46 - Jeremy Thompson (OLB): a converted defensive end but similar to Aaron Kampman, he looks out of place at outside linebacker. This is a good example of where the Packers would be better off with having a veteran (why didn't the Packers pursue Jason Taylor?) instead of the inexperienced Thompson.

#45 - Brad Jones (OLB): looks to possibly start this weekend with all of the injury trouble at outside linebacker (Kampman-concussion and Poppinga-leg injury). Part of the reason Mike McCarthy said that Jones is ready to start is "his good play on special teams." Well that is encouraging since special teams have been horrible all season. What qualifies as good on special teams? Only a few penalties? Only a few missed tackles?

#44 - Michael Montgomery (DE): has had minimal impact thus far. Montgomery's body type does not seem ideal for the 3-4, only time will tell if Montgomery is in the 2010 plans (why didn't the Packers pursue Vonnie Holiday?).

#43 - Korey Hall (FB): after starting week one, Hall has had trouble staying on the field. He has been inactive the last four weeks and with the emergence of Quinn Johnson it is surprising the Packers have not opted to put him on the injured reserve list since the Packers have to be one of the only teams in the NFL to carry three running backs and three full backs.

#42 - Quinn Johnson (FB): Hall's injury has given Johnson a chance to play the last four weeks. Johnson has been compared to a sledgehammer more than once since the Packers drafted him in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. If the Sledgehammer wants to play more he will have to make better plays then the wild juggling catch against the Queens.


These guys take the special out of special teams...

#41 - Jeremy Kapinos (P): Ron Wolf admitted that one of the biggest errors he made as a general manager was letting Craig Hentrich leave in free agency in 1997. Hentrich is obviously not Ray Guy but since the Packers let Hentrich leave the list of starting punters is ugly: Sean Landeta, Louie Aguiar, Josh Bidwell, Bryan Barker, B.J. Sander, Jon Ryan, Derrick Frost and Jeremy Kapinos...yikes.

#40 - Mason Crosby (K): for some reason general mangers always opt for cheaper place kickers. Quick question TT, with $15 million in cap space would you rather have Ryan Longwell or Mason Crosby? How about the two big kicks Crosby missed on the road last season against the Queens and Bears. Instead of finishing 6-10, the Packers finish 8-8. That does not get the Packers in the playoffs but it would have been a nice building block going into the offseason.

#39 - Brett Goode (LS): I put Goode ahead of Crosby and Kapinos not because Goode has played better but more as a slap in the face to the aforementioned underachieving Corsby and Kapinos.


Just not that good...

#38 - Jarrett Bush (CB): he was a restricted free agent in the off-season. The Tennessee Titans offered Bush a three-year, $4.5 million contract. Unfortunately the Packers matched that offer sheet. Since then, the only thing Bush has lead the Packers in this season is penalties on special teams (three).

#37 - Derrick Martin (S): instead of keeping Anthony Smith, the Packers decided to address their issues at safety by trading back-up tackle Tony Moll for Martin. So far Martin has been just as horrible as Bush. Anthony Smith sure looks to be an upgrade over Bush and Martin doesn't it? So instead of having Moll and Smith, the Packers have Martin and Giordano...good Teddy, good (yes that is a Caddyshack reference).

#36 - Brandon Jackson (RB): he has been hurt most of the season (inactive the first four weeks of the season) and when he got his chance made very little impact (12 rushes, 37 yards and one fumble). With Good Ole Rockyman in the fold, Jackson is looking like a second round bust.

#35 - Daryn Colledge (G/T): speaking of second round busts, Mr. Alaska has had a rough tenure in Green Bay. When Ted Thompson drafted Mr. Alaska in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft, Packers fans thought they were looking at the guard of the future. TT was hoping Colledge would help Packer fans forget that he ran Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera out of town. Three and a half years into his Green Bay career, Mr. Alaska has been marginal at best and is playing the rest of the season for a contract offer since he is a restricted free agent this off-season.

#34 - Donald Lee (TE): one play sums up Lee's season. On fourth down, with the Packers still in the game against the Queens in Minnesota, Rodgers found Lee at the last second...Lee flat out dropped it. Lee is over worked, playing almost every down but that does not excuse his drops this season. Jermichael Finley's injury gave Lee a chance to step up, instead another TE that is ranked much better than Lee made the most of the opportunity.


I wish it were 2004 not 2009...

#33 - Mark Tauscher (T): he is only 11 months removed from ACL surgery. Tausher finally played against the Buccaneers but was unable to finish the game because he re-injured his surgically repaired knee. Tauscher provides a nice veteran presence on the offensive line if he can stay healthy.

#32 - Ahman Green (RB): what a way to become the Packers' all-time leading rusher, a short run in a game that the Packers lost to the 0-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers...I am sure that is the way Jim Taylor always thought he would lose his record.


How does the practice squad feel Brian Brohm?

#31 - Matt Flynn (QB): sort of speculative at this point. Flynn won a national championship at LSU the year after Jamarcus Russell left for the NFL. At this point most NFL teams would rather have Flynn (7th round pick) instead of Russell (First Pick of the 2007 NFL Draft) or Brohm (2nd round pick in the same draft the Packers took Flynn and one pick ahead of Chad Henne...ouch). Let's hope the only time we see Flynn playing this season is when the Packers are up a bunch.


Who will end the season as the Packers' starting right tackle you ask...

#30 - Allen Barbre (T): marginal at best this season, Barbre does not look like the Packers' right tackle of the future. If Tauscher, Barbre and Lang are healthy I would have Barbre #3 on the depth chart, which is how confident I am in Barbre's ability.

#29 - T.J. Lang (T): since taking over as General Manager of the Green Bay Packers, Ted Thompson has drafted 10 offensive lineman in five years: Junius Coston (5th round '05), William Whitticker (7th round '05), Daryn Colledge (2nd round '06), Jason Spitz (3rd round '06), Tony Moll (5th round '06), Allen Barbre (4th round '07), Josh Sitton (4th round '08), Breno Giacomini (5th round '08), T.J. Lang (4th round '09) and Jamon Meredith (5th round '09) source: here. Five are on the 53-man roster, one is one injured reserve and four no longer collect a paycheck from the Green Bay Packers. When all the dust settles Lang might be the best of the group (that isn't really saying much though) although he looks to project better as a guard. Hopefully he is the starting left guard of the 2010 Green Bay Packers in place of Mr. Alaska.


The injury bug is an ugly thing...

#28 - B.J. Raji (DE/NT): after being inactive for the first two games of the season, Raji has started to settle into the defensive rotation. His stats are not that overwhelming (11 tackles with 1 tackle for a loss) but part of that has to do with his tender ankle. The Packers drafted Raji 9th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft because of how much space he takes up. The last few weeks Raji has started to do that on the field, which is nice (yes that is another Caddyshack reference).

#27 - Jordy Nelson (WR): after having a nice start to the season, Jordy was hurt against the Detroit Lions and has missed the last three games. Nelson was competing with James Jones for the third receiver spot as well as serving as the Packers' main return man after the Packers lost Will Blackmon to a season ending knee injury in week #4 against the Minnesota Vikings. Once Nelson returns to the lineup it will help the Packers open up their playbook with 4 and 5 wide receiver sets. That return hopefully comes this weekend against the Cowboys...come on Jordy we need you!

#26 - Atari Bigby (S): after a promising season in 2007, Bigby only appeared in 7 games in 2008. Bigby started week 1 but was sidelined with an injury for the next 3 weeks. Since returning from injury, Bigby is having trouble getting acclimated to the new 3-4 defense. Bigby needs to show he can stay healthy before the Packers make a long term commitment.


Are we looking at Keith Jackson and Mark Chumura circa 1996 minus the prom party?

#25 - Spencer Havner (TE): announcers love to say "player x is just a football player." No kidding, we are watching football players play football. The only guy I will give a pass to announcers using that cliche on is Havner. Originally an outside linebacker, Havner made the Packers' roster through his versatility. The Packers converted Havner to TE and asked him to serve as their special teams ace. Against the Cleveland Browns earlier this season Havner showed why the Packers covet his versatility. Havner caught a short pass and turned it into a long touchdown. On the next kickoff, Havner made the special teams tackle. So yes Troy Aikman, Spencer Havner is a football player.

#24 - Jermichael Finley (TE): a freak of nature and avid tweet. Finley had a breakout game against the Minnesota Vikings but an injury against the Cleveland kept Finley inactive the last two weeks. If healthy, Finley has a chance to have a huge second half of the 2009 season.


You start but does that mean you are good?

#23 - John Kuhn (FB): he is trying to harness his inner William "Floyd" Henderson with decent results so far. Besides his special teams error last week that lead to a blocked punt against the Buccaneers, Kuhn has been consistent all season in place of the injured Hall.

#22 - A.J. Hawk (ILB): for the rest of the season the paper needs to kill Hawk for how bad he is playing. If they do, by the end of the season he might be a pro bowler. Players love to say they never read what the press write about them but the week after Wisconsin papers speculated about Hawk possibly having to take a pay cut to return to the Packers in 2010 he had his best game of the season. Hawk hasn't come anywhere close to living up to being the 5th player selected in the 2006 NFL Draft but he has been playing better each week. In fact he got totally hosed on a holding call last week against the Buccaneers to negate a great athletic play by him on a potentially game changing interception.


They are solid but will they every be better than that?

#21 - James Jones (WR): with Nelson out, Jones has been a very consistent 3rd wide receiver (11 receptions for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns). He joins a long list of quality non-first round wide receivers that TT has drafted (Terrence Murphy, Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson).

#20 - Desmond Bishop (ILB): how is he not on the field more often? Bishop had arguably the best preseason of any defensive player on the Packers not named Charles Woodson. That has translated into situation playing time now that Nick Barnett is fully recovered from his knee injury.

#19 - Brady Poppinga (OLB): probably a little too high on the list but who doesn't like to say his name...Poppppppppinga! With the emergence of Clay Matthews, Poppppppppinga's minutes will be limited the rest of the way but he provides a solid veteran presence on the defense. Speaking of solid veteran presence...

#18 - Brandon Chillar (ILB): unfortunately Chillar broke his hand against the Queens. That means Chillar will have to play the rest of the season with a club on his hand. Chillar has given the Packers versatility on defense by playing safety in the Big Okie set. With his hand injury the Big Okie might get scrapped for the rest of the season though.

#17 - Tramon Williams (CB): a very talented nickel back with a bright future in Green Bay. Williams been lucky to learn under one of the most talented corner back tandems in the NFL for three plus seasons.


Holdovers from the previous management regime that have played a huge role...

#16 - Scott Wells (C): after getting left out of the starting line-up in week one, Wells just went about his business and did not make any waves. After taking over as a starter in week three he seized the opportunity and performed fairly well consider how atrocious the Packers' offensive line has been as a whole this season. Without Wells the Packers would be starting the #52 man on the list (Evan Dietrich-Smith) so yes, Wells has played an important role this season.

#15 - Cullen Jenkins (DE): after publicly criticizing his role in the new defense a few weeks ago, Jenkins backed off those claims and kept a lower profile. Jenkins body type makes him a more ideal fit for the 4-3 defense but he has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season (remember his pick against the Lions) marred with long bouts of inconsistency (only two games with more than two tackles). Jenkins needs a big second half of the season for the Packers to win games.

#14 - Chad Clifton (T): after getting over shoulder, knee and thumb injuries from last season Clifton looked to regain his form as one of the best left tackles in the NFC. Instead Clifton got hurt against the Bengals and has been shuffled in and out of the line-up. Clifton's play has been inconsistent since re-joining the starting line-up. In a game earlier this season he lined up up too far off the line twice, which some scouts attributed to him trying to compensate for his injury and diminished play. The Packers will only go as far as their offensive line takes them. Clifton, the anchor of the offensive line at left tackle, needs to regain his 2007 form for the Packers to win in 2009.

#13 - Aaron Kampman (OLB): he seems like a fish out of water in the 3-4 defense. After registering the second most sacks in the NFL from 2006-2008, Kampman looks like a shell of himself. Besides that, Kampman suffered a concussion last week in Tampa Bay. There is no reason to rush Kampman back, as research shows it is the second concussion within a few weeks of the first concussion that does much more lasting damage. When Kampman does return, give him a few snaps at defensive end. Yes he is a little undersized but Kampman has made a successful career as an under sized, under appreciated player.


Just give him the damn ball...

#12 - Greg Jennings (WR): Jennings has not been his old self for over a year. He is not the tallest or fastest wide receiver in the NFL but he is one of the most explosive wide receivers when he catches the ball on a short slant. Jennings currently ranks 24th in receiving yards with 498. For the Packers to be successful in the second half of the season Jennings must get more balls thrown to him.


This famous movie exchange sums it all up:
- Game Show Host: "Would you like the Snapper or the box?"
- Johnny Jolly: "The box, I'll take the box!"
- Game Show Host: "What's in the box...nothing...absolutely nothing...stupid...you so stupid!!!!"

#11 - Johnny Jolly (DE/DT): on talent alone Jolly should be higher on the list. He perfectly read a screen earlier in the season and intercepted the pass to save a sure touchdown. For every play like that though, he head butts a player for a personal foul that turns a field goal into a touchdown (remember the Queens game).


Finally the Top Ten...

#10 - Josh Sitton (G): it feels weird to put an offensive lineman in the top ten, which is an indictment on the Packers in general, but Sitton deserves it. He has been the only guy on the Packers' offensive line that has played consistently well all season. At least the future looks bright for one of the five positions on the Packers' offensive line.

#9 - Nick Collins (S): talent has never been the issue, why else would the Packers let Collins take Leroy Butler's jersey number? Most of that talent has translated into production. Collins is a restricted free agent this offseason so he is playing for a huge contract in the next eight games.

#8 - Al Harris (CB): joined the Packers in 2003 via trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. Harris has been on the end of playoff highs and lows for the Packers. For playoff lows, Plaxico "Shooter McGavin" Burress absolutely torched Harris on the frozen tundra in the 2008 NFC Championship Game. For playoff highs, Harris famously picked off Matt "We'll take the ball and we're gonna score" Hasslebeck for a pick-six to beat the Seahawks in overtime. Harris is getting up there in age (34) but keeps himself in impeccable shape to help form one of the best cornerback tandems in the NFL.

#7 - Ryan Grant (RB): check back next week for a breakdown of how Ryan Grant and his agent fleeced the Packers for what might turn out to be a worse contract then Joe Johnson. In the mean time keep in mind that Grant has 188 yards against the Bears, Bengals and Vikings (twice) while he has 433 against the Rams, Lions, Browns and Buccaneers. May be he shouldn't be ranked #7...since he racked up all of his yards against the pansies of the NFL.

#6 - Clay Matthews (OLB): since taking over at starting ROLB in week four Matthews has been a on a tear. Matthews is one of the only players to provide consistent pressure on the Packers' defense. So far this season Matthews has registered 22 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss and 3.0 sacks. Matthews is helping people forget that Michael Oher (Peter King's mid-season All Pro pick at right tackle) could possibly be wearing a Green Bay Packers uniform.

#5 - Ryan Pickett (DT): he has not put up huge stats but he has anchored the defensive line in their transition from the 4-3 to the 3-4. Nose Tackle is a thankless job in the 3-4 but Big Daddy Pickett has just gone about his business without complaining. Big Daddy is a big reason why the Packers' defense has allowed just 3.47 yards per rush (2nd best in the NFL). Finally, Big Daddy leads the Packers' defensive line with a tackle every 7.2 snaps.

#4 - Nick Barnett (ILB): coming off season ending knee surgery the Packers training staff was cautious with Barnett. That plan seems to be paying off this season. Although Barnett is probably better suited to play in the 4-3 defense (sense a theme here) he has made the transition to the 3-4. Barnett is leading the team with 51 and 6 tackles for a loss.

#3 - Aaron Rodgers (QB): he was Ted Thompson's first draft pick as General Manager of the Green bay Packers. Rodgers also has the unlucky distinction of being the quarterback to take over for Brett Favre. Throughout the entire situation Rodgers has handled himself with class. Even this season as the Packers' offensive line has failed him on a number of occasions Rodgers has not publicly criticized his teammates. Rodgers ranks fifth in the NFL in passer rating (103.3). Despite the impressive offensive numbers, Rodgers will ultimately be judged by his record. If he goes 6-2 in the second half of the season all is well in Green Bay. If he goes 2-6...watch out.

#2 - Donald Driver (WR): one of the most likable guys in the NFL. Driver leads the team with 37 receptions, 613 yards and 4 touchdowns. This season Driver also broke the record for most receptions in Packers' history. Driver is on record as saying he wants to play for another four/five years. If Driver keeps producing like he has so far this season, the Packers will oblige and keep Driver around as long as he wants.

#1 - Charles Woodson (CB): the second best free agent signing in Packers' history (obviously behind Reggie White) has produced on the field for the Packers from day one since arriving from Oakland. TT offered Woodson more money then any other team in the NFL (seven year, worth potentially $52.7 million) and it has been money well spent. Woodson is fifth on the team in tackles with 35, second on the team in tackles for a loss with 6 and first on the team in interceptions with 4 (1 was returned for a touchdown).

Please feel free to comment or email me (bpbsports@gmail.com) your thoughts on the rankings.