Jolly Gets Medically Cleared; Wants to Return to Green Bay

Packers Defensive End Johnny Jolly has been medically cleared after undergoing spinal surgury, the Green Bay Press-Gazette's Weston Hodkiewicz reports. 

Jolly, who spent the last month of 2013 on injured reserve, has stated through his agent that he wants to return to the team, a move that'd bring some much needed experience to the Pack's line.

Currently, the oldest lineman they have is just 28, possibly giving the 31-year-old Jolly a chance at another comeback. 

Due to the recent release of Jonathan Franklin, the Packers have an open roster spot, something that could seriously impact how they look in 2014.

Rodgers: Young QBs on Bad Teams Should Be Patient

In today's day and age, it's no secret that many young QBS are expected to be good early.

With the recent emergences of college stars like Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater, NFL teams are beginning to desperately seek a quick fix to their problems, something that simply doesn't work.

Despite that, the Packers' Aaron Rodgers, in an article published Tuesday by Pro Football Talk, is urging those new arms to stay patient, as their time will eventually come.

Rodgers, as we all know, sat on Green Bay's bench from 2005-2007, backing up Brett Favre before he was traded to the Jets.

Packers TE Bostick Determined to Start This Season

With Jermichael Finley's departure now a definite possibility, some unknown guys on the Packers' depth chart are now getting their big chance.

Among those soon-to-be everyday names is TE Brandon Bostick, who recently told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that starting this year is his number one goal.

For the past two seasons, the first of his career, Bostick has gotten next to no playing time, possibly making this year's training camp a defining moment in his career.

As of now, Bostick is a little overweight, although the way he's talking doesn't seem to portray that as a big deal, as Bostick's main obstacle is probably overcoming Richard Rodgers.

I guess we'll see how he does in the coming weeks.

Greg Jennings' Strange New View of the Packers

Shortly after leaving Green Bay last offseason, Vikings WR Greg Jennings said some negative stuff about his former team.

The ex-Packer, currently entering the second year of a 5-year/$45 million deal, criticized many things about the club, most notably their QB Aaron Rodgers.

Fortunately, that minor situation ended today, as ESPN.com published an interesting article involving Jennings, in which the veteran said he "appreciates" his time with the Packers.

In the interview, Jennings somewhat strangely compared the Pack to his mom, saying he can never get away from them. 

While that is kind of weird, the message of his statement was still overall positive, a kind of closure for us fans, as we can now respect Jennings instead of continuing to treat him as an enemy.

Packers 2014: Realistic Projections for Receivers

In the past few years, the Packers have parted ways with four of their top receivers (Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jermichael Finley). Despite all those changes, QB Aaron Rodgers consistently targets the same positions in the passing game no matter who's on the field alongside him.

A lot of different receivers will be involved, but the top three wide receivers will be targeted between 90-125 times with about 100 targets to tight ends. The number four wide receiver should be targeted about 50 times and the top running back will see another 50 (44 to Lacy in 2013). The total pass attempts should be around 550, so that leaves the final 50 for a collection of occasional targets like John Kuhn and Ryan Taylor.

Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. Nelson led the team with 126 targets last season, but assuming Cobb stays healthy in 2014, Nelson won't repeat that high mark. 100 to 110 targets is more realistic, and using a slightly high 70% catch rate (Cobb was over 80% in his rookie season but under 70% last season), that's 70 to 80 receptions. That's not going to lead the league in receptions for either of them (the 2013 league leader, Pierre Garcon, was targeted 184 times in 2013). It could lead to another 1000 yard and double digit touchdown season for Nelson (Cobb's never reached either mark in a single season). They could be the two most efficient receivers in the NFL next season, but neither one should be considered as a 1st round fantasy draft option.

Jarrett Boykin. He seems to be a shoe-in for the James Jones role of trying to sneak into single coverage along the sidelines, which should be good for 90-100 targets in 2014. His 59% catch rate in 2013 is a concern, but hopefully it has to do with the fact that he was most active while Rodgers was hurt last season (Boykin barely played on offense until the Packers released Jeremy Ross in late September). The coaches love him, but I'm not completely sold on him yet.

Davante Adams showing his catching ability with pass from Matt Flynn across middle. I think he can make an impact as rookie. #Packers
— Mike Vandermause (@MikeVandermause) June 10, 2014

I'm really intrigued by the battle among the group of receivers at the bottom of the depth chart, but those guys are going to have no impact on the offense once the regular season roles around (barring injury). And all of them are going to be hard pressed to beat out Davante Adams after the Packers just used a 2nd round pick to acquire him. Cobb only had 31 targets during his 2011 rookie season, but the receiving corps was deeper that year, and I'd expect Adams should expect closer to 50 targets in 2014. The only thing holding him back is that the Packers don't spend the entire game lining up with four wide outs. When he does get on the field, he's always going to see single coverage, which is what Rodgers wants to see. He's going to be a very tempting target.

Insert name of a tight end here. I guess Colt Lyerla and Richard Rodgers both have chances to earn playing time, but they're both going to have a tough time getting past Andrew Quarless because they still have a lot to learn. In the meantime, Quarless doesn't have much of a ceiling, but he was targeted 54 times despite only starting for half the season and being pretty useless as a weapon. He'll get 70 targets if he starts 16 games, and he'll earn more if he can show some of the promise he had before he injured his knee in 2011.

Packers' 2014 Expectations for Cobb May Be too High

While the Packers' Randall Cobb is definitely a good Wide Receiver, it's very aguable that he isn't one of the league's best.

Cobb, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, has never been one to let his team down, although he isn't necessarily a superstar either.

Despite that, Pro Football Talk reports, the Pack have high expectations for #18 in the upcoming year, even going as far as to say that Cobb may lead the league in receptions.

Again, the youngster is good, but saying that he'd pull something like that off seems to be a little misguided, as Cobb is somebody who often gets hurt. 

Lacy Won't Change Running Style in 2014

During much of his 2013 Rookie of the Year campaign, Packers RB Eddie Lacy got every last inch out of every play. 

The ex-Alabama star, who suffered a concussion early in the season, was easily one of the most aggressive runners in the league, drastically improving the team's offense during Aaron Rodgers' absence. 

Still, all that effort did come with a cost, as Lacy ended up having to rest his body for multiple weeks this summer.

Despite that, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports, Lacy won't change his running style in 2014, something that, while risky, is probably good for us fans.

Yes, #27 could still get hurt, but considering that nothing serious happened to him late last year there doesn't seem to be a reason for him to alter anything, something that's obviously rewarding if it works out.

Running Will "Always" Be Part of Rodgers' Game

After watching him miss half of last season, you'd most likely imagine that Packers QB Aaron Rodgers would start to lay off the rushing. 

The 30-year-old veteran has averaged 4.7 yards a carry so far in his career, helping him score 18 TDs. 

Still, his value to Green Bay is something he should probably consider in the near future, even if he doesn't agree, recently telling the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that rushing will "always" be part of his game.

According to Rodgers, running the ball adds an extra dimension to what he can already do, something that won't matter if he ends up getting hurt.

Packers 2014: The New Look Offensive Line

After reading Jack's post on RT Bryan Bulaga, I realized that I hadn't thought much about the changes on the offensive line this offseason. It's been a quiet 2014 so far with no free agent signing like with C Jeff Saturday in 2012 and only one late round draft choice (5th round C Corey Linsley). But the line's starting five is pretty much set, barring something surprising this preseason.

LT David Bakhitari. He went from unknown to the unquestioned starter at left tackle. He had a couple bad games last season, and unsurprisingly his conditioning entering last season as a rookie wasn't up to NFL standards. The fact that he's the unchallenged left tackle this season shows how much confidence the team has in him.

LG Josh Sitton. He had a rough start last season in Week 1 because of a back injury, but it cleared up within a couple weeks and he went onto be ranked as the No. 2 guard overall last season by Pro Football Focus.

C JC Tretter. Mike McCarthy has seemed to have wanted a tall center for years. He tried to promote Jason Spitz over Scott Wells a few years ago, but Spitz got hurt and Wells went onto play at a Pro Bowl level. Tretter is more athletic and taller (6-4) than any starting center they've had in years, and the coaches know exactly what they've got after watching him play on the scout team for the last several weeks of the 2013 season. Playing alongside two veterans will help with his transition, and I've got zero concerns about him.

RG T.J. Lang. He was very good in his first season as a starter (2011) but he slipped in 2012, and I was worried about his long-term future. Instead, a move to the right side of the line gave him no problems, and he bounced back with a solid 2013 season (the 15th ranked guard last season overall according to Pro Football Focus). Sitton and Lang were the anchors of the line in 2013, and they'll do it again next season.

RT Bryan Bulaga. If they did have any concerns about him returning from an ACL tear, he's seemed to have answered them this offseason. His health is still the biggest concern among the five starters, and even if that does become a problem again, Don Barclay was OK last season in his place.

Warm and humid today at #Packers minicamp. Lang, Tretter and Bulaga chat during special teams. pic.twitter.com/bJTLz50uCf
— The Fan 1075 (@WDUZ) June 17, 2014

Packers Using GPS Technology to Reduce Training Camp Injuries

In a new interesting attempt to reduce training camp injuries, the Packers have apparently begun using GPS technology on certain players, Pro Football Talk's Darin Gantt reports.

In recent years, the Pack have been one of the most beat up teams in the NFL, making this form of monitoring a strange but justifiable method. 

According to Head Coach Mike McCarthy, the technology will help schedule practices and train players better, what he considers the most important part of his job.

So far this summer, only one major injury (Johnathan Franklin) has hit the Packers, a major improvement over the last few seasons.

Starks Considers Staying Healthy #1 2014 Goal

In his first four NFL seasons, Packers RB James Starks has struggled to stay on the field.

The ex-Buffalo star, who rushed for 493 yards in 2013, has played in just 41 of 72 possible games since joining the Pack, a frustrating fact that helped drive the team in last year's draft. 

Because of it, Starks now considers staying healthy his number one goal in 2014, something he recently revealed to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tyler Dunne. 

Last season, Starks lost his starting job to eventual Rookie of the Year Eddie Lacy, possibly motivating him for the team's upcoming training camp.

Packers RT Bulaga Looks Ready For 2014

Packers Right Tackle Brian Bulaga appears to be ready to play in 2014, the Green Bay Press-Gazette's Mike Vandermause reports. 

Bulaga, who missed all of last season with a partially torn ACL, often lined up at his normal position in this year's minicamp, a strong indication that he's ready to return to the field.

Prior to getting hurt last summer, the veteran also was out for the second half of 2012, making the signs of his improvement something to get excited about.

Bulaga, who has been with the team since 2010, has appeared in 37 games for the Pack over the last 4 seasons, with 33 of them being starts.

Packers Minicamp Wrap-Up: Franklin Remains The Big Story

The Packers ended their 2014 minicamp on Thursday by giving their veterans the day off. They now have just over a month off before they return for training camp on July 25.

I've been reading Aron Yohannes at Acme Packing Company, who's been doing a great job of following the practices live and accumulating tweets from the various beat reporters.

The overall theme I've read was that their receivers (wideouts and tight ends) all are practicing well. None of it matters until they start playing games, but they now have a deep group to choose from. Last season, the offense was lacking an effective pass receiving tight end after Jermichael Finley's injury, and they need either Richard Rodgers or Colt Lyerla to step up. Lyerla's a major character risk, but he's doing well so far. Maybe the move away from Oregon (where he's seemed to have lived for most of his life) to Green Bay, WI where he can work with a small group of professionals is exactly what he needs.

FYI- Lyerla's a fascinating player. He's like a TE version of Eddie Lacy; an absolute load to bring down in the open field. Sometimes he lined up in the backfield and took the hand-off (he was a star running back in high school). Richard Rodgers is more like Finley, a big receiving threat who can exploit mismatches against smaller DBs, while Lyerla could bring another dimension to the offense.

However, the news of Johnathan Franklin's retirement due to a neck injury was the major story. As far as the roster's concerned, it presents an opportunity for DuJuan Harris to fill a role on offense and special teams next season, but the big takeaway for me is how quickly a NFL career can be over. The best of luck to him in his future plans.

Lacy Saddened By Loss Of Franklin

After hearing the news that Johnathan Franklin was leaving the team today, Packers RB Eddie Lacy was pretty upset.

"We were definitely sad," Lacy told PackersNews.com. "He shot everybody in the running back group a text and it just makes you cherish the moments that you get to play. We came in together, we got to know each other real good and we spent a lot of time together. He was just starting, and just like that, as fast as you get it, it can be taken away."

In last year's draft, Lacy and Franklin were taken out of Alabama and UCLA, with the two of them each showing potential during the regular season.

Packers RB Franklin Might Have a Career-Threatening Neck Injury

Second year Packers Running Back Johnathan Franklin might have a career-threatening neck injury, ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky reports.

Franklin, who was placed on Injured Reserve last September after suffering a concussion, hasn't practiced yet this offseason, as the team is apparently putting him through medical tests to see if him continuing to play football is safe.

In 2013, the ex-UCLA star recorded just 107 rushing yards, with all but four of them coming in Week 3's loss to the Bengals.

In that contest, Franklin also got a season-high 13 carries, as opposed to just six the rest of the year.

McCarthy Feeling Good About Packers' Defense

Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy "feels good" about the team's defense after a mandatory minicamp practice earlier today, he recently said in a press conference.

In McCarthy's eyes, this year's D has very good mental consistency, and can successfully get in and out of personnel groups.  

As for specific players, McCarthy didn't name any, although the fact that he's at least confident in the group as a whole is probably good enough, as the Pack are a team notorious for giving up a lot points and big plays (something that probably cost them a win in last year's playoff game).

Former Packers LB Terrell Manning Signs With Giants

Former Packers LB Terrell Manning has signed with the New York Giants, the latter announced today.

Manning, the Pack's 5th Round Draft Pick back in 2012, played just one season in Green Bay after starring at North Carolina State, recording 3 tackles and no sacks.

Last year, he landed a brief spot on the San Diego Chargers' Practice Squad, before signing and being cut by the Minnesota Vikings in April.

As of now, no details of his new contract have been released, and they probably never will, as it's currently unknown if the deal will even last through the month.

Packers Tight Ends Ready to Move On From Finley

As of now, it's unknown whether or not Jermichael Finley will play another game with the Packers. 

The veteran TE, currently an Unrestricted Free Agent, could sign with any team in the upcoming months, making the fact that the Pack have left his locker alone a little strange.

Still, the Tight Ends the team knows will be on the roster come August are ready to move on from Finley, something sophomore Jake Stoneburner recently revealed to the Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel.

No, Stoneburner didn't hate on #88, although he did say the team is beginning to acknowledge what could happen: Finley's departure. 

In other words, a turning point seems to have been reached this offseason, as the problem now shifts from Finley's injury to his future team.

Boykin Wants to Become a Household Name in 2014

Packers WR Jarrett Boykin wants to become a household name in 2014, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tyler Dunne reports.

Boykin, who burst onto the NFL scene last season after Randall Cobb got hurt, is apparently planning to be more aggressive this year, or, as he put it, "be a dog."

In 2013, Boykin was overall solid for the Pack, something that'd probably be good enough come September, as Cobb will no longer be hurt.

Still, a little improvement on his behalf wouldn't hurt anything, especially since Green Bay's upcoming schedule (which includes matchups with the Patriots, Panthers, Seahawks, and Saints) is pretty hard.

Favre Planning On Returning to Green Bay Soon

Former Packers QB Brett Favre is planning on returning to Green Bay soon, he recently told USA Today's Weston Hodkiewicz.

Favre, who played for the Pack from 1992-2007, was invited to a game last season, but didn't go due to the high school team he helps coach's run in the Mississippi state playoffs.  

According to the future Hall of Famer, Favre hasn't been to Green Bay since his last year with the Vikings, when he was often hurt and the team struggled.

During his 16 seasons with the Packers, #4 set multiple records, even winning Super Bowl XXXI in 1997.

Packers Complete Rookie Class With Signings of Rodgers, Adams

The Packers have finally signed soon-to-be rookies Richard Rodgers and Davante Adams, team General Manager Ted Thompson announced today. 

The deals, whose details have not yet been released, complete the Pack's 2014 first year player class, as each of their nine 2014 draft picks are now under contract.

Rodgers, as we all know by now, spent the last three seasons as a Tight End at Cal, catching a solid 59 passes for 896 yards.

During that same time, Adams was a Wide Receiver down at Fresno State, where he also did pretty well, collecting 233 receptions including 38 for touchdowns.

Shields: New Contract "Just the Beginning"

Following the signing of his new 4-year, $39 million contract this offseason, it has been speculated by some that Packers CB Sam Shields will change.

He apparently doesn't think so.

"Like I tell everybody, it's just the beginning," Shields recently told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Lori Nickel. "I'm going to continue to work my butt off and make plays. Hopefully down the line, get another one, you know? This is just the beginning."

On the final play of last year's Week 17 win in Chicago, Shields picked off a Jay Cutler Hail Mary, officially clinching the Packers a playoff spot. It wasn't necessarily a difficult play to make, although it definitely illustrated the veteran's ability to perform in the clutch, something needed on a contending team.

Peppers: "I Haven't Really Played With A Guy Like Clay"

Julius Peppers has had a long, successful NFL career, which makes him a little unique. He was the top pass rusher on the Carolina Panthers in his rookie season (2002), and he was the Bears' top pass rusher last season too. Not a lot of players can stake that claim. So 2014 will look a lot different for him; he's no longer the best pass rusher on his team.

06/09/14 Watching and waiting: Clay Matthews is excited about what he and Julius Peppers can accomplish togeth... http://t.co/VgMUrbsQpL
— Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde) June 10, 2014

He's played with a lot of great defensive teammates in Carolina and Chicago, but he hasn't often played alongside another great pass rusher. Peppers told Jason Wilde that former DE Mike Rucker was a "threat" but not "dominant". DE Charles Johnson was Peppers' teammate in Carolina from 2007-2009, but Johnson only started four games combined in those three seasons. Probably his best pass rushing teammate during his time in Chicago was DT Henry Melton, who's never tallied double digit sacks in a season. Of those three players, the only one who comes close to Matthews is Rucker, he recorded double digit sacks in 2002 and 2003 (and made the Pro Bowl in 2003) before fading into his 30s.

While Peppers might be starting to fade (he had a negative pass rusher grade in 2013 according to Pro Football Focus, but so did nearly every Bears defender last season, which makes their problems look like more than just Peppers) Matthews just turned 28 and should be entering the prime of his career (if he can stay healthy). For comparison, Peppers recorded 14.5 sacks in 2008 (his age 28 season) and made his fourth Pro Bowl, which could easily be a 2014 projection for Matthews. Peppers is going to be playing alongside a pass rusher who is effectively a younger version of himself, and that's clearly never happened to him before.

Peppers Excited To Play Alongside Matthews

New Packers Defensive End Julius Peppers is excited to play alongside Clay Matthews when the 2014 season gets underway, the veteran recently revealed to ESPN Wisconsin's Jason Wilde.

In his eyes, Peppers has never played with someone dominant on the other side, making him eager to see what the two of them can do.

Matthews, who missed some time last year with a recurring thumb injury, hasn't done a ton recently, although having Peppers double teamed should help him improve his stats over the next three seasons.

The Packers' first preseason game is currently scheduled for August 7-10 in Tennessee. 

Packers Add Another Linebacker: Shaun Lewis

The Packers had an open spot on the roster, so they signed an undrafted rookie from Oklahoma State. The roster is now at the maximum of 90.

#Packers have signed rookie free agent LB Shaun Lewis. Lewis participated in rookie camp on a tryout basis: http://t.co/H57g5ew6vi
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) June 10, 2014

His addition brings the total number of linebackers to 16 (including Peppers and Neal) so they didn't really need another one. He was productive in college, but I can see why the NFL hasn't shown much interest in him. His 4.90 40 time is unimpressive (compared to a bigger player like rookie Carl Bradford who ran a 4.76 40 time at the combine) and there aren't many sub 6-0 linebackers playing in the NFL.

They obviously saw something in him at the rookie tryout, but he's a long shot at making either the 53-man roster or the practice squad.

Bleacher Report Names Rodgers Most Likely 2014 MVP Candidate

The popular sports website Bleacher Report has named Packers QB Aaron Rodgers their most likely 2014 MVP candidate. 

Rodgers, who started just 9 games for the Pack last regular season (only playing for the majority of 8), won the award back in 2011, when he and the team went 15-1.

In last year's Week 17, Rodgers returned to the field for the first time in 7 contests, leading Green Bay to a 33-28 win over the Bears.

Overall, the Packers have gone 61-34 in the six seasons #12 has led them, winning the NFC North in 2013 despite going just 8-7-1.

Nelson "Doesn't Want to Go Anywhere" After Contract Year

Following each of the last two seasons, a starting Packers WR has left in Free Agency.

Last year, Greg Jennings moved over to the Vikings, while James Jones switched conferences by joining the Oakland Raiders this spring.

Despite that recurring trend, Jordy Nelson apparently doesn't want to leave despite the possibility of making more, telling the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he "doesn't want to go anywhere" after 2014.

Nelson, currently the Pack's oldest receiver at 29, has been with Green Bay all six seasons of his career, helping the team win 3 Division Titles and a Super Bowl during that time. 

ESPN Ranks Packers' Roster NFL's 8th Best

In a surprising recent insider piece, ESPN has ranked the Packers' Roster the NFL's 8th Best, the site's Rob Demovsky reports.

Coming ahead of Green Bay on the offseason list, in order from 1-7, are the Seahawks, 49ers, Broncos, Saints, Eagles, Patriots, and Bengals, all playoff teams from last year.

While they undoubtedly have a great offense, this news can't be too surprising for us fans, as the Pack's defense has struggled in recent seasons.

Still, the Bengals coming in seventh is a little weird, especially since their current starting QB has never gotten them past the Wild Card Round.

Steelers, Raiders Reportedly Showing Interest in Finley

The Steelers and Raiders are beginning to show interest in Free Agent Tight End Jermichael Finley, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reports.

While Oakland is definitely still a possibility, Rapoport adds that the Steelers have already had Finley visit, even going as far as to medically clear him.

Despite that, whether or not #88 will actually sign with Pittsburgh is currently unknown, as the veteran is rumored to come with a high asking price. 

Finley, the Packers Tight End of six seasons, suffered a severe spine injury Week 7 of last year, causing him to miss the rest of the season.

Flynn Blessed to Receive Second Chance with Packers

Despite the fact that he was supposed to be a high paid starter in Seattle for the 2012 season, Packers Backup QB Matt Flynn is happy to be where he is.

In an article recently published by ESPN Wisconsin's Jason Wilde, Flynn declared himself "blessed" for his second NFL chance, one that likely won't involve much playing time.

Last year, the former NCAA National Champion was on three different rosters, starting out in Oakland before later signing with the Bills and Packers. 

While in Buffalo, Flynn never actually played, making it debatable whether or not his time there should count.

Nelson Confident He'll Get New Contract

Despite the recent news that the team is yet to make any offers to Randall Cobb, Packers Wide Receiver Jordy Nelson is confident he'll get a new deal soon, ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky reports. 

Nelson, who dominated for the Pack in last year's NFC North title campaign, recently told Demosky that "everyone knows deals get done closer to training camp," implying that the club's lack of activity lately doesn't concern him.

In his six season NFL career, spent entirely in Green Bay, Nelson has been pretty impressive, catching 302 passes (36 TD) for a solid total of 4,590 yards. 

Packers, Cobb Still Not Close To Contract Extention

Considering that he's been an offensive force ever since his NFL debut in 2011, Packers WR Randall Cobb deserves a contract extension. 

Cobb, who will be a free agent after the 2014 season, will make just over $1 million this year, a salary simply too low to make him wanna stay.

Still, according to FoxSports.com, the youngster and the team are nowhere near a new deal, something possibly worthy of a panic.

Last year, Cobb did play in just six games due to a knee injury, but in the end, this news is still a little worrisome. In recent years, #18 has been Mr. Reliable for Green Bay, so the thought of him leaving is definitely not comforting. 

Lyerla Convinced Troubled Past Will Help His NFL Future

Since he was signed by the Packers last month, former Oregon TE Colt Lyerla has faced criticism for his troubled past.

Despite that, the ex-college star is still convinced that his past mistakes will help him in his NFL Future, something he recently revealed to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tyler Dunne.

"Once you've been to the bottom you see what you need to do as a person and the changes you need to make," Lyerla said. "I think that's going to help me become a better person in the locker room."

Lyerla, a 2012 Fiesta Bowl Champion, signed with the Packers shortly after a workout, making the fact that he went undrafted pretty irrelevant.

Seahawks Reportedly Done Pursuing Finley

The Seahawks have decided to stop pursuing Free Agent Tight End Jermichael Finley, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports. 

Finley, a six-year veteran who had a deal with Seattle earlier this offseason disbanded after he failed a physical, was cleared by his personal doctor Thursday, making a few other teams (most notably the Packers, Giants, and Patriots) join the sweepstakes for him.

Despite that, the Hawks just don't seem to be interested in giving the veteran the high price he's asking for, which makes sense considering that Finley's NFL future (or personal future for that matter) is currently a mystery.