Packers Offensive Line Destined for Greatness

In 2008 Aaron Rodgers took over as the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. Since he took over, the offensive line has always been somewhat of a weakness. Whether it be injuries depleting the line throughout the season or just players not living up to expectations. From 2009-2010 Rodgers was the most sacked QB in the league. That's a terrible statisic, but even worse when you're a top tier quaterback.

General manager Ted Thompson has tried to do his best to address the offensive line weaknesses in the last 5 years. It's been hit-and-miss on a few occassions. Thompson drafted Pro Bowl caliber guards Josh Sitton and TJ Lang. Both of them were relatively unknowns prior to being drafted, but have become two of the best linemen in the game. He also drafted tackle Bryan Bulaga in the first round in 2010. Buluga has been solid, when healthy, in his 4 seasons. A torn ACL ended his 2013 season before it even started. Thompson has also had some misses. 

Thompson drafted tackle, Derek Sherrod in the first round of the 2011 draft. It was questionable at the time, but he was also addressing a need. Sherrod played in two games, before breaking his leg in a week 15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Sherrod was lost for basically two seasons, and is just going through his second full training camp this season. Sherrod will probably never be worth that first round pick, and he may be a camp casulity when it's all said and done.

Thompson has also fumbled the situaton at center around. After the 2011 season Thompson allowed center Scott Wells to walk in free agency. He made the decision to sign veteran Jeff Saturday. There was one problem, Saturday had no gas left in the tank. At the time second year player Evan Dietrich Smith was given the job over Saturday. It seemed like the Packers had their center for many years to come, but one season later and Smith is gone. Now Rodgers will have to take snaps from his third center in 4 years. That's scary, because center is one of the more valuable spots on the line. But this season could different. 

If everyone stays healthy this year, I believe this could be the best offensive line the Packers have had in many years. On paper the line would consist of Bulaga, Sitton, Lang, Tretter and David Bakhtiari. In my mind though Bakhtiari and Don Barclay could be interchangeable if one suffers an injury or falters in camp. Thompson's plan for a top homegrown line could finally be coming together this season. If Rodgers is kept upright, and holes are opened for running-back Eddie Lacy, then the Packers will be a force to be reckoned with. 

Do The Packers Need To Do Better?

By C. Harris

This will probably be a long one because I suspect it’ll read more like my love letter to the Green Bay Packers than a comment on the direction the franchise is heading.

I remember when I first fell in love with the green and gold. It was January 25th, 1998. I was 11. I was in my family room in Miami, Florida watching the Super Bowl pre-game show. Apparently the game was to be played by the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos. I faintly remembered seeing this same Packers team playing in the Super Bowl the year before and some dude taking off his helmet to celebrate a touchdown.

You see, I was young and not really a football fan. The Super Bowl was really just an opportunity to stay up late and eat pizza, but my youth led me to believe these Green Bay Packers made it to the Super Bowl every year. They seemed like winners. So I expanded my football view beyond the local Dolphins and Dan Marino (whom I never really liked) and hitched my wagon to the Green Bay Packers.

I immersed myself into this team. I used my family’s new computer to read everything I could about the team. I learned about Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi. I started to rattle off all the major names in Packer history to others: Brett Favre, Reggie White, LeRoy Butler, Don Majkowski, Sterling Sharpe, Bart Starr, Don Hutson, Lynn Dickey, Ray Nitschke, James Lofton, Paul Hornung, Dave Robinson and many, many more. Ron Wolf and Bob Harlan became two of my favorite people ever. I thought Mike Holmgren was the second greatest coach ever and was hurt when he left for Seattle.

Knowing the team’s history wasn't enough. I wanted to know about Green Bay. It wasn't long before I knew about the Fox River, 1265 Lombardi Avenue, Ashwaubenon, De Pere, St. Norbert College, Austin Straubel International Airport, and UW-Green Bay. I even kept up with the 2001 Lambeau Field renovations simply because it had to do with Green Bay and the Packers. I learned to hate Chicago and Minnesota (especially Minnesota).

I HATED being called a bandwagon fan, so I made sure I knew everything I could. I wasn’t bandwagon. I LOVED the Packers.

The team gave me a lot of memories – good and bad. My favorite? Antonio Freeman’s diving-off-his-shoulder-turn-on-his-back-make-the-catch-get-up and run for the touchdown in overtime against the Vikings on Monday Night Football.  I yelled. Really loud. That barely beats out Al Harris’s interception. You know which one. The one that makes me most sick? 4-and-26. Like many people, I still get upset about it.

My dream was to visit Lambeau, but I never actually saw it happening. Then I met a young lady who suggested I just go. No need to keep planning – just do it. So we did it.

December 9^th, 2012. Lions-Packers. Sunday Night Football. Cold. Snow. I was too excited. We flew into Milwaukee and stayed in Oshkosh. We drove up and spent all day in Green Bay – eating and walking around the entire stadium. We were so ill prepared. Thin jackets and socks and no hand warmers, but we LOVED IT. Between the game and the Packers Hall of Fame, I must have taken 500 pictures. The people were so friendly. I made friends and still write them to this day. I didn't know Mike McCarthy taped a show, so I missed it, but I promised myself I’d be back. And I did go back. Redskins-Packers, September 15^th, 2013. I didn't think it possible, but I loved it even more. My girlfriend bought some of those fantastic Packers overalls, we got a flyover and we attended the Mike McCarthy Show. I love Green Bay, Wisconsin and I love the Green Bay Packers. I’ll be there again this year and every year until I die if I can help it.

Now, why do I bring this up? Well, I love this team and my interactions with the team have only increased my love for the team. Weirdly enough, it’s almost as if the team can do no wrong. That’s in direct opposition to some criticisms I've seen from other Packers fans recently.

I asked Packer fan Kyle Cousineau (@KCousineau09) about some of his thoughts concerning the direction of the team. “…the Packers need to be careful.  In the blink of an eye the price for a family of 4 to come to Green Bay for a game at Lambeau Field is quickly approaching $1,000 when you consider ticket prices (via secondary market), parking, souvenirs, and something to eat & drink at the game. What worries me is that the Green Bay Packers organization is growing too fast for the local folks in Northeast Wisconsin.” While he acknowledged that as a business, the Packers are thriving, he stated his concerns for locals. Between the cost of games and the team purportedly planning to develop the area with shopping and hotels around the stadium, locals feel like an after-thought it seems – something I couldn't know since I've only been to the city of Green Bay twice. Kyle is born and raised in Green Bay, attends every home game, at least one road game and even regularly attends training camp. He knows.

I can understand his sentiment. Green Bay is small, which makes it perfect. It feels like family. The last thing I’d want is big corporations coming in and ruining my family. When it comes to the fan experiences, Kyle is also skeptical. Fan Fest? Gone. Draft party? Gone. The Family Night practice is different and he doesn’t like any of it.

I also wanted the opinion of someone who wasn't local, but wasn't exactly across the country, so I asked John Rehor (@jrehor) – who lives about an hour outside of Chicago to give me his feelings on the team. He only attends a couple of games a year, at most, but he showed dissatisfaction at the same things as Kyle. “I believe that the team has little connection with fans these days. Their canceling Fan Fest, theraft party, no video at training camp - all are examples of how out of touch they are. Their social media is also terrible.”

When I compare these thoughts and feelings with my own, something becomes evident – maybe the reason I don’t feel as strongly is because I’m not local. If the Packers reinstituted Fan Fest and the Draft Party, it wouldn't affect me. I probably wouldn't be able to go. The Packers realize this. The team realizes that they've become a worldwide brand. More and more of their game attendance are people visiting from other places of the country or the world. The Packers see this as untapped potential and, unfortunately, see a ceiling on how much money the city of Green Bay and the state of Wisconsin can bring them.

As someone who’s almost convinced himself that he’s a Green Bay resident, this makes me sad. I don’t want that city and it’s surrounding villages to become an after-thought. Being the NFL’s smallest market is only special because the team is proud of that distinction. Moving past those in the small market seems, well, mean.

I can’t identify with many of the complaints listed above, but no training camp video is terrible. If the team were truly pushing to engage its fans outside of a 300-mile radius, then you’d think they’d want fans to see as much of the teams as possible through social media. Twitter updates are nice, but Vine videos from Wilde, Demovsky and others would be much better. I understand “secrecy” because you’re installing defenses, but this is ridiculous. I didn’t realize how much I would miss them until I didn’t have them. If this is a fraction of the frustration local fans feel with the changes made by the team, then I feel for those in Wisconsin and surrounding areas.

Having said all this, it’s still important for us to understand how good we have it. I also went to a Dallas Cowboys game last year in Dallas, and I didn’t get the sense that Jerry Jones cares at all about his fans. Everything in his stadium, as beautiful as it is, is made to make money. There doesn’t seem to be much interaction between players and fans, there’s no coaches show and his training camp is in California. Compare that to players riding bicycles at Packers camp, being able to watch players drive away from the stadium after games, being able to ask Coach McCarthy a question during his television show. What we have is amazing and unique and the price isn’t comparable. The Fan Cost Index for every NFL team shows that the Cowboys are the most expensive ticket while the Packers are about average. Now, that’s probably not comforting to those living in the NFL’s smallest market, but again, I believe the Packers are thinking beyond the locals. The cost of a Packers game is astronomical if you plan on going to every game, but just one a year? People can save up for that. It’s a no-lose situation. The team has a 60+ year waiting list for tickets. They can charge what they want.

I love the Packers and so do millions of others. The team has done many things well, but it seems like for all they’re doing well, they have some major improvements to make. This article may never make it to the desk of Mark Murphy or anyone else in the organization, but I hope they never forget the city of Green Bay is tied to the Packers just like the Packers are tied to them.

Observations of a Railbird, July 30, 2014

Observations of a Railbird, July 30, 2014
-Ted Verges

Remember this...... "Are you ready for some football?" Well, I am so today I just had to attend Packer practice. There's a number of players I wanted to watch and a number of questions I'd like to answer. I'm interested in the tight end and center positions. The offense looks strong everywhere else so, if these two positions can be developed, things look good.

Brandon Bostick got most of the work at tight end with the first group today and seemed to respond. He caught a number of passes including a TD in the red zone. Lacy scored a touchdown on a sweep left behind the blocking of Bostick. Bostick also looked good in the receiving drills. He has quick feet and good hands to go along with his size.

The other tight end I wanted to watch was Richard Rodgers. I was very unimpressed with him during the OTA's. He lumbered rather than ran, didn't appear light on his feet and looked like he should be an offensive tackle if he put on another twenty pounds. . But, recently there's been lots of positive press on him. Well, today he began to change my mind. He's running better and making quick cuts. He is a very good hands catcher. I don't think he had a single drop all day, including drills and scrimmage. He did score a touchdown in the red zone drill. If he can block, he could be good.

Quarless is Quarless. You know what you're going to get. He's a body catcher and not as quick with his cuts as some of the other tight ends. He does have the benefit of experience. It's my opinion that the tight end that plays the most is the one who blocks the best. McCarthy wants to run Lacy and, to do so, we need a decent blocking tight end.

I had a good chance to watch the offensive linemen today as most of their drill work was quite close to me. They did a lot of run and pass game work against defensive fronts that were angling and blitzing. I was impressed with Bryan Bulaga's strength, balance, and overall technique. If appears that he's well recovered from his injury. T.J. Lang did some drill work only; nothing live. He has impressive foot quickness. All those linemen are quick, but Lang stands out. Barclay got lots of scrimmage work at right guard and looked good.

The highlight of the practice for me was the one on one live pass blocking drill. It was held close to where I was so I got a good look at the guys. Both centers, Tretter and Linsley, did a good job. Tretter got knocked off balance once but quickly recovered to save the block. Linsley had an even better day. He's a strong guy who handled the bull rush very well. I think he won all his reps. Gerhart also had a good day. He's short but uses leverage to his advantage. Other guys who had good efforts were Barclay and Sherrod. Sherrod has really good technique and, frankly, today he looked like a first round draft choice. Bakhtari only got one rep but he totally stoned a guy who tried to bull rush him. But, the guys who really stood out in the drill were defensive linemen Mike Daniels and BJ Raji. Daniels looked like an all-pro. He had three reps and won all three and they were really quick victories. Yes, they were against rookies but his effort was impressive. Raji was awesome. He was really quick off the ball with good moves. He won all his reps but again he was going against rookies. Datone Jones also impressed with his pass rush. Most of the young guys have the same problem... they lose their balance after the initial hit. They bend at the waist, not at the knee's.

Some random observations are as follows:

* Sam Barrington made two nice plays at inside linebacker. On the red zone drill he stepped up into the hole, took on the lead blocker and leveled the ball carrier for a loss. In the 7 on 7 drill he reached in with the correct hand to knock a pass away from a receiver in the flat.

* DuJuan Harris made another one of those plays that sort of take your breath away He caught a pass over the middle and eluded the tackler by coming to a complete stop to make the tackler fly past him. He then instantly accelerated up the field. My description doesn't do the play much justice.

* Abbrederis had a great day. He worked Jarrett Bush for a touchdown and had a number of other great receptions. He's small but he belongs.

* A rookie linebacker by the name of Hubbard stood out a couple of times. He's a big, tall linebacker from Alabama.

* It seemed as though Aaron Rodgers missed more passes than usual and he had some that were not right on the money. Perhaps it was because he was often throwing to young receivers. While watching the quarterback drills, I couldn't help notice a young quarterback by the name of Rettig, He's got plenty of arm and can move.He's much better than those back-ups we had last year! He appears to be a good candidate for the taxi squad.

One last observation.... I think I observed a little more aggression than I usually see at practice. It seemed that, quite often, things were just on the edge. The defensive guys seem to play with a chip on their shoulders. For example, the red zone drills had a lot of hooting and hollering. They were quite competitive.

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

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images North America

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.

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images North America

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.

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

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.

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images North America

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.

Stacy Revere/Getty Images North America

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.

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images North America

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.