Biggest Free-Agency Busts in Green Bay Packers History

By Bob Fox


The modern version of free agency started in 1993, when the Green Bay Packers hauled in the biggest fish in the ocean for the NFL. That would be the free-agent signing of defensive end Reggie White.

Before 1993, the NFL had something called Plan B free agency for four years, starting in 1989. Plan B allowed all NFL teams to preserve limited rights of no more than 37 players on each roster.

Before that, the only way a player could become a free agent was by playing out his option. That meant playing to the end of your contract with a given team. Former Packer greats Ron Kramer and Jim Taylor did just that. The Packers received a first-round draft pick in both cases when Kramer (Detroit Lions) and Taylor (New Orleans Saints) left Green Bay.

In the modern era of free agency, however, the Packers have definitely hit gold—twice. Once with White, and then again with defensive back Charles Woodson, who the Packers signed in 2006. Both players ended up as the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, and both helped the Packers win a Super Bowl, too.

But the Packers have also had their share of busts in free agency.

Here are some of the more high-profile free-agent missteps in Packers history.

Joe Johnson

The biggest free-agent bust in Green Bay history has to be defensive end Joe Johnson, who formerly played with the New Orleans Saints.

The Packers and Mike Sherman gambled on the aging veteran in 2002 to help improve the pass rush of the Packers.

Certainly, the resume of Johnson was solid. He had 50.5 sacks for the Saints in eight seasons. Johnson was also named as an All-Pro once, plus was named to four Pro Bowl teams.

But that all changed in Green Bay. Johnson was often injured in the two years he played for the Packers and had only two sacks in just 11 games.

Besides hurting the Packers with his lack of production, Johnson also took a big bite out of the Green Bay salary cap, as he got a $6 million signing bonus as part of his $36 million contract.

Adrian Klemm
Ted Thompson's first year (2005) as general manager in Green Bay was certainly not the high point of his front-office career. The Packers finished 4-12, quarterback Brett Favre had his worst year ever up to that point of his career and head coach Mike Sherman ended up getting fired.

The issues with the team started in free agency, as Thompson allowed the two prolific starting guards (Marco Rivera and Mike Wahle) to leave. Both players were very steady in Green Bay, but the cost to keep them was too rich for Thompson's liking.

Thompson used free agency to help lessen the losses of Rivera and Wahle. He signed Adrian Klemm (New England Patriots) and Matt O'Dwyer (Tampa Bay Bucs) to help fill the void. However, O'Dwyer didn't even make the team, while Klemm was mediocre at best at left guard.

The 2005 season was the first and last season Klemm played with the Packers, as he ineffective and inconsistent.

From 2002-2004, the Packers had one of the very best rushing attacks in the NFL. In 2005, the Packers finished 30th in the NFL in rushing. Favre also threw a career-high 29 interceptions in the passing game.

Thompson knew that the Packers needed to shore up the offensive line after that dismal year, and he drafted three offensive linemen in the 2006 NFL Draft.

Mark Roman
Safety Mark Roman (Cincinnati Bengals) was another free agent Mike Sherman signed in his very last year as general manager in 2004.

Like the Joe Johnson signing, this relationship only lasted two years.

Roman did not exactly put himself in a good light in 2004. He had no interceptions and didn't force a fumble. He also looked lost in coverage and missed way too many tackles.

The Packers finished 25th in the NFL in pass defense in 2004.

That all led to the embarrassing 31-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the 2004 NFC Wild Card Game at Lambeau Field. The Green Bay secondary was shredded by quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who threw four touchdown passes that day, including two to Randy Moss.

Roman played with the Packers again in 2005, and although he did play better, it was his last season in Green Bay.

Pat Terrell
When one remembers safety Pat Terrell's time with the Packers, it's hard not to recall his last play on the field.

It was the 1998 NFC Wild Card Game in San Francisco, with only 25 seconds left on the clock. The Packers had stormed back to take a 27-23 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the game. But now the game came down to one last play.

Quarterback Steve Young of the 49ers threw a strike to Terrell Owens on a deep post pattern, culminating in a game-winning 25-yard touchdown pass.

Owens caught the pass just in front of Terrell, who closed too late to break up the pass, as the Packers lost 30-27.

Terrell was signed by general manager Ron Wolf form the Carolina Panthers to help provide some leadership at safety, as Eugene Robinson had left the Packers to join the Atlanta Falcons in free agency.

All-Pro safety LeRoy Butler was still around, but the Packers wanted more experience, as second-year safety Darren Sharper was still learning the ropes.

Terrell started only three games in that year for the Packers at free safety, as the Packers had to move Sharper to cornerback for three games due to an injury to Craig Newsome.

The infamous pass from Young to Owens was the last play of Terrell's short Green Bay career.

Bob Fox is a featured columnist at Bleacherreport.com and shares content here at GBPackeraddictts.com

NFL Draft Running Back Rankings

By: Matt Bove
The 2013 NFL Draft running back class is one of the weakest positions in the draft this season. The only running back I have a first round grade on is Alabama's Eddie Lacy and even he isn't guaranteed to be selected in round one. It seems as the thought that as the NFL has evolved into the passing league that it has become, that all the best athletes are playing wide receiver and cornerback.  This was evident at the NFL Combine, as only Knile Davis and Onterio McCalebb ran a sub 4.4 40-yard dash and neither are big time prospects. The Packers do have a need at running back, so they will certainly be scouting this position hard.

1. Eddie Lacy- Alabama
Height: 5'11.5''
Weight: 223 lbs

I normally would not be an advocate of the Packers selecting a running back in round one with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, but I would certainly be on board if the Packers selected Lacy with the 26th overall pick in the draft. Lacy would bring the physicality that the Packers have been lacking at running back for awhile now. Lacy is a great between the tackles runner and would solve a lot of Green Bay's 3rd-and-short woes. Lacy is certainly not one of the more elusive running backs you will ever see, but he is a bull running through tackles and has enough elusiveness to get by with that. His one trademark elusive move is his spin move, which he made tacklers in college look foolish on. Lacy will always fall forward and has great balance. He put on an absolute show on the biggest stage in the National Championship game and averaged a stellar 6.8 yards per carry for Alabama last season. Also, what I like about him is that he has only 355 career carries in college, while a lot of the other running backs in this draft were way overworked in college.

2. Giovanni Bernard- North Carolina

Height: 5'8
Weight: 199 lbs

Bernard ran for 1,228 yards and 6.7 YPC at North Carolina last season. With his size, the obvious question is how effective Bernard can be in between the tackles. With that size comes durability issues, as Bernard missed two games for North Carolina last season. Bernard was great out of the backfield for the Tar Heels, as he caught 92 passes in the last two seasons for them. He lacks the breakaway speed you would like for a running back of his size, but he combines good vision with great elusiveness. The video shows that Bernard is good at setting up his runs and finds his holes to run through with great patience. Just a very natural and smooth runner.

3. Jonathan Franklin- UCLA

Height: 5'10
Weight: 201 lbs

Franklin set a single season UCLA record last season by running for 1,734 yards. Franklin's foot speed and amazing acceleration immediately jumps out on video. Franklin is lethal on the edge turning up the sideline and away from defenders. He will have huge big play potential at the next level .Franklin's cutting ability is excellent and he does not lose much speed while cutting. His cutting is the key to his tackle breaking because he won't be running many people over at his size. Also, Franklin gets to the line and through the holes very quickly. His biggest issues are fumbles, pass protection and his lack of bulk.

4. Andre Ellington- Clemson

Height: 5'10
Weight: 197 lbs
Similar to Franklin, Ellington has excellent acceleration on the edge. He only ran a 4.61 at the NFL Combine, but he plays much faster than that. For his size, Ellington is adept at working between the tackles and squeezing through holes. Also for his size, Ellington will not back down and he will be very physical. He had a few great runs where he kept his balance after contact. Given how hard Ellington runs and his size, durability is a question. Also, he needs to improve his patience in allowing blocks to develop.

5. Christine Michael- Texas A&M

Height: 5'10
Weight: 220 lbs

Michael has great upside but attitude and off the field issues will hurt his draft stock. He overslept and missed some of his team meetings at the NFL Combine. Also, he was in the doghouse his senior season at Texas A&M. On the field, Michael is very quick to the hole and possess excellent vision. Also, he has a great combination of elusiveness and power. He was able to break arm tackles with great balance and he flashed a nice spin move and stiff arm. Michael comes with some risk, but he could end up being a steal.

6. Mike Gillisee- Florida
Height: 5'11
Weight: 208
Gillislee is a sleeper for me, as most draftniks do not have rated this high, but he really stands out watching him. Gillisee carried Florida's offense last season with little talent surrounding him. He showed great vision, some ability to make people miss in the open field and great breakaway speed. He has a quick burst through the hole and can make a lot out of only a small hole. Along with his elusiveness, Gillilsee welcomes contact and does not back down. He does not finish off his runs great at the end and sometimes looks for the home run too much.

7. Montee Ball- Wisconsin

Height: 5'11
Weight: 215 lbs

Lots of Packers fans are familiar with Ball because of his stellar career at Wisconsin. Ball won't be as successful at the next level, but he should still be solid. He has great size and bulk and uses that strength to fight off tacklers. Ball sets up his blocks well, as he is is very solid in between the tackles. He lacks explosive lateral moves, which will be the reason why he will not be a special NFL running back. Another problem is that he had is that Ball stayed for his senior year at Wisconsin and they rode him hard. He may have too much tread on his tires already to have a very long career.


8. Joseph Randle- Oklahoma St.

Height: 6"1
Weight: 200 lbs

Randle was very productive at Oklahoma St., but I am not as high on him as a lot of people. A lot of his success was due to the spread offense of Oklahoma St. and he had some huge holes to run through. Also, Randle can run too high at times, is stiff and is not a very natural runner. He is very good at finishing carries with power and falling forward. Randle does have solid speed to turn the corner with, but he loses to many one on one battles. He is very productive as a pass catcher due to the offense he played in.

9. Marcus Lattimore- South Carolina

Height: 6"1
Weight: 218

At this point, I would rather take the risk on Lattimore rather than guys like Stepfan Taylor and Le'Veon Bell, who I don't see a lot of upside for. I wouldn't risk taking Lattimore before the fourth round, but anywhere after he is not a bad risk to take. Lattimore had a gruesome knee injury last season and tore several ligaments. However, it is being reported that he is making a good recovery. When healthy, Lattimore is built like a truck and is a true beast running the football. His physical running style has to due with the injuries Lattimore has had, as he often times is the one delivering blows on defenders. He does must of his damage between the tackles and does not turn the corner much. Lattimore has a nice combo of unexpected foot quickness, cuts and acceleration.

10. Cierre Wood- Notre Dame

Height: 5'11
Weight: 213

Wood is another sleeper for me. I watched every Notre Dame game last season, which has something to do with it, but I really like this kid's potential even though I thought he should have stayed in school another year. Wood shared carries with Theo Riddick at Notre Dame, but I think Wood has more talent and will be better suited for the NFL. He averaged a stellar 6.7 YPC for the Irish in 2012. Wood is a very natural runner and is laterally very elusive with quick feet. He used those quick feet to make sharp steps and side step oncoming tacklers. Also, Wood is very patient in waiting for holes to develop. He is one of my favorite values in this draft.

Packers Draft Possibilities: Draft a Kicker?

One of the major bad surprises of the 2012 season was the inconsistent kicking accuracy of Mason Crosby.  Last year his kicking percentage was 63.6%.  That is 10% lower than any of his previous years on the Green Bay Packers.  He certainly was not his high quality self that we had been seeing before this past season.  Kickers come and go, it certainly isn't worth paying the top kickers from the past season in free agency, because they are usually just as inconsistent.  Now, let's take a look at some of the facts.  The Packers drafted Crosby in the 2007 NFL Draft, 6th round, 193rd overall.  He was the third kicker taken off of the board.  If the Packers want to follow a similar matter, then what are we going to do in this year's draft?

Right now I think that the Packers top kicker prospect is a young man from Oklahoma State, Quinn Sharp.  One thing Sharp can consistently do is have a kickoff be a touchback, which is something that should sound familiar to Packer fans as Mason Crosby does this all the time.  In his 4 year career, he had 220 touchbacks in 384 kickoffs.  70% touchbacks for his Senior season.  This is something that I think we have definite value in because we have Percy Harvin and Devin Hester still currently in our division, and they are both excellent kick returners.  Last year he hit 88% of his field goals (22/25).  I think if we could get him in the 6th or 7th round that would be excellent.  Plus because he is a kicker and punter he would be able to challenge Masthay as well as Crosby.  There would be a lot of value to push our special teams starters with a late round pick.  Plus there is this video of Sharp kicking a 62 yard practice field goal at Oklahoma State.  Clearly some of the editors in Detroit seem to think that it would be an excellent idea for them to bring him in also.  There are some other kickers that Green Bay could look at, that are kickoff specialists and field goal kickers, but I think that they could end up getting signed as an undrafted free agent.

Packers Draft Possibilities: QB

by Caleb Wahlgren

One thing that the Packers know incredibly well at this point in their scouring of the roster.  Aaron Rodgers is a stud.  Clearly the Packers are not going to be going after the top rated QB's in the draft, and I think that most Packers fans would agree that we are not too fond of what we had seen out of Graham Harrell.  I even saw people saying that they wanted the Packers to go after Tebow as a backup, a move that I would not endorse.  There are many needs for a team that won the Super Bowl just 2 years ago, and has won the division the last 2 years, but we all know that without Rodgers we don't stand much of a chance.  Here are 3 prospects that we could hopefully get late in the draft and groom them to be a better backup than Harrell.

1.  Matt Scott: 6'2" 213 lbs. Arizona

Personally I like Scott for the athleticism that he brings to the table.  He put up some great times in the 20 yard shuttle and 3 cone drill, and he ran the Rich Rodriguez spread option offense at Arizona this past season.  I think that he could survive behind our offensive line, and if he came in he reminds me of a cross between Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick, two running college quarterbacks who were successful in running the spread, read option offense that is quickly becoming trendy in the NFL.  Also, he had been behind Nick Foles before this season, and Foles hasn't been bad as a backup in the NFL.

2.  Collin Klein: 6'5" 226 lbs. Kansas State

Klein would be more of a longer term project for the Packers.  His known problems are connected to his footwork and delivery, things that the Packers quarterback coaches are keen on teaching.  Again Klein is a strong runner, something that would be a change of pace from what the Packers have seen in the past, but Harrell is the opposite as a complete statue.  Klein was a proven winner in college, and that is something that hasn't hurt in young quarterbacks lately.  A lot of people wouldn't be keen on drafting Klein as he fell apart toward the end of last season, but he had a concussion, something that is incredibly hard to bounce back from.

3.  Colby Cameron: 6'2" 212 lbs. Louisiana Tech

Cameron is listed on the Combine website as having a quick release and not making mistakes.  I think NFL teams will forget that he lacks size because smaller quarterbacks keep having more success in the NFL.  Last year he threw 428 passes in the season before throwing his first interception.  If he's around in the 7th round, he's probably worth more of a flier in my opinion that B.J. Coleman was last year.  He did win the Sammy Baugh award last year for the best passer, and clearly he is a low round quarterback, even if he mainly threw short passes.

When it comes down to these 3 quarterbacks, I have trouble ranking them as how I would want the Packers to take them.  My preference would be Scott, Cameron, and then Klein, just because Klein would be more of a project and I want to have someone who could be a solid backup for the Packers this next season.  Every time we put Harrell in, it doesn't seem like we trust him to throw the ball, and everyone on defense knows that too.  Anyone else that you would like to see?  Place a note in the comments or let me know on twitter @kdiggs74 or put something on the packeraddicts forum, which is a great place to share your information with fellow Packer fans.

Decoding the McGinn Article…. “Use of tag on Jennings possible”

By Geoff Verges



So I’m sitting here reading Mr. McGinn’s article in today’s issue of the Journal Sentinel.  2/25/2013 edition.

I read some interesting things, some of which I understand, some of which I do not.  I’m hoping for some help in decoding the article.

#1,  “General manager Ted Thompson and vice president Russ Ball are giving consideration to using the franchise-player tag on wide receiver Greg Jennings, which was reported Sunday by NFL.com.”

#2, “The Journal Sentinel also learned that the Packers remain torn about the future of polarizing tight end Jermichael Finley.”

Okay, these are the two main thoughts in the article.

Decode #1, tagging Greg Jennings, was something that was always a possibility; a possibility that may have become more of a reality with the release of Charles Woodson.  No problem there.

Decode #2 is much more difficult.  Mostly because of an earlier piece that Mr. McGinn did.

In a past article McGinn on Fin, McGinn writes “Sources familiar with the Packers' thinking say the club not only wants to get rid of Finley but has decided to do exactly that in the off-season.”
In today’s article, “The Journal Sentinel also learned that the Packers remain torn about the future of polarizing tight end Jermichael Finley.”   Sources also indicated that “Thompson and the coaching staff appear to favor keeping Finley, while other people within the organization, including members of the personnel department, favor his release.”
So we went from an article saying the Packers have decided to move on from Finley to remaining torn about his future.
In trying to decode the double talk, I think the key lies in the “sources”.  In the older article, it talks about “sources familiar with the Packers’ thinking”.  Now it is citing coaching staff and personnel department members.  I probably have to think we are better off believing the recent quotes as they are people employed by the team.
But just who are the people involved?  That to me is the key.  Mike McCarthy is on record as wanting Finley back (coaching staff).  According to the article, Thompson wants him back too.  But it seems to me like Thompson has given no public statement to confirm or deny this line of thinking.
So who is left that could make up “members of the personnel department”?  Russ Ball?  Elliot Wolf?  Alonzo Highsmith?  Tim Terry?  Who else has any real say in the organization?  Would Murphy have a say-so in this matter?  And ultimately, do they carry enough pull to override the coaches?

Decode #2, time will tell.  And it will tell who has power in the organization.  I have to believe that McCarthy and some of his coaches would like their pass catching tight end back next year, if not longer.  And I have to believe that some scouts and other prominent people in the organization would like to move on from the controversial and highly paid Finley.  And I have to believe that ultimately, it is Ted Thompson’s call.   And as usual, his actions will occur before he says much of anything.

Ranking the Biggest Free Agency Priorities for the Packers

By Bob Fox


General Manager Ted Thompson shocked many in Packer nation in 2012, when he signed a number of free agents before training camp. Included in that group were defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove, center Jeff Saturday, defensive lineman Daniel Muir and defensive lineman Phillip Merling. Later, after training camp started, Thompson also signed running back Cedric Benson.

Saturday and Benson made the club, while the others did not.

Will Thompson try free agency again in 2013? Perhaps. But first he has to determine what to do with the free agents the Packers have on their own roster.

After the release of defensive back Charles Woodson and center Jeff Saturday, the Packers are now around $20 million dollars under the 2013 salary cap, which is expected to be around $122 million per team in the NFL.

The Packers currently have a number of unrestricted free agents. This list includes Benson, wide receiver Greg Jennings, linebacker Erik Walden and linebacker Brad Jones. I would not be surprised if Jones was the only one re-signed in this group.

Plus, you have the restricted free agents. This group includes includes center Evan Dietrich-Smith, tight end Tom Crabtree, linebacker Robert Francois, linebacker Frank Zombo and cornerback Sam Shields. Expect a portion of the money that the Packers have available to go towards contract tenders to these players, especially Dietrich-Smith and Shields, who should get the highest tenders.

The Packers also need to make sure that they have several million dollars available for the 2013 draft class.

Finally, the Packers are evaluating at what point they will do contract extensions for core players such as quarterback Aaron Rodgers, outside linebacker Clay Matthews and defensive lineman B.J. Raji.

Bottom line, I expect Thompson to continue to do what he does best—using the draft to supplement the roster. The Packers are a draft-and-develop team. Thompson also uses "street" free agency quite often in adding undrafted rookies and other players of that ilk, like cornerback Tramon Williams.

Thompson has used that method to secure players such as Shields in 2010, plus last season when he signed offensive lineman Don Barclay and outside linebacker Dezman Moses as undrafted rookies.

If Thompson uses free agency again this year, expect him to be quite thrifty. There won't be any big splashes. Expect a number of veteran minimum-type signings to be the norm if Thompson does indeed use free agency.

I'm listing some of the position areas in which Thompson and his scouting staff, led by Eliot Wolf (director of pro personnel), may look at in free agency.



OFFENSIVE LINE

The biggest need the Packers have on the offensive line is at center. Right now, Evan Dietrich-Smith is all Green Bay has at the position. However, there aren't many centers in free agency who the Packers might be interested in. The list includes Todd McClure of the Falcons, Brad Meester of the Jaguars and Jeff Faine of the Bengals, who are all over 30 years old.

The Packers tried that strategy with Jeff Saturday last season, and he ended up getting benched in favor of Dietrich-Smith late in the season. The Packers officially released Saturday on Monday.

Another area where the Packers might look to improve at is at left tackle. Here there are some intriguing possibilities. This group includes Will Beatty of the Giants, Brandon Albert of the Chiefs and Sam Baker of the Falcons. All three are 28 years old or younger.

However, the price tag of acquiring one of those three players, will most likely steer that Packers away from that possibility.

Expect the Packers to once again use the draft to add talent and depth to the offensive line, especially inside, like at center.

LINEBACKER

The Packers have a number of linebackers on their roster, both inside and outside, but that may be changing fairly quickly.

The Packers have already released both Charles Woodson and Jeff Saturday, and A.J Hawk may end up being a roster casualty too, because of his cap number.

The Packers also have two linebackers who are free agents themselves, in Erik Walden and Brad Jones. If I had to guess, I would expect only Jones to be re-signed.

In free agency, there are two big name outside linebackers who would definitely interest the Packers if the cost wouldn't be so high. They are Anthony Spencer of the Cowboys and Paul Kruger of the Ravens.

Another player who is also very talented, but less pricey, is Connor Barwin of theTexans.

Now I know what some of you are thinking. The Packers already have Clay Matthews, Nick Perry and Dezman Moses at outside linebacker right now. That's true, but you can never have enough playmakers at that position—especially when there are injuries, as the Packers found out last season.

The Packers are expected to get back both Desmond Bishop and D.J. Smith at inside linebacker in 2013, after both suffered season-ending injuries last season.

There is now an available option in free agency at that position who should be familiar to fans of the Packers. That would be Nick Barnett, who has been with the Bills the last two seasons. However, I wouldn't expect the Packers to come calling for Barnett, who will be 32 years old this season.

SAFETY

With the release of Charles Woodson, the Packers now only have three youngsters to battle for the starting job at strong safety. They are M.D. Jennings, Jerron McMillian and Sean Richardson.

All three have potential, but are still in the development stage. Of the three, I expect McMillian to make the biggest jump in 2013.

Still, I expect the Packers to add to the position, either through the draft or free agency.

There are a number of candidates in free agency, but one name to consider is Kenny Phillips of the Giants. Phillips was hurt (MCL injury) for most of the 2012 season, but when he is healthy, Phillips can be very productive at the strong safety position.

Phillips picked off eight passes in five years with the Giants, including four in the 2011 season, when the G-Men won Super Bowl XLVI.

Phillips is just 26 years old, too. The price tag for Phillips might be affordable as well.

Running Back

The Packers have some options in free agency, if they decide to fortify the running back position there. They can go back in time if they like, and sign someone like Cedric Benson again, or perhaps one of two other former Packers who are also available. They are Brandon Jackson of the Browns and Kregg Lumpkin of the Seahawks.

There is also a running back who is not yet a free agent, but soon could be. That would be Steven Jackson of the Rams. Jackson has yet to meet with the Rams to discuss his status, and free agency is less than a month away.

Jackson has the ability to void the final year of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent. Jackson could also play out the final year of his contract, or just sign an extension with the Rams.

If Jackson becomes available through free agency, I would expect the Packers to have some real interest, depending on the cost.

Otherwise, expect the Packers to draft a running back in the top four rounds, or perhaps even signing someone like Brandon Jackson at a minimum contract. Why? The Packers were very comfortable with the play of Jackson on third downs, especially the year the Packers won Super Bowl XLV.

Jackson picks up blitzes very well as a blocker, plus catches the ball effectively.

Defensive Line

The Packers are trying to get bigger on the defensive front, especially at defensive end. In free agency, there are a number of players who fit that criteria, among them being Chris Canty of the Giants, who is 6'7" and 317 pounds.

The Packers were interested in Canty when he was a free agent in 2009, but he signed with the G-Men instead.

Canty can be productive, as he had seven sacks the past two years. The cost to sign Canty should not be a huge obstacle, as he is 31 years old now.

A former Green Bay defensive end may soon be a free agent again, too. I'm talking about Cullen Jenkins, who has played the last two seasons with the Eagles. Rumor has it that the Eagles may release Jenkins and his $4.5 million dollar cap hit at some point in the near future.

The Packers have tried for the past two years to replace the productive Jenkins at defensive end. Jenkins played very effectively for the Packers there, especially when the Packers won Super Bowl XLV. He had seven sacks that season.

Jenkins played pretty well the last two seasons for the Eagles, as he started every game in both years, plus had 9.5 sacks. Jenkins is now 32 years old, however.

Bottom line, expect the Packers to solidify the defensive line one way or the other, either through the draft or free agency

Bob Fox is a featured columnist at Bleacherreport.com and shares content here at GBPackeraddictts.com 

Woodosn One of Best Free Agent Signings Ever

By: Matt Bove
The release of Charles Woodson marked an end to what was one of the best free agent signings not only in Packers history, but in NFL history.

The release of Woodson was an easy decision, as the Packers needed a younger and more athletic player at safety. It was clear that there was no way in the world the Packers would pay Woodson the $10 million he was owed this season.

Woodson and the Packers were an unlikely marriage from the beginning. Woodson was seen as a malcontent coming out of Oakland and the Packers usually stay away from players with character issues. Plus, Woodson had zero interest in coming to Green Bay, and he even reportedly considered retirement before coming to Green Bay.

No other team gave Woodson a serious offer, so he was forced to sign with the Packers. After some arguments with Mike McCarthy in his first training camp with Green Bay, Woodson revitalized his career with the Packers.

In Woodson's seven seasons with the Packers he went to four Pro Bowls, was named first team All-Pro in 2009 and 2011 and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2009. In 100 regular season games with the Packers Woodson tallied 38 interceptions, including nine that were brought back for touchdowns, 99 pass breakups and 11.5 sacks.  He carved himself out a career that will likely end with him being inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Beyond all his great statistical numbers, Woodson's greatest contributions might have came in his leadership. No player was more respected by his teammates in the locker room. It was Woodson who made all the inspirational speeches during the 2010 Super Bowl run.

Woodson broke his collarbone in the first half of Super Bowl XLV and cried during his halftime speech about how much he wanted the ring. His speech when he said to have one mind. one goal, one purpose and one heart after the NFC Championship game appears on their Super Bowl rings.

On the field Woodson was a ball hawk for the Packers. Early in his Packers career him and Al Harris made life miserable on wide receivers with their bump and run coverage.

As Woodson got older, he moved to the slot corner position and was dynamic there was well. Woodson was the most knowledgeable defender on the team and was great at baiting quarterbacks into bad decisions  He was never afraid to be physical and hit people either, which made him a great blitzer as well. Dom Capers was able to play him all over the field, which gave the defense so much versatility.

The Packers released a statement on Woodson after they made his release official.

"We are grateful for all that Charles has given to the Green Bay Packers over the last seven seasons," Ted Thompson said. He has been an integral part of the Packers' success, and our Super Bowl title in 2010 would not have been possible without his contributions. A once-in-a-generation talent as a player, he is also a great leader and ambassador for the organization off the field. Charles will always be a member of the Packers family and we look forward to his eventual induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We wish him and his family the best."

It was an inevitable parting of ways between the Packers and Woodson, but still a sad one. According to Tom Silverstein of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the Packers now are $21 million under the salary cap. With extensions due for Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, and B.J. Raji the Packers need all the cap space they can get.

The Packers also need to get faster and more physical on defense, which is why they did not even want Woodson back at a reduced rate. Even though Woodson never wanted to be a Packer in the first place, he will always be remembered as a Packer.