Randall Cobb Should Follow Jordy Nelson's Path

When the news broke Saturday afternoon that Jordy Nelson had signed a 4 year extension with the packers, a sigh of relief was breathed by every Packer fan across the nation. One worry that Packer Nation had going into the 2014 season was being able to extend Nelson and third year receiver Randall Cobb. Well one of those goals was accomplished. Now it's time to lock up Cobb. But Cobb shouldn't be looking for elite money just yet.

Cobb has shown the capability of being an elite receiver, but he's struggled to stay healthy in each of the last two seasons. In 2012 he was having a great year, but a week 16 knee injury keep him out of a crucial week 17 contest against the Minnesota Vikings, and he was never right during the short playoff run. The same could be said for Cobb last year. he was building a nice repertoire with quarterback Aaron Rodgers until a broken fibula in a week 5 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens kept him out of the lineup for 2 months.

Cobb's injuries have been out of his control, and somewhat freak incidents. But nonetheless you still need your elite players healthy. That is why Cobb should just follow Nelson's track to success. Back in 2012 Nelson signed an extension, and he left a lot of money on the table. It was all worth it for Nelson however when he scored a big payday on the first day of the 2014 training camp. Cobb would be wise to take a smaller deal to stay with the Packers, and ensure that he'll have one of the best quarterbacks throwing to him. If Rodgers and Cobb both stay healthy then without a doubt Cobb will be getting paid like Nelson three years down the road.

There's no guarantee Cobb will take less money, after all this is the NFL and most players can be selfish at times when it comes to contract neogiations. However, Cobb went on record the second day of camp and said that he didn't think he'd done enough to deserve a contract exentsion. It was very odd to hear an NFL player say. Cobb does in fact deserve an extension, but he doesn't deserve top dollar.

Packers GM Ted Thompson would be smart to extend Cobb before the season starts. If he waits too long, Cobb could have an all pro season an get a big head, much like Javon Walker did in 2004-5. In the end I believe that Randall Cobb will be with the Packers for another 4 years before getting a big raise after Nelson exits. That's the packer way.

2014 Green Bay Packers by Position: Linebackers

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NFL Training camps have finally begun. It is difficult to imagine the cuts that are ahead with the preseason games still to come. The first game is so close it seems it could be tasted. On August 3rd, the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants will face off in Canton, Ohio. Back in Green Bay, the Packers linebackers started the preseason with a bit of a unexpected problem. Nick Perry and Mike Neal both failed their pre camp physical. For a team that is running a 3-4 defense, the outside linebacker position is critical to see exactly where the pass rush will be coming from and exactly what is in store. But first and foremost I know that everyone is excited to see Jordy Nelson sign that extension!!!!! Now we can take a clear long look at the 'backers.

Clay Matthews is clearly the top dog of the linebackers for the Packers, but the major issue is how often will he be on the field. He has had previous issues with hamstring problems and this most recent thumb injury. However, he was back practicing at 100% health today in training camp, which is an excellent sign for the Packers. The other interesting note from Saturday's practice was that Matthews was not rushing from the same side every play in practice today. He was more of a rover and could rush either outside edge. This is the type of thing that opposing offense lineman simply hate. They want to know exactly who is lining up against them and continue to follow the right steps to succeed against that same player. Clay Matthews is the second highest paid Green Bay Packer, behind only quarterback Aaron Rodgers, so it is incredibly important for him to remain healthy and stay on the field as much as possible for this upcoming season.

Secondary to Matthews is the biggest free agent acquisition that Ted Thompson has brought to Green Bay since Charles Woodson back in the 2006 off-season. It is a move that was entirely unexpected and something that Packers fans are very excited about. That move, of course, was the addition of Julius Peppers. It is not entirely certain that Peppers will be playing a set position every play for the Packers either. There have been several rumors this offseason that Peppers will by playing his very own hybrid position, the elephant. This means that Peppers could call defensive assignments and line up as either a rush linebacker or a down defensive lineman. Also, he could move into a position as an inside linebacker and either blitz or play coverage behind. Peppers is a supreme athlete ever since coming out of college and being selected second overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2002 NFL Draft (the expansion Texans selected David Carr number one). Peppers is a strong veteran that the Packers are excited to use against his former team, the Chicago Bears, and he is looking for a title, which certainly is possible in Green Bay this season.

The next linebacker in order would be former first round pick Nick Perry, but it is difficult to know where he will line up this season. He has only played in 17 of 32 regular season games due to injuries in both of his first two seasons. Having him on the preseason inactive list in training camp is not a good sign because it is reporting he is still dealing with some of the lingering injury problems. Hopefully, Perry will come back and be able to turn this around, but it is too early to know anything for certain.

The next OLB is Mike Neal, who converted to the position last season after being on the defensive line the year before. He had 49 tackles and 5 sacks, both career highs, while learning a new position, so the Packers re-signed him this past off-season. However, the former Purdue Boilermaker also failed the pre-camp physical, which came as a large shock to the team, since he had previously participated in previous organized team activities this year.

Remaining outside linebacker options include Andy Mulumba, who got some playing time during player injuries last season, but still only recorded one sack. The other option is the fourth round draft pick from Arizona State, Carl Bradford. Bradford should take advantage of the opportunity to get on the field a lot during training camp and show the Packers exactly why they spent that pick on him. Bradford did an excellent job this previous season as a Sun Devil and was considered a bit of a hybrid defensive end dubbed "the devil backer." He had 8.5 sacks last year and was first team all Pac-12. Hopefully, the transition to the NFL is a simple one for the young man.

Inside linebackers for the Green Bay Packers are as follows. The top man is the one who has stayed in Green Bay longer than any other linebacker, the former 5th overall selection, A.J. Hawk. Most Packers fans would say that Hawk is just an average linebacker, but he transitioned from 4-3 MLB in college for the Ohio State Buckeyes, to a 4-3 OLB in the Packers old defense, and now back to a 3-4 ILB for the Packers. It takes great mind power to learn and relearn positions that not every player has. He took a pay cut for the team last season and had 5 sacks, 118 tackles, and 1 interception. Hawk is probably a little bit underrated to the level of his performance in Green Bay.

Next would be Brad Jones from the Colorado Buffaloes. He was originally drafted in the 2009 draft as a 7th round pick. He was forced onto the field in the first year of the 3-4 defense, as an outside linebacker, and recorded 4 sacks opposite of Matthews. He came in because of an injury to former Green Bay Packer Aaron Kampman, which feels like a really long time ago. He has since moved to inside linebacker and has been starting there except for during his 4 game injury stint last season, and he still recorded 83 tackles through 12 games.

The player most likely to push Jones for playing time is Jamari Lattimore. Lattimore came in during Jones's injury stint and started those 4 games, and showed improvement against the run, which was a horrible problem for the Packers defense last year. Lattimore should get on the field even more this year and might end up becoming a starter, because this should definitely be considered a training camp battle between the two.

The final two players on the list are Sam Barrington, the 7th round pick last year who only played one defensive snap last year. Barrington will likely catch on with some action as a special teamer. The other player that many Packer fans were surprised to be able to sign as an undrafted free agent is Adrian Hubbard from Alabama. Hubbard might be more of a project, but the Packers would love to see exactly what he can do in their scheme, and that's why they had to bring him on board.

The linebacker position is always one of the most important of any defense, but when in a 3-4 defense, the position is absolutely critical. Only time will tell if the Packers have made the right choices at who they will play there during this season. But it will be great to watch them go after the quarterback and hopefully stop the run better than last season.

Jermichael Finley Where and Will He Return?

            As Packer fans it seems we come to see injuries as a more common thing then fans of other NFL teams. Why that has played such a prominent role in our teams football history, hopefully one day we will figure it out. Until then, we must flash back to Week 7 of the 2013 season on October 20^th, 2013.  The Packers were playing the Browns and specifically Finley was having a good game 5 catches, 72 yards, and 1 touchdown. As the game progressed we watched Lacy suffer a concussion early on in the game, which we already felt was a dagger. Little did we know, the real dagger wouldn’t come till later in the game.  After a reception Finley was hit and dropped straight to the ground. I think anyone watching from home, or in person dropped what they were doing in awe. We all sit here week after week, cheering, bleeding our teams colors, going to games, losing our voices, but to see the reality of what could happen to a player, an ACTUAL human being (which sometimes we forget that is what they are). As Finley laid on the ground motionless an eerie feeling came across myself. I actually began to tear up as I saw our fellow players praying and Finley being strapped onto the stretcher. Thinking back on it I still get goosebumps.

            Then I sit and think about his wife and children that had to endure all of the heart ache on a completely different level. If I chose to spend the rest of my life with someone and something like that happened to them, would I ever want them to do that again? This was an injury that took things outside of the football realm. What if he never walked? What if he couldn’t pick his child up? In hindsight we know now that Finley has every intention of returning to the NFL but will he actually? For the most part people I have talked to have split feelings about the scenario. We most recently watched Jonathan Franklin retired after a brief rookie season from the NFL due to an injury similar to Finley’s. We all know Courtney Finley’s opinion about the situation and that is your life (health) is more important then football. Courtney has made her voice very clear on social media outlets occasionally going on a soapbox and later deleting them. It has also been revealed that Finley’s son does not want him to return to football out of fear that he might injure himself again.

            So what do you do if you’re Jermichael Finley?  You can go down one avenue and return to the NFL. That is assuming all of his tests he undergoes clear him to play in the NFL once again. You decide that you want to play the sport you are so passionate about, and you also need to continue to make a living for your family.  The Packers have re-signed Quarless, drafted Rodgers, and picked up undrafted rookie Colt Lyeria  (personally I cannot wait to see him at camp). If Jermichael was to stay with the Packers then they would indeed be stacked at the tight end position no doubt. On the other hand Finley has pursued meetings with other teams initially with Seattle and more recently the 49ers. Will Finley be motivated by staying with the Packers or is he looking to go where the money is? Finley as well has sent mixed signals one day he is putting his house up for sale in Green Bay, the next he’s telling the media he is doing everything in his power to stay a Packer. Thinking about Finley’s return is nice and all but until it is official that he is cleared to play I don’t want to get my hopes up.

            Going down the other avenue Finley could is by simply retiring and not returning to play football. While yes playing football is the way that Finley makes a living for his family, we’ve clearly seen other players retire young and become analysts, commentators, etc. I do not think the issue is finances, I think it is Finley’s will and want to play. Finley would be avoiding the situation of reinjuring himself, or even worse possibly becoming paralyzed. Either way whether he returns or not, or where he returns I truly wish him the best and enjoyed what he did for us as a Packer.

2014 Green Bay Packers by Position: Wide Receivers

(Doug Pensinger/Getty Images North America)

There are certain things that every team needs to be able to do in the NFL and one of those is to be able to catch the ball. The Green Bay Packers have continued to have top notch wide receivers for several years. But even some of the top receivers the Packers had in recent years, have moved over to some different places. In the 2013 off-season, Greg Jennings made a very clear move to the division rival, the Minnesota Vikings. This current off-season, James Jones signed a contract with a former Green Bay executive with the Oakland Raiders. So even though some of the top talent has left the Packers keep putting in younger players.

Pictured above are the top two wide receivers on the team. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. These two are the only ones where there is no question on the depth chart. Nelson is going to be an outside wide receiver, and Cobb will be the primary slot receiver. Last year Nelson played in every game, getting 85 catches for 1,314 yards and 8 touchdowns. Cobb was hurt against the Baltimore Ravens, had 31 catches for 4 touchdowns in six games. But these two guys were both selected in the second round, and they are without a doubt the top two wide recievers on the team.

But since the Green Bay Packers start 3 receivers, it will be interesting to see exactly who takes that third role. Let's start with the front runner, Jarrett Boykin.

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Boykin is the front runner for one reason and one reason only, because of his experience. He has been on the Packers for two years and he was the man who stepped in when the Packers had injury problems last season. He finished with 49 catches for 681 yards and 3 touchdowns. Boykin just isn't much of an athlete though. He was fairly unimpressive at Virginia Tech and hasn't done anything remarkable for the Packers. But he definitely is a valid asset as a route runner and he has good hands, a trait that Aaron Rodgers really appreciates.

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DaVante Adams is probably in fourth at the current time, just because he was drafted in the second round of the draft this year. Obviously the Packers are deeply invested in him, but the media reports from the OTA's were that Adams had a case of the drops. Definitely would be considered quite a bit of an issue, especially when you consider that Boykin has good hands. Adams should have good hands though, as he primarily caught passes from David Carr at Fresno State and had 131 total catches last season for the Bulldogs. Even if Boykin is in the lead during the beginning, Adams could catch him early on in the season.

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Kevin Dorsey was looking to make the roster last year, but was hurt during training camp and put on injured reserve for the season. He had torn up the combine though and was a draftee in the seventh round as the Packers in the 2013 draft. It will be interesting to see exactly what the Packers are going to do as they are probably going to keep 6-7 receivers on the roster. Dorsey has a chance, but there are several others that will be looked at.

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images North America

One person that most Wisconsin Packer fans are looking to see is Jared Abbrederis. He is definitely a favorite amongst the fans since he was a Badger, but he does provide a lot of value since he is also a kick returner and a punt returner for the Badgers. Both of those positions are currently held by the number two receiver, Randall Cobb, but the Packers want to keep him on the field as a receiver and wanted someone else to handle the returning duties last year. Abbrederis could make the roster as a returner and then end up having a greater impact later in the year as a receiver. The main reason he had dropped to the Packers as well was because of previous concussion issues. Nobody wants to see anyone get hurt, and the Packers are hoping to avoid any future issues for the young man.

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Jeff Janis is someone that the Packers are definitely thrilled about as a receiver. He, like Dorsey, is someone the Packers took in the seventh round as a wide receiver. He also put up big numbers at the NFL combine. The coach of the Atlanta Falcons, Mike Smith, was impressed by janis during the Senior Bowl. Even though Janis only had 2 catches for 8 yards, it was mainly due to issues that the quarterbacks and offense had on the team, and nothing to do with the receiver's qualities himself.

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The final receiver that is worth taking a look at for the Green Bay Packers is Myles White. Despite the injuries last year, he had 9 cactches for 66 yards and only appeared in 7 games. White has a very low probability of making the team. If he couldn't get on the field last year, he's not going to get on the field this year either. But he is still in training camp, and there is definitely going to be a fight for who plays this season, so White still has a chance.
One thing is for certain for the Green Bay Packers, they have full load of weapons that Aaron Rodgers can use. They are happy to see exactly what they will get, and they are taking multiple picks to make sure they find someone that is great with Aaron for many years to come.

2014 Green Bay Packers by Position: Running Backs

Written By: Kyle Engman (@KyleEngmanNFL)

The last time the Packers had a dominant rushing force, George Bush was President, the number one music single of the year was “In Da Club” by 50 Cent, and my mom was still making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for my school lunch.  But last season, the Packers amassed the most total rushing yards in a season since 2003.

Despite the hope that Green Bay might be on the brink of a potent ground force, they suffered a setback this offseason. The loss of sophomore running back, Johnathan Franklin, is more important than many people may realize.  In the wake of Eddie Lacy’s injury earlier in the year, Franklin earned his chance to show off his skills.  They did not disappoint.  Franklin’s first game was in the third week against the Bengals, in which he ran for 103 yards.  Unfortunately, the neck injury he suffered against the Vikings in the latter of the season, would end his career.  The Packers definitely will miss out on a lot of potential from losing Franklin, but they’re not down and out quite yet.

Photo courtesy of www.fantasyfootballchick.com

Former Alabama back, Eddie Lacy, is returning to Green Bay for his second year in the NFL.  Lacy is the clear cut leader of the Titletown running backs after starting 15 games in his rookie season as well as being voted to the Pro Bowl and to an Offensive Rookie of the Year award.  Even with the Packers crippled from an Aaron Rodgers injury, Lacy was a season long highlight reel.  Rodgers and Lacy played just six games together last season. If both stay healthy this season they’ll benefit greatly from one another's presence on the field and could possibly put up bigger numbers than last year.

Photo courtesy of www.totalpackers.com

Veteran running back James Starks is also returning to Lambeau for his fifth year.  Starks provides a level of security at the running back position.  While he may not be durable enough to provide 20+ carries in multiple games in the event that Lacy were to be injured, he’s a great situational back.  An abnormally tall back at 6’2”, Starks has an upright run style that allows him to have a better view downfield allowing him to make adjustments.  Starks also has the ability to be a pass catching back, and works hard at grabbing passes out of the backfield.  If Starks wants to mold himself into a reliable backup he'll need to work on his blitz pickup and pass blocking.

Photo courtesy of AP Photo/Mike Roemer

After going undrafted, being cut by two teams, and spending a week as a car salesman, DuJuan Harris is finally going to get a chance to play.  Harris was on track to challenge for the starting running back role over Eddie Lacy early in the preseason last year but was hindered for the remainder of the 2013 season because of a ruptured patellar tendon.  During OTA’s, Head Coach Mike McCarthy commented on Harris’s status saying that he looked like he was back to full strength.  Harris is one of the fastest backs on the team but his previous injury may have taken away any explosiveness he had.  If he’s still the same back, expect him to challenge James Starks for a backup role.

Photo Courtesy of www.sportstalkflorida.com

Michael Hill returns to the Packers after being signed off of the Packer’s practice squad midway through last season and playing in six games for the Buccaneers.  Hill played college football for Missouri Western and started all four years there including an incredible 2012 campaign where he racked up 2,168 rushing yards, 16 rushing touchdowns, and an astonishing 6.9 YPC average.  Although not a large running back like Lacy, Hill demonstrates above average lower body strength and runs like a power back.  Hill will most likely be signed to the practice squad depending upon his preseason performances.

Undrafted rookies LaDarius Perkins and Rajion Neal also joined the Green Bay running back core following the draft.

2014 Green Bay Packers by Position: Quarterbacks

The NFL always is changing different things about how they operate. The Green Bay Packers have a dramatic difference for the start of the NFL season this year compared to where they were a year ago. Last season, the Green Bay Packers community was in this constant debate of which quarterback was better, Graham Harrell, former quarterback of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, or B.J. Coleman, the recent seventh round draft choice from the Chattanooga Mocs. When the Packers brought Vince Young in during preseason, it was clear that neither of these guys were very good. Harrell has joined the coaching staff of Mike Leach at Washington State, and Coleman has not signed with an NFL team since the Packers cut him last year. They also had a rookie quarterback on their roster named Matt Brown who was undrafted from Illinois State. He was cut before the preseason ever even got started. So, to start the list, it is the quarterback who is a certain top 5 if not top quarterback in the league, Aaron Rodgers.

Nobody doubts what they have in Rodgers at this point and it is clear that it was the best move for the franchise when they kept Rodgers and traded Favre to the New York Jets. The idea was to develop their young quarterback in Rodgers and actually get him on the field. Rodgers was not one hundred percent last season after having a strange collarbone injury that kept him off the field longer than originally expected. He is back healthy and last year was his first season as a starter in which he missed playing time due to injury.

Rodgers backup is someone that he is very familiar with, since he gave up the start for him in week 17 in the final game of the 2011 season. Matt Flynn came in and set a Green Bay Packers single game record with 6 passing touchdowns. Since that time Flynn has been on 3 different teams, signing a large contract with Seattle in the 2012 off-season, but being passed over by Pete Carroll for a rookie quarterback named Russell Wilson. Flynn started with the Oakland Raiders in 2013 after a trade, but wound up being benched by coach Dennis Allen. If Flynn should get hurt at any point in the 2014 season, they know who his backup will be as well.

It's another quarterback that started for them during the quarterback shuffle in 2013, former Wisconsin Badger Scott Tolzien. Tolzien ended up with the Packers when the San Francisco 49ers cut him from their team in August 2013. He was originally on the practice squad because they had Seneca Wallace, but was put on the 53 man roster after Rodgers' injury. Tolzien came into the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, and threw his only NFL touchdown pass in that game. He was pulled for Flynn part way through the game on November 24th against the Vikings that later ended in a tie thanks to Flynn's efforts.

The Packers currently have another quarterback on their roster that is a longshot to make it to the NFL season and that is Chase Rettig. Rettig is an undrafted free agent out of Boston College. Rettig completed 162 passes for 1,995 yards and 17 touchdowns with only 8 interceptions as a senior. In addition, he started all 13 games for Boston College at quarterback. His best game was against the Villanova Wildcats when he threw for 285 yards and 2 touchdowns. Rettig could end up on the practice squad if he shows enough value in training camp.

With Rodgers at the helm, Packers fans know they are fortunate and they have a much better situation than they originally did this time last year.

Observations of A Railbird, June 3, 2014

--Ted Verges

               It was a brisk, cold wind that greeted this Railbird as I took my perch at Packer OTA on June 3^rd, 2014.  The wind made it very difficult to work with my notes throughout practice.  Perhaps the wind also impacted the quality of the practice, as things were unusually messy with unusual amounts of off side penalties.  During the 11 on 11 portion of the practice they played some very loud music to distract the players. I’m not sure what the music was, but I do know, it was not 60’s rock and roll!  It will be interesting to see MM’s assessment of this practice.

              I tried to focus my attention on the offensive line play but there were so many explosive offensive plays that it was difficult to do so.  Sitton did not practice today so Barclay got much work with the first O line at left guard.  He performed well as he made no obvious mistakes. I thought perhaps they would use Sherrod at left guard as he played there some in his rookie year. However, Sherrod got a lot of work with the first O line as the left tackle.  Tretter took most of the snaps with the starting group and Linsley and Gerhart split the remaining snaps.  Barclay did a nice job on some combo blocks with the center. Most of the action involved passing the ball and his pass blocking was just fine.  It was Sherrod, however, who was most impressive.  He is a very large man, and he just engulfs people when he blocks them. He played with serious aggression and a physical nature.  He showed no sign of previous injuries.  When he was in there, Bulaga totally dominated his man in both the run and pass game.  One of the positive things I took from today’s practice was the play of Barclay and Sherrod. If they are reserve O linemen, we are in pretty good shape!

               Quite a few wide receiver back-ups had good practices.  Chris Harper caught a number of passes including a nice post pass from Rodgers for a TD.  This guy looks good and he is well put together.  Ryan Taylor made the best catch I’ve ever seen him make throughout his career. It was a deep corner route on a pass from Rodgers in which Taylor had to work to keep his feet in bounds, and he did.  The play resulted in some hooting and hollering.  Boykin had perhaps the best practice of all the wide receivers.  I think he caught the most passes although they were often shorter passes of a possession nature.  Richard Rodgers, the rookie tight end, even caught a couple of passes.  Although he didn’t get in much action, it was good to see Davante Adams on the field. He caught a couple of passes and has an impressive package of size and speed.  Abbredaris and Janis again practiced well and, frankly, don’t look like rookies.  The wide receiver group just looks good. I think we’ll have to see if there is some separation once the pads go on.

               Another observation that is obvious is our quarterback group is so much better than the group that was in camp last year.  Although there is some question about Flynn’s arm strength, the guy makes no mental errors and is effective.  Tolzien has some serious arm strength and is good on the deep passes.   An undrafted rookie from Boston College, Chase Rettig, even looked good. Things didn’t drop off when he was in there. 

               Defensively, the Packers showed some 4 – 3 defense today.   Lattimore was in the starting linebacker group.  He looks to be a tad undersized but he can really move.  Capers reached down deep into his playbook to come up with a 2 – 7 – 2 defense! If that was not unusual enough, the 2 down linemen lined up next to each other on the same side of center! There were no down linemen on the other side of the center!  However, people did blitz into that vacant area.  There was a lot of substituting going on in the defensive secondary. House had an impressive interception along the sideline. Hayward made a great sideline play right in front of us. His quickness stood out even among the rest of the group who are all quick.   He appeared to be totally recovered from his injury.

               In summary, I’m beginning to feel good about our offensive line.  Bulaga, Bakhtiari, and Sherrod all look good and are injury free.  The center position will resolve itself once the pads go on.  Barclay looks to be a competent reserve at a number of spots.  The wide receiver group is frankly impressive.  The top three running backs all look like they could really hurt some seven-man fronts. And, we haven’t seen Franklin in action yet.  The quarterback depth will suffice and Rodgers will, of course, dominate.

               I know the young guys are learning, but I think the guy who learned the most today was Davon House.  After practice was completed he came over to the stands to talk to a couple of women, one young lady and the other was somewhat older.  As he left the two women, he kissed the younger lady and then headed off the field. The older lady hollered, “Hey! You! Come here”. He did so and kissed the older lady on the cheek.  She then said loudly, “If he’s going to go around kissing everybody, he can certainly kiss his mother!” Lesson learned!