Report: Rodgers' new contract includes a $35 million signing bonus

According to multiple sources, the contract extension recently signed by Aaron Rodgers includes a $35 million signing bonus. That means that, if Rodgers fulfills the entire deal, he will make a grand total of $130.75 million. In other words, more than enough to make a decent living.

The best part about this big contract is that, even if Rodgers gets all that cash, there will still be some left over. So if you think that the offseason is over, it's not. It could be just starting. I don't know who they would sign, but I wouldn't be surprised if they do add another piece.

Jets unsurprisingly release Tim Tebow

Today, after months of anticipation, the New York Jets finally released mop quarterback Tim Tebow. Tebow didn't do anything in his only year with the team, spending most of the season either on the bench or playing terrible on the field. I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being the end of the lefty's time in the league, since nobody seems to be interested in him. But things could still change between now and training camp.

Now obviously, no team in the NFC North even cares about this news. The only teams that might show some interest are all rebuilding and probably wouldn't wouldn't keep him for more than a year.

2013 NFL Draft: Rounds 4-7 Packer Selections on Defense

I wrote about the five offensive players drafted by the Green Bay Packers on Saturday in an earlier post, and this one is about the four defensive players selected in rounds 4-7. There were 11 draft picks in all, and that doesn't even include all the undrafted free agents, with a slight six to five advantage to the offense after a defensive heavy 2012 draft.

5th round, Iowa CB Micah Hyde. He's listed as a cornerback, but he looks like a safety for the Packers.  He recorded 78 tackles and 14 pass defenses as a senior, so he seems like a player who's used to playing closer to the line of scrimmage and someone with good ball skills. The knock on him is that he looks better suited for zone coverage, which would make him a better fit for the Packers at safety instead of trying to run with receivers along the sidelines as a press corner. He'll help his cause if he can produce on special teams in kick and punt coverage.

5th round, Mississippi State DE Josh Boyd. He's a strong (32 bench press reps), high-energy guy who's not big enough to be a nose tackle on a 3-4 defense but doesn't have enough of a pass rush to be a highly regarded 4-3 tackle prospect. He should be able to hold up fine as a 3-4 DE for the Packers and he looks to be similar to DE C.J. Wilson. He doesn't really fill a need, but provides depth. The defensive line needs to get better next season, so if he can emerge in training camp, he could beat out another lineman for a roster spot. He might be a candidate for the practice squad, if he can slip through waivers.

6th round, Illinois State OLB Nate Palmer. Every year, the Packers are looking for a college DE to convert to OLB, and this year it's Nate Palmer. He also started a thing by being a player from Illinois State, and then the Packers went and signed a couple undrafted free agents from there too. There are a couple linebacker spots available to replace Erik Walden, D.J. Smith, and Frank Zombo, so this might be a good opportunity for him. He impressed scouts at his pro day, but I'm not sure about a guy who couldn't get playing time at Illinois so he decided to transfer to Illinois State.

7th round, South Florida ILB Sam Barrington. I had to dig a little to find out more about him, at first I thought he was an outside LB prospect, but instead he looks like someone who will play inside after watching his college highlight video. He's a solid tackler who can blitz up the middle and drop back in pass coverage. He seems a little undersized to me, but he may look just fine once he puts on a Packer uniform. As I mentioned with Palmer above, there are some roster spots available at linebacker, so Green Bay could be a good team for him.

Overall, GM Ted Thompson adds more depth to a young defensive group that was re-loaded last April, so these players are going to have to stand out because there might not be enough roster spots for them. But the Packers could use another defensive back and they never can have enough linebackers. It's not obvious what the Packers got with these players, so we'll have to wait and see how they play in the preseason.

2013 NFL Draft: Rounds 4-7 Packer Selections on Offense

After trading down in the 2nd round, and still getting RB Eddie Lacy, and trading out of the 3rd round all together, the Green Bay Packers had 10 selection in the final four rounds on Saturday. They did surrender a couple picks to trade up in the 4th round which gave them one more polished prospect to go along with the projects they acquired in the later rounds.

What I love every year about GM Ted Thompson's selections is that he picks a lot of players at different positions, so he keeps his depth deep at every position. The players drafted late aren't likely to become stars, but there should be some future starters and key backups here. With so many picks, I'm splitting my analysis into two posts, the first one is on the offense.

4th round, Colorado LT David Bakhtiari. There's been a lot written recently about how LT Marshall Newhouse shouldn't be viewed as the starter of the future. While he did improve in 2012, he also showed his size limitations (he's short for a LT) and doesn't have quite enough strength and/or size. The team probably views Sherrod and Bulaga as the future at tackle, but they do need to improve their depth so they're not forced to rely on the poor tandem of Newhouse and RT Don Barclay as Plan B. There's a lot to like about Bakhtiari, he was a starter after his redshirt freshman season and he ended up with 33 career starts before leaving school early. He's got the big frame of a left tackle and he could still put some more bulk on it. He was told by the NFL advisory board that he was a likely 2nd or 3rd round selection, but I think he fell to the 4th round because not a lot of people saw Colorado's awful team last season. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the mix at left tackle soon but he could play on the right side too.

4th round, Cornell OT J.C. Tretter. I'd been hoping the Packers would select one of the top centers available, but instead they'll convert an Ivy League tackle. It hasn't been announced that Tretter will switch to center, but it seems pretty obvious. The knock on him is that he doesn't have the size or length to play at tackle and he was going to have to move inside in the NFL. He's a former tight end who's quick and flexible and he has better size (6-4 height, 33 3/8" arm length) than many college centers.

4th round, UCLA RB Johnathan Franklin. They traded up to grab the player that was viewed as the No. 2 RB pre-draft. Obviously NFL teams thought otherwise, but the Packers made the move up because they did see his value. He's got the speed and quickness while Lacy has the size and strength, but the Packers haven't used a rotation at back in recent years. Maybe they would have if injuries and ineffectiveness hadn't gotten in the way. Franklin had some big question marks (6 fumbles in 2011) that he seemed to have overcome in 2012, but he doesn't look like an every down back due to his smaller size which is maybe why he fell in the draft. The Packers ended the 2012 season with former practice squad RB DeJuan Harris as arguably their best back, so more talent in the backfield can't hurt.

7th round wide receivers, Grand Valley St.'s Charles Johnson and Maryland's Kevin Dorsey. While the Packers haven't shied away from undrafted wide receivers, they usually draft wide receivers in the early rounds, so Johnson and Dorsey are some new ground for Ted Thompson. The two receivers were almost drafted back-to-back which is appropriate because they look very similar (6-2 height with good hands). The Packers lost two receivers this offseason so depth at the position was necessary, but Johnson and Dorsey were selected based on potential, not college performance.

It's an unknown whether these's players will succeed in the NFL, but the Packers addressed the positions where they lost depth (wide receiver) and where they needed better depth (offensive line, running back). I see the potential in all three players they selected in the 4th round, and they all could become involved in the offense as soon as this season.

Aaron Rodgers' brother signs with Jaguars

According to NFL.com, the Jacksonville Jaguars have signed Aaron Rodgers' little brother Jordan as an un-drafted free agent. Jordan is coming off a solid college career at Vanderbilt.

I'm pretty surprised that the guy wasn't just drafted, but at least he still got into the league. I don't think he's anywhere near as good as his older brother, but he can definitely play the game.

In case you're interested, no. The Packers do not play the Jaguars at all this season unless they both reach the playoffs. That scenario is obviously unlikely, seeing as the Jaguars are in a rebuilding phase.

Thoughts on Rodgers' new contract

In case you didn't hear, yesterday the Packers signed Aaron Rodgers to a 5 year, $110 million contract extension. Obviously, Rodgers deserved this kinda deal, so it's no surprise that he got one. Every writer/fan knew by the early offseason that #12 would be get paid piles of cash. It was just a matter of time.

In year one of the contract, the 2015-2016 season, Rodgers will make $40 million for some reason. If you like math, that's a solid 36.4% of the total cash he's due. I don't understand why they're paying him so much more one year, but I guess it doesn't matter. It won't affect any of his on-field affairs.

2013 NFL Draft, Round 2, Packers Select Alabama RB Eddie Lacy

In the late 2nd round, the Green Bay Packers selected Alabama's RB Eddie Lacy. His selection reminds me of 2011, when the Packers grabbed a productive SEC skill player with a late 2nd round pick (WR Randall Cobb). If Lacy works out as well as Cobb, this will be a great pick.

While Lacy was considered the top running back prospect leading up to the draft, he's not the first running back selected because of some medical concerns. He had a slight tear of his hamstring back in February and wasn't able to work out at the NFL combine. Assuming that's not a major concern, here's what Lacy brings to the Packers.

He's a big back (5-11, 231 lbs.) so his slower 40 time, he ran a 4.59 earlier this month, is not a big deal if you know about speed score. While speed score doesn't necessarily equal NFL success, a low score is a red flag, and his 40 time at 231 lbs. would have put him among the Top 5 backs if he'd ran it at the NFL combine.

What stood out for me was his vision and his ability to run through arm tackles on the video below. He had some huge rushing lanes open up for him, which isn't a surprise since most of his 2012 college offensive line was just selected in the NFL's 1st round, but he made defenders miss downfield too. Not only will he fight for extra yardage in short yardage, but he'll be able to make a move downfield if his offensive line can open up a running lane for him. He'll give their offense something they didn't have the last three seasons.

Packers and Aaron Rodgers Agree To Five-Year, $110 Million Extension

It's been known for a while that the Green Bay Packers were probably going to extend QB Aaron Rodgers's contract this offseason, and now it's happened.

Big thanks to the Organization, our coaching staff, my teammates, and packer nation for the last 8 years!Excited about 7 more!#extension
— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) April 26, 2013

This is added to the remaining two years on his previous contract, so he's under the team's control for the next seven years. When the two contracts are combined (seven-years, $130.75 million), the average is less than the $20 million per year given in recent months to Drew Brees and Joe Flacco. But unlike those two quarterbacks, Rodgers wasn't an unrestricted free agent.

So in one way it's a discount because he'll be paid less per year than the highest paid quarterbacks, but in another way he's setting a new standard for total contract value. The most important thing was to keep Rodgers in Green Bay for as long as possible and this extension will do just that for the next seven seasons.

Geno Smith to stay in New York for Round 2

According to NFL.com, former West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith will remain in New York for tonight's second round of the draft. Smith had originally told the media that he would leave NYC if he remained un-selected through the first round.

Smith seems like a solid player, so he'll probably get picked tonight. I don't know who would take him, but it definitely won't be the Packers. So I guess I could really care less. Right now, the Pack only care about playing defense. Their offense seems to already be set for another playoff run. The only kind of offensive player they might pick tonight would be a new lineman to help protect Rodgers.

2013 NFL Draft: Packers Select UCLA DE Datone Jones in the First Round

The Green Bay Packers have been needing a defensive lineman who can line up next to DE B.J. Raji on passing downs and rush the passer. They usually line up with only two down lineman in their nickel package, so it's impossible for them to generate an inside pass rush without two good pass rushing big men. They've been missing that type of player ever since DE Cullen Jenkins left in free agency. Hopefully they've found that player in UCLA's DE Datone Jones. Here's what I wrote about Jones earlier this week:

Jones isn't an obvious fit but he's versatile, played in three and four man fronts, and he can get after the quarterback. He might be a better fit as a 4-3 DE, but he's 6-4, 283 lbs. and might still be filling out. He was "extremely productive" as a senior and had a strong workout at the combine. If you can still remember the 1990s, he might be similar to former Packer DE Sean Jones. He could be what the Packers hoped DE Mike Neal would become.

After reading more about Jones, I think the Packers might have been the best fit for him, instead of a 4-3 defensive team. He won't anchor their strong side run defense, they have DE Ryan Pickett for that anyway, but he's big enough to play DE in their 3-4 scheme and he's good at getting into the backfield.

I've only read about two problems with him, and neither should be a problem for the Packers. While he's a little too small to play tackle in a 4-3 defense, and a little too big to play end in a 4-3, his size and height might be perfect as a three technique (lining up over the guard) lineman who they want to rush the passer.

The only concern here is that the Packers haven't done too well on their previous two attempts (DE Mike Neal in 2010, DE Jerel Worthy in 2012) to find a lineman like Jones. Maybe the third times the charm. Jones was the guy I hoped they would get, unless LSU's S Eric Reid fell to them (he went to the 49ers at No. 18 overall), so it's hard to complain with their selection.

Leading Up To The Draft: Packers Release Saine and D.J. Smith

A couple days ago I wrote that the Green Bay Packers probably weren't looking for an inside linebacker in the 1st round, in part, because they have third-year LB D.J. Smith. And one day later, Smith is a former Packer, along with RB Brandon Saine.

The Packers have released RB Brandon Saine and LB D.J. Smith: pckrs.com/g6tg
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 24, 2013

While the timing of their release, on the eve of the draft, seemed a little odd, I think Tom Silverstein is dead-on when he wrote that the Packers made the move now because they need the roster spots. The Packers usually bring in several undrafted rookies for tryouts post-draft, and once that's complete, the Packers' roster should be at it's maximum (90).

The Packers might have been surprised Smith was claimed by the Chargers. A former late-round draft pick coming off tears of his ACL and MCL shouldn't have a lot of value. They might have been hoping that Smith and Saine could continue to rehab while off the roster in the hopes of a future return. Who knows, Smith might not be long for the Chargers either. It wouldn't be a shock to see one of them return next season after someone else is injured.

In the short-term, the Packers have released two players coming off major injuries and will likely replace them with two healthy rookies, so I can see the logic in the moves.

Andy Reid: We've "made up our mind" for No. 1 Pick

Today, my hometown Kansas City Chiefs' new coach Andy Reid told the NFL Network that his team has "made up their mind" on who'll they'll select number one overall. Obviously, Reid didn't say who that was, but multiple sources are stating that the mystery player is likely Central Michigan tackle Eric Fisher.

I personally agree with all of those sources. In my opinion, Fisher is the next Ndamukong Suh. He's not a dirty player, but he is pretty big guy who gets a lot of tackles. I have no doubt it my mind that he'll have success on whatever team ends up drafting him.

Matthews: I've earned my new contract

According to Bleacher Report, Packers LB Clay Matthews has apparently said that he's earned his new contract. I want to stand by him on that statement, but I can't. I'm not sure any defensive player deserves that much money.

I wouldn't consider this a bad thing to say, but it does sound a little "I'm above you." I mean, does he actually believe he deserves all that money? Because he shouldn't. His numbers have slowly declined in recent years. I think he deserved a new deal, but not one that makes him the highest paid linebacker in the entire league.

2013 NFL Draft and Clay Matthews' New Contract

Who will the Green Bay Packers will select on Thursday night? Kevin Seifert said no one knows, so my guess yesterday is as good as anyone else's.

There's a lot of talk about which teams might want to trade up, but NFL Network's Jay Glazer and Daniel Jeremiah aren't sure of a single team who wants to. The only player they mentioned as someone who teams might want to trade up for is West Virginia's WR Tavon Austin, and it would be a huge surprise to see the Packers trade up for a wide receiver.

As a side note, I don't know how Austin's become such a high riser when he's only 5-8 and 174 lbs. A wide receiver doesn't have to be over 6-0 to become a success in the NFL, but 5-8 is short. He's going to have to create some space on his routes because he's going to be tough to throw to in tight coverage.

Since I have no idea what's going on with the Packers' draft, I'll compare two recent mega contracts: LB Clay Matthews vs. CB Darrelle Revis.

Per Rotoworld.com, Matthews went the conventional route with a big signing bonus ($20.5 signing bonus) followed by an almost-certain-to-be-paid 2014 roster bonus ($5 million). Once all the guaranteed money is paid out in 2013 and 2014, he'll receive a big bump in annual salary ranging from $7.6 million in 2015 to $10.4 million in 2018. The average of the new money he'll receive (six years, $69.73 million) is $11.62 million.

Revis instead did something completely different: zero guaranteed money and a huge $16 million per season salary. Even TE Tom Crabtree was guaranteed $50,000 by the Buccaneers. Revis is thinking that there's no way the Buccaneers will release him in 2013 or 2014, so he'll receive $32 million for the first two seasons even though it's not technically guaranteed. For the Buccaneers, they'll take no salary cap hit if they decide Revis is too expensive, which he might be in a couple years (see CB Nnamdi Asomugha).

One way to look at it, though they're out a lot of money in 2013, is that the Packers got a bargain by agreeing to pay $4 million less per season to Matthews than Revis. Even with the signing bonus, the Packers will pay Matthews only $3 million more over the next three years ($35 million) than Revis will receive over the next two ($32 million). If you're not expecting the Packers to release Matthews in the next three years, and not worried about the salary cap hit his hypothetical release would cost, then the Packers did very well.

The plus side for Revis is that this was the only way he'd become the highest paid defensive player. DE Mario Williams got a huge guaranteed payout from the Bills and an annual salary of $16 million per season, but being paid greater than $12 million per season is something reserved only for defensive lineman who record sacks. The highest paid cornerbacks are guys like Brandon Carr and Cortland Finnegan at $10 million per season.

In the end, I can understand why each player and team did what they did, and it looks like everyone got what they wanted. Matthews' contract extension was something I had been concerned about, I thought it would create a future salary cap disaster, but now it's looking like the Packers did better than I was expecting. Keeping Matthews under their control for the next few seasons without making him one of the highest paid defensive players in the NFL looks like a win.

Packers, Benson to meet tomorrow

According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal, the Packers and running back Cedric Benson will meet tomorrow. Benson was solid last year in 4 games with the team before missing the rest of the season with an ankle injury.

As of now, the Packers interest level in the running back is unknown. But I still want him back. I'm kinda surprised that he wasn't shown interest already. He probably would've had a Pro-Bowl like season last year had he stayed healthy. If they sign him this offseason and are able to keep him healthy, they will get great production. I guarantee it.

Picture below from bleacherreport.com:

2013 NFL Draft: Who Might Be Available For The Packers?

With the NFL Draft only two days away, there's no consensus on who the Green Bay Packers will pick with their 1st round selection. Here's the recap:

Defensive line. As Kevin Seifert pointed out, the Packers would probably love to draft Missouri's DT Sheldon Richardson or North Carolina's Sylvester Williams. But right now, it looks like neither player will fall past the Cowboys at No. 18. If they're determined to draft a defensive lineman, two alternatives are Ohio State's Johnathan Hankins and UCLA's Datone Jones.

If you watched Hankins play in the Big 10 last fall, you'll remember he's a really, really big guy. He's not going to get after the QB, but he's surprisingly mobile for a guy his size and he should be an anchor against the run. He might be the next Ryan Pickett, unfortunately he doesn't fill an immediate need because the Packers already have Ryan Pickett.

Jones isn't an obvious fit but he's versatile, played in three and four man fronts, and he can get after the quarterback. He might be a better fit as a 4-3 DE, but he's 6-4, 283 lbs. and might still be filling out. He was "extremely productive" as a senior and had a strong workout at the combine. If you can still remember the 1990s, he might be similar to former Packer DE Sean Jones. He could be what the Packers hoped DE Mike Neal would become.

Inside linebacker. I don't expect the Packers to draft an inside linebacker in the 1st round, they just re-signed LB Brad Jones for starter's money and LB A.J. Hawk, who recently took a pay cut, is still being paid like a starter. Also, LB Desmond Bishop should still be in the discussion, along with LB D.J. Smith. While adding another inside linebacker seems like a stretch, there are three prospects who could carry a late 1st round grade. Notre Dame's Manti Te'o might have too many off-field issues, and Georgia's Alec Ogletree might be undersized for the Packers' scheme, but LSU's Kevin Minter could be a good fit. Mel Kiper Jr. wrote about Minter as a fringe Round 1 prospect. The only problems with Minter might be that he didn't emerge until his senior season and he's a bit short (generously listed at 6-0 by NFL.com). That might be a red flag for some teams, but the Packers really like D.J. Smith, who's a bit short too. Still, it would be puzzling to see to the Packers draft another linebacker in the 1st round.

Secondary. I still like LSU's Eric Reid the best, though the consensus on Reid seems to be all over the place, with two mock drafts expecting the Rams to select him at No. 22 overall, and everyone else seeming to consider him a 2nd round prospect. Even if the Packers do pass on Reid, and maybe go with someone like Florida's Matt Elam or Florida International's John Cyprien, I'd trust the Packers were making the right choice. The Packers have a good eye for young defensive backs and the last two safeties they drafted (Morgan Burnett and Jerron McMillian) have turned into good players.

I'm still expecting a defensive player in the 1st round, but it wouldn't be a shock to see them look for an offensive lineman. Cal's Brian Schwenke might sneak into the 1st round and Alabama's Eddie Lacy is still considered a fringe 1st round running back. Also, the Packers have seen two long-time receivers (Greg Jennings and Donald Driver) leave this offseason and GM Ted Thompson has selected a wide receiver in the 2nd or 3rd round in five of his eight previous drafts. If the Packers do surprise people, it could be with a wide receiver in the late 1st round.

Assuming no one surprising falls to them, such as Richardson or Williams, I'd like to see them draft Reid or Jones, but I don't have a favorite. Whoever they do select, I'll be assuming he's a really good player.

Thoughts on the Darrelle Revis trade

As you all know, yesterday the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers completed a huge deal that sent star CB Darrelle Revis to Florida. Revis hasn't done much in recent years, so it's easy to understand why the Jets traded him. He's spent most of the past few seasons either hurt or struggling. If anything, Jets fans should be happy that this deal got done.

All this deal really is is a publicity stunt. After week one, nobody will care that Revis switched teams since neither the Jets nor the Buccaneers will do anything in 2013. Don't believe me? Just wait and see.

Picture below from nj.com:

Giants WR Victor Cruz receives no offer sheets from other teams

Like with the Packers Sam Shields, Giants WR Victor Cruz received no offer sheets this week, meaning that he will remain in New York for the 2013 season. This news is pretty bad for the star receiver, as he seems to want to leave the team due to his current salary.

I don't know about you guys, but this news is surprising to me. I thought the G-Men would have to at least compete for the receiver's services, but I guess nobody else was interested. I don't know how not one of the other 31 teams at least liked this guy. But hey, they got lucky. Now they get to save some cash.

Picture below from dfw.cbslocal.com:

Sam Shields to remain with Packers through 2013

Since Packers CB Sam Shields didn't receive any offer sheets from other teams by yesterday's 3:00 pm CT deadline, Shields will be staying in Green Bay for another year. In his three year career(all with Packers), Shields has 9 interceptions, 1 sack, and 102 tackles. Those stats seem good enough to keep him. That's the good thing about Shields, he'll definitely contribute somehow.

This year, the Packers will be paying Shields approx. 490,000 dollars. So at least he's not too much of a financial burden. I have no idea why they didn't want to keep him in the first place.

Picture below from jerseyal.com:

Packers 2013 schedule announced

Finally, the League has released the team schedules. At first look, the Packers don't have an easy one. All of their hard games are on the road while all of their home opponents will put up a fight. They'll have a tough year if they start the season unprepared like they did in 2012. Here is the full schedule:

Week 1 at San Francisco 49ers

Sunday, September 8, 3:25 PM
Candlestick Park, TV: FOX

Week 2 vs. Washington Redskins

Sunday, September 15, 12:00 PM
Lambeau Field, TV: FOX

Week 3 at Cincinnati Bengals

Sunday, September 22, 12:00 PM
Paul Brown Stadium, TV: FOX

Week 4 - BYE WEEK

Week 5 vs. Detroit Lions

Sunday, October 6, 12:00 PM
Lambeau Field, TV: FOX

Week 6 at Baltimore Ravens

Sunday, October 13, 12:00 PM
M&T Bank Stadium, TV: FOX

Week 7 vs. Cleveland Browns

Sunday, October 20, 4:25 PM
Lambeau Field, TV: CBS

Week 8 at Minnesota Vikings

Sunday, October 27th, 7:30 PM
Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, TV: NBC

Week 9 vs. Chicago Bears

Monday, November 4, 7:40 PM
Lambeau Field, TV: ESPN

Week 10 vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday, November 10, 12:00 PM
Lambeau Field, TV: FOX

Week 11 at New York Giants

Sunday, November 17, 7:30 PM (subject to flexible scheduling)
MetLife Stadium, TV: NBC

Week 12 vs. Minnesota Vikings

Sunday, November 24, 12:00 PM
Lambeau Field, TV: FOX

Week 13 at Detroit Lions

Thursday, November 28, 11:30 AM
Ford Field, TV: FOX

Week 14 vs. Atlanta Falcons

Sunday, December 8, 7:30 PM (subject to flexible scheduling)
Lambeau Field, TV: NBC

Week 15 at Dallas Cowboys

Sunday, December 15, 4:25 PM (subject to flexible scheduling)
Cowboys Stadium, TV: FOX

Week 16 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Sunday, December 22, 4:25 PM (subject to flexible scheduling)
Lambeau Field, TV: CBS

Week 17 at Chicago Bears

Sunday, December 29, 12:00 PM
Soldier Field, TV: FOX

The most intriguing matchup for me is definitely the week one matchup in San Francisco. A win in that one would set a nice tone for the rest of the season.

Picture below from sbnation.com: