The Initial Practice Squad Includes One New (To The Packers) Player

The Green Bay Packers put together their practice squad over the weekend, and it looks as I expected, but I'm a little surprised they brought back Diondre Borel over Tori Gurley (who signed on the Vikings practice squad). Gurley held onto his pass attempts this preseason while Borel dropped a couple, but Borel did a good job as a return man and the ability to play special teams can sometimes make all the difference.

The one new (to the Packers) player signed to the practice squad was OL Chris Scott, who was released by the Steelers. He's a former 5th round pick who played very little in his rookie year and was on the practice squad in 2011. He entered training camp at the bottom of the Steelers' depth chart. He's able to play guard and tackle; playing multiple positions is a trait the Packers like in their backup lineman (see: Barclay, Don).

Scott's addition, plus the return of Greg Van Roten and Andrew Datko to the practice squad, gives the Packers 10 offensive lineman. Mike McCarthy explained that only 7 offensive lineman are active most games, so it doesn't matter how many lineman are on the 53-man roster; he just needs 10 for depth and the scout team. Also, Derek Sherrod will return from the PUP list in a few weeks.

As for the rest of the practice squad. I'm not sure why they need a 5th TE, but Brandon Bostick is back. QB B.J. Coleman has so much to learn that he doesn't belong anywhere but the practice squad, though his big throwing arm is for real. I don't think DE Lawrence Guy has much of a NFL future, but he's eligible for the practice squad while a better player (DT Daniel Muir) isn't. They needed another back (full back or running back) to bring the total to 6, Mike McCarthy usually keeps a combined total of 6 FBs and RBs on the roster, and RB Marc Tyler appeared to be the best of a thin group who didn't make the 53-man roster.

Should The Packers Sign Cedric Benson

Simple answers to simple questions: No. But the Green Bay Packers might sign RB Cedric Benson anyway, as was reported by Ian Rapoport at NFL.com, and they (hopefully) have a good reason.

While I don't believe this line of thinking, here's why he could be a good signing. I questioned last week whether James Starks was really the answer, and pointed out that there isn't a strong Plan B on the roster. Cedric Benson has shown great athleticism and production in the past, and a strong work out could be a sign that he still has some game left in him. After weak performances by Starks (5 carries for 16 yards) and undrafted rookie Marc Tyler (13 carries for 32 yards) in their opening preseason game, they understandably might want an upgrade.

On the other hand, there are many reasons why he's not the answer. He has rushed for over 1000 yards each of the last three seasons, but he's done it while averaging under 4 yards per carry. Football Outsiders had him ranked near the bottom of the pack last season for good reason: his low ypc and his tendency to fumble. I double-checked their section on him in the 2012 Football Outsiders Almanac, and there's nothing positive to recommend him there either.

Other red flags abound, he's frequently in trouble with police and he's on the wrong side of age 30, but his fumbles, on a team that prides themselves on winning the turnover battle, is my biggest concern. However, he might not be given more than 150 carries even under the best of circumstances, which would only add one or two more fumbles (potentially) over the course of the season.

It's disappointing to see his signing receive serious consideration, they should have planned this better during the offseason, but his arrival wouldn't have a major impact one way or another.

Tuesday's Training Camp Report

I've got no idea why the Green Bay Packers would need to sign another TE. This time it's DeMarco Cosby who's been out of football for almost a year. My best guess is that they need another body for special teams drills. If they needed depth at any position, it would be at defensive back. They could use someone to replace Charlie Peprah, but they probably want to give their young guys, like M.D. Jennings, as many reps as possible.

Tuesday's practice wasn't an injury-free affair. The Press-Gazette reported that DE Ryan Pickett injured his knee, rookie RB Marc Tyler hurt his shoulder when he took a big hit, and rookie DL Mike Daniels injured his knee and/or groin. Daniels was starting to draw some praise during practice, and he was recovering from an injured shoulder during the offseason, so his injury is probably the one to watch.

As if the AP college football rankings weren't already suspect, they've decided the time is now to launch a similar subjective ranking system for the NFL: The AP Pro32. Of course, I'm glad to see the Packers are No. 1, but the ranking is only there for fans and ESPN's talking heads to argue over.

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.

The Packers 2012 Undrafted Free Agent Class

The Green Bay Packers signed 15 undrafted free agents after the 2012 NFL draft, and I came away pretty underwhelmed. Even the big name player, USC RB Marc Tyler, isn't someone who should be considered a find. He deserved to be undrafted.

He ran a lousy 4.76 in the 40 at the NFL combine, and it gave him a poor 85 Speed Score. I would put him way behind Brandon Saine, who ran a 4.43 in the 40, and has a very good 114 Speed Score. But Tyler does a good job of avoiding defenders (field vision), following his blockers, and catching the football as a receiver.



However, these undrafted free agents may make up a big part of the roster. Looking back at the list of 15 undrafted free agents signed before the start of the 2011 season, I see that 11 of those players are currently on the roster. Some of them were released and re-signed, while Shaky Smithson spent all season on I.R., but there's no denying that they provided depth.

Though the 2011 undrafted free agent class might be a high water mark. The Packers didn't lose as many free agents as they had the previous year, and many of those 2011 undrafted free agents will still be eligible for the practice squad next season. The 2012 undrafted free agent class is going to have to outplay the returning players. Maybe they can do it, but right now it's just speculation whether any of them can. Here's the rest of the players signed:

South Dakota State WR Dale Moss.
Iowa State WR Darius Reynolds.
Vanderbilt DB Sean Richardson.
Buffalo WR Marcus Rivers.
Winston-Salem FB Nic Cooper.
Minnesota TE Eric Lair.
Gannon NT Randy Colling.
Tulane DE/LB Dezman Moses.
Southern Utah DB Dion Turner.
SD State OL Tommie Draheim.
Minnesota RB Duane Bennett.
Wake Forest TE Cameron Ford.
West Virginia OL Don Barclay.
Michigan Tech DE Drew Vanderlin.