Packers Minicamp This Week: Kuuuuuuuuhn!

This is the week for the Green Bay Packers minicamp, and it marks the last bit of real Packer news until training camp begins in late July. It'll be marked with some humongous quotes about receivers and how some players live in the gym. The Packers official twitter feed had the following picture of one of the all-time fan favorites who is entering the twilight of his Packer career:

Kuuuuuuuuhn! pic.twitter.com/XnWmsdEiLi

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) June 16, 2015

I was a little surprised when the Packers re-signed FB John Kuhn this offseason. He's coming off a Pro Bowl nod because there are very few true full backs playing in today's NFL but the Packers have been decreasing his usage over the past three seasons. The following number of snaps and run blocking rating over the past five seasons is from Pro Football Focus:

Year	Snaps	Run Blocking
2014	249	5.2
2013	337	5.8
2012	437	-2.4
2011	432	-7.7
2010	420	0.2

My nutshell description of Kuhn is that he's a player who doesn't make mistakes, he can occasionally make a big play (maybe a few per season), and he's not a very good run blocker. I should also add that he's very reliable because he's only missed a few games due to injury since 2008.

But there's been also been a big change in his usage over the past two seasons which can be summed up as thus: Eddie Lacy. Since Lacy's arrival in 2013, the Packers have been using Kuhn less and all of sudden his run blocking rating has shot up. I don't think he's really gotten that much better as a run blocker; it's more about how Lacy's such a powerful runner that he makes his blockers look good.

At age 32, the only older player on the roster is LB Julius Peppers. GM Ted Thompson has preferred a roster full of young players for almost his entire tenure, so Kuhn has to be approaching the end of the line. He'll be playing on a one-year, non-guaranteed contract in 2015 with zero salary cap hit if he was released tomorrow. He wouldn't have been re-signed if he wasn't expected to fill the same role in 2015 as he had in 2014 (blocking, occasional short-yardage carry). But at the same time, this could very well be his last season in Green Bay so enjoy chanting Kuuuuuuhn while you can.

Packer News: Kuhn and Richardson Return in 2015

At least the NFL is finally releasing the 2015 schedule this week, and I can figure out if I can make it to a game at Lambeau this year. Unfortunately the NFL draft is still over a week away which brings another week of complete guess work about prospects and what the heck GM Ted Thompson might be thinking.

But there was some actual news last week.

#Packers re-sign fullback John Kuhn & safety Sean Richardson: http://t.co/rkLoReaov3 pic.twitter.com/FXEi1x6rI2
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 13, 2015

Re-signing FB John Kuhn for the veteran's minimum was a no-brainer. He's never hurt and his run blocking was solid last season. He can also be trusted in pass blocking and he's useful as an occasional short yard runner. That he can provide all of this while only carrying the salary cap charge of a late round draft choice is a bargain.

S Sean Richardson is costing more than the Packers expected, the offer sheet he signed with the Raiders (and the Packers matched) was about a million more than the Packers' original offer, but to let him go could have been a disaster. He's their only backup defensive back with experience (I'm considering their top 5 defensive backs as all starters since Dom Capers has them in the nickel package so often). He's not good in pass coverage and much better as a sort of linebacker, but they can probably expect he'll play on about 400 snaps next season (depending on what happens in the draft) and if any player on the team can be deemed a critical backup at this time, he's it.

It was the right choice to bring both players back in 2015.

Rodgers, Kuhn Named First-Team All-Pros

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and FB John Kuhn have been named 2014 NFL First-Team All-Pros, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tyler Dunne reports. 

Rodgers received 44 of 50 media members' votes for his position, according to Dunne. As for Kuhn, he got 18 at fullback, enough for the accolade.

Besides them, WR Jordy Nelson and Guard Josh Sitton both made the second team, solidly garnering 15 and 22 votes, respectively. Sitton's total left him just short of the first team, writes Dunne.

The Packers are coming off a 12-4 campaign this fall, one which proved good enough for the NFC's no.2 seed after Sunday's win over the Lions.

Five Packers Make NFC Pro Bowl Team

Five Packers players have been named to this year's NFC Pro Bowl team, ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky reports.

QB Aaron Rodgers, who ranked number one overall among the fan balloting, will return to Hawaii for the fourth time, accompanied by FB John Kuhn (second selection), WR Jordy Nelson (first selection) and G Josh Sitton (second selection) on the offensive side of the ball.

As for Green Bay's defense, it willl be represented by LB Clay Matthews (fifth selection), who has 10 sacks this season. 

WR Randall Cobb is considered by snubb by Demovsky, having not been selected in favor of Cincinnati's A.J. Green. 

Rival Executive Believes Packers' Backfield is "The Best It's Ever Looked"

After Johnathan Franklin's career ended a few weeks ago, some Packers fans became convinced his loss would seriously hurt their backfield.

Franklin, a 2013 draft pick who rarely played last year, provided them depth if Eddie Lacy was to get hurt, an underrated advantage.

Still, according to an executive in personnel on another team, the Pack's running game is "the best it's ever looked" going into 2014, something recently told to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Earlier this offseason, the Packers re-signed FB John Kuhn, essentially creating a potentially-great quad, with Lacy, James Starks, and Dajuan Harris also carrying a lot of positives.

Kuhn re-signs with Packers for 1 year, more than $1 million

Free Agent FB John Kuhn has finally re-signed with the Packers, NFL.com's Dan Hanzus reports. As of now, the deal, which was made yesterday afternoon, is believed to be worth just 1 year, while also surprisingly paying more than $1 million. 

So yea, I guess this offseason is officially good now. The Packers have already improved their defense and running game with the signings of Defensive End Julius Peppers and backup Running Back James Starks, and now, well, they have arguably the league's most loved fullback back for at least one more season. Let's hope it's a good one. 

Report: Decision on Kuhn's future could come this week

According to Packers News, the decision on Free Agent FB John Kuhn's future could come this week. Kuhn, who has played each of the last 7 seasons in Green Bay, is reportedly receiving interest from multiple teams, so yea, this news does not necessarily mean that he's definitely going to wear Green and Gold this fall.

Still, I'd say that that possibility is probably the most likely. I mean, Kuhn loves the Packers and, not to mention, everything's cheaper in Northern Wisconsin, so it's not like a pay cut this year would be the end of the world for this guy.

Kuhn Update: Packers still talking to the FB

According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tyler Dunne, the Packers are still "in talks" with Free Agent FB John Kuhn. In 7 seasons with the team, Kuhn has rushed for 488 yards and 12 TDs, which, will not great, is definitely good enough to deserve a job in my opinion. 

Anyway, Dunne's article goes on to state that Kuhn is also talking to other teams, meaning that if the Packers want this guy they gotta go get him now. That's kinda unfortunate, but if you wait for weeks to make a move on a guy then it really isn't that surprising.

Peppers: "I still have a lot left in the tank"

Shortly after news broke that he had signed with the team on Saturday, Packers DE Julius Peppers responded to the criticism he was already getting for supposedly being too old to contribute. 

“I have a lot left in the tank," Peppers told Packers.com. "I have a lot left to give, a lot left to offer. I want to show people I can still play the game at a high level."

Now in my opinion, only time will tell how good/bad this guy will be these next three seasons, but still, I think him making the defense at least slightly better is a guarantee. I mean, he's been great for years, and, had Kuhn not blocked him on that last play, would've been the guy who saved Chicago's season, so yea, he certainly looks like a guy who can perform under pressure.

Kuhn to become a free agent; will still negotiate with Packers

According to ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky, Packers FB John Kuhn will hit the market as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Despite that, Kuhn and the Packers are apparently still going to negotiate with each other, meaning that no, he isn't definitely gone. 

So yea, it's tough to judge what this news means. Are the Packers letting him hit the market due to a lack of interest, or are they just struggling to get a deal done with him at this time? For the sake of the team's future at the position, let's hope the latter is correct here, because if Kuhn doesn't return this fall Green Bay will be stuck with that rookie Ina Liaina guy. 

Packers, Kuhn have "mutual interest"

The Packers and now Free Agent FB John Kuhn are (somewhat surprisingly) showing "mutual interest" in each other, Kuhn's agent, Kevin Gold, recently told NFLTradeRumors.com. Last season, Kuhn made a pretty high base salary of $1.8 million, so if a deal between the two does get done it's extremely likely that it'll be for a lot less cash. 

And if #30 will take a deal for less pay, then I gotta say, I'm all for re-signing him. I mean, nobody currently available is better than him, so just who the hell else would the Packers start this season? 

Kuhn's Agent unsure if FB will return to Green Bay

In an article recently published on Packers.com, soon-to-be free agent FB John Kuhn's agent, Kevin Gold, was quoted saying that, while he "assumes" that the Packers are interesting in his client, he is yet he to hear from them. Now, since it is just Super Bowl Sunday, I guess that's not that weird, but still, you'd think they'd at least give him a call if they really wanted him back.

I mean, how high can his asking price possibly be? He's an aging FB, not a young Wide Reciever. Just give him a million bucks and move on already.

ESPN: Liaina signing doesn't mean Kuhn's gone

This week's signing of rookie FB Ina Liaina is not expected to affect any talks this offseason between the Packers and soon-to-be unrestricted free agent John Kuhn, ESPN reports. As I said yesterday, Liaina has no real NFL experience, so it's likely that he's just being brought in as a backup, not an every week starter. 

Still, it is possible that the Pack may look to sign another FB this offseason, so Kuhn's return is definitely not guaranteed. In my opinion, it's likely, but as of now, like a lot of other stuff with this team, it's just not guaranteed. 

Should the Packers re-sign John Kuhn?

It's hard to believe, but yea, it's been three seasons since the Packers won the Super Bowl. And as you may recall, after they lifted that Lombardi Trophy in Dallas, they signed their breakout FB, John Kuhn, to a three-year deal. Well, now, as I just said, it's been three years, and Kuhn's a free agent. So, what should they do with him?

In my opinion, I don't see a reason why they shouldn't re-sign him. Sure, he struggled at times this year and only had one touchdown the entire regular season, but he seemed to convert the 3rd-and-shorts pretty often. So, since they apparently aren't planning on signing anyone anyway, why not just pick this guy up. He's productive. 

Position Review: Fullback

The final position review on offense is a short one, and maybe it should have been combined with tight ends. They don't play the same role on the offense, though both play a similar role in the backfield as pass blockers, but they're probably competing for the same number of roster spots. If the Packers decide to keep an extra fullback on the roster this season, unlike in 2012 when they only kept one, it might come at the expense of an extra tight end.

Position Review: Offensive Line Guards and Tackles
Position Review: Offensive Line-Center
Position Review: Wide Receivers
Position Review: Tight End
Position Review: Quarterback
Position Review: Running Backs

John Kuhn. While the former Pro Bowl performer might seem like a lock for the roster, his position doesn't lend itself to a long shelf life. He'll probably make the roster and remain the starter, but the end of his Packer career is coming up sooner than you might expect. He'll turn 31 in September, as he enters the final year of his contract, and GM Ted Thompson isn't known for keeping veterans into their age 30 years. Also, he didn't exactly impress last season, earning a negative ranking from Football Outsiders on running plays in a small sample size. If you enjoy chanting KUUUHHHNNN, this upcoming season might be your last chance.

Jonathan Amosa. Who knows what to expect from an undrafted rookie out of Washington, he wasn't highly regarded, but the Packers might be more interested in keeping him around if this is Kuhn's final year as a Packer. However, I doubt GM Ted Thompson is worried about developing another fullback next year if Amosa doesn't work out.

Packers Defeat Vikings 24-10, Play Next Week at 49ers

After the Green Bay Packers took a 24-3 lead on a touchdown drive to open the second half, they seemed to put it on autopilot. It was understandable because the Vikings did little on offense with QB Joe Webb. But they made their offense hard to watch with five punts on their final five possessions. On defense, a late-game blown coverage left Vikings WR Michael Jenkins wide open for a 50 yard touchdown pass. However, the Vikings never mounted a serious charge and the win was a big relief after a tough loss last week in Minneapolis.

As for why QB Christian Ponder couldn't gut it out with an arm injury, read what Judd Zulgad tweeted.

One player I was glad to see have a big game was FB John Kuhn. He didn't play as well this season, after making the Pro Bowl in 2011, and his fumble last year against the Giants really hurt them. So for him to come out and score two touchdowns was a big bounce-back performance.

The offense was outstanding, QB Aaron Rodgers in particular, until their second half swoon converted only one first down in their final five possessions. Part of the reason was their run-heavy play calling, as they apparently tried to run some clock after going up by 21 points. The offensive line had some shaky moments, but they also gave Rodgers a lot of time to throw and he made plays when they did.

The defense did a much better job of bottling up RB Adrian Peterson with DT B.J. Raji's stout inside presence and LB Erik Walden's monster game on the outside. Webb's accuracy was so bad in his first playing time of the season that it's hard to give the secondary too much credit, but they played well except for the blown coverage on Jenkins' touchdown. Overall. it was good practice for next week when they face a run heavy 49ers team with their own mobile quarterback.

What The Loss Of Cedric Benson Means To The Packers

It's not a big surprise because just last week RB Cedric Benson said he was talking to more doctors about his injured foot, but now we know that it will keep him out the rest of the year.

McCarthy: Benson had surgery yesterday. He will not be back with us this season.
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) November 29, 2012

Just looking at their win-loss record, his absence shouldn't make much of a difference. Since he was injured during their loss to the Colts, the Packers have gone 5-1, while losing 3 of 5 with him as their starter. Of course, that isn't the entire picture.

While Football Outsiders gives him a negative DVOA percentage, his percentage is still higher than either RB James Starks or RB Alex Green, and Green in particular has struggled. The only back with a positive grade is FB John Kuhn, who's excelled during his few carries (12). Really, Kuhn's not that good and his actual value is closer to break even based on his play in 2010. Kuhn might be better than Starks, but it's not by a wide margin. If Starks is the main ball carrier going forward, I'd expect he'll end the season closer to his 2011 performance and only slightly worse than Kuhn or Benson.

There's only one game remaining on the regular season schedule when they might really miss Benson; the December 16th game against the Bears. Here's the teams left on the schedule (two games against the Vikings) and each team's defensive rankings according to Football Outsiders:

Team	Pass Ranking	Rush Ranking
Vikings	24	8
Lions	20	18
Bears	1	3
Titans	29	26

He could provide a boost against the Vikings and Lions, but both teams are struggling to defend against the pass, so that's probably where the offense should attack anyway. Against the Titans, who can't seem to stop any team's rushing attack, it probably doesn't matter who's carrying the ball.

The Bears have the best defense in the NFL, so it'll be a tough game no matter. But Benson had a strong game in their previous meeting (20 carries for 81 yards). If he'll be missed in any game this season, that would seem like the one.

Mike McCarthy On Injuries And The Offensive Line

Usually the only bits of good information to be gained from a Mike McCarthy press conference are about injuries, and his presser on Wednesday was no exception. Here's the complete recap from Tom Silverstein:

TE Andrew Quarless, OL Derek Sherrod, and FB John Kuhn might all fail their physicals. I doubt this is a surprise to anyone with the Packers. Quarless's (torn knee ligaments, see below) and Sherrod (broken leg) were very serious injuries. I'm not counting on Quarless at all this season, and I expect he'll spend it on I.R.

McCarthy said that Sherrod is "getting close." I don't expect he'll be on the PUP list so he can practice at least on a limited basis. He still has so much to learn that he'll need that time with the coaches, even if he isn't ready to play.

McCarthy sounded more optimistic about Kuhn than either Quarless or Sherrod, but in hindsight, they might have made the wrong decision by choosing rehab over surgery for his MCL injury. I would have guessed that Kuhn would have been fine without surgery too, and that his knees are strong enough for the MCL to heal on it's own. They really don't have an obvious Plan B with only a couple of undrafted free agents behind him on the depth chart. This could lead to a change in strategy this season with the full back being de-emphasized in the offense. Of course, a similar thing happened in 2010 when Kuhn spent significant time at running back after Ryan Grant's injury, and the offense didn't struggle.

Finally, along with the news that McCarthy will spend more time with the offensive line after Joe Philbin's departure, he spoke about his confidence in Marshall Newhouse, and that the quarterback has confidence in him too. That's a pretty ringing endorsement. The stats haven't shown that Newhouse really deserves it, he did give up a lot of sacks last season, but McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers seem to think Newhouse really turned a corner late last season.

The Packers 90-man Roster: The Backs

While these three positions are all on the offensive side of the ball, they don't have much in common, except that they should each produce little competition.

Player	Height	Weight	Age	Experience
Cooper, Nic	5-10	249	23	Rookie
Hoese, Jon	6-2	238	23	1
Kuhn, John	6-0	250	29	7

Kuhn made the Pro Bowl last season, Hoese was signed onto the practice squad in December 2011 after his release the previous September, and Cooper's an undrafted free agent. There had been battles at this position in recent years, but now, Kuhn's guaranteed to start, while Hoese and Cooper would be lucky to make the practice squad. The overall competition level here is very low.

Player	Height	Weight	Age	Experience
Coleman, B.J.	6-3	231	23	Rookie
Harrell, Graham	6-2	215	27	1
Rodgers, Aaron	6-2	225	28	8

The only competition is for the backup job, and Harrell might not even be battling Coleman for it. If not Harrell, would the coaches trust Coleman or look elsewhere for a veteran backup? While Matt Flynn was named the backup as a rookie in 2008, the odds are very long that it would happen again, especially for a small school player like Coleman. I'm expecting Coleman to spend a year developing on the practice squad no matter what happens to Harrell. The coaches are speaking highly of Harrell's development, and they've made no effort to find a veteran to compete against him, so I'm expecting him to look sharp this preseason. The overall competition between these three players is low, but Harrell's got a lot to prove this preseason.

Player	Height	Weight	Age	Experience
Bennett, Du'ane	5-9	213	23	Rookie
Green, Alex	6-0	225	24	2
Saine, Brandon	5-11	220	23	2
Starks, James	6-2	218	26	3
Tyler, Marc	5-11	226	23	Rookie

I haven't looked closely at every position on the roster, but I'd be shocked if there's a position with less experience. James Starks has played in only 21 career NFL games (including the playoffs) but he's by far the most experienced player of the bunch. Green appears to have a solid hold on the backup spot because the Packers made no effort to find a Plan B by either re-signing Ryan Grant or drafting another young back. So I expect the top three running backs will be Starks, Green, and Saine, with Saine's only concern whether he'll make the 53-man roster or have to stay on the practice squad again in 2012. However, Bennett and Tyler could challenge Saine with a strong preseason, and the three undrafted players may find themselves in a real battle for that final spot. The overall competition level is average, but only for the job as the No. 3 back.