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.

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.

Packers, Clinton-Dix Agree to Rookie Contract

The Packers have agreed to a rookie contract with first round draft pick Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Silverstein reports.

Clinton-Dix, a two time Champion Safety out of Alabama, was taken 21st overall by the Pack earlier this month, the same number he will wear on his jersey this season. 

As of now, the financial details of the contract have not been released, although its amount of years has, as it will unsurprisingly follow the four-year with an option for a fifth set-up given annually to all first rounders in hopes that they will eventually become successful.

Packers UFA Signee Hubbard was Told He'd Be Taken in Rounds 2-4

It is a well known fact to all of us that things don't always go our way.

We're told constantly that good things will happen, yet we often end up getting the worst case scenario.

In few places is this more true than with recent Packers UFA Signee Adrian Hubbard.

Hubbard, a two time National Champion at Alabama, decided to forgo his last year of NCAA eligibility earlier this offseason, after being told by the draft's advisory committee that he'd likely go sometime between the event's second and fourth rounds, the Outside Linebacker recently revealed to the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

And with good reason. During his final two years at the SEC powerhouse, Hubbard was dominant for the always-winning Crimson Tide, collecting an impressive 74 tackles including 16.5 for a loss.

Still, a lack of quickness and a rumored attitude problem caused #42 to go undrafted, forcing him to take the lesser-wanted job with the Packers.

Whether or not the two will get lucky with the unlikely move is obviously yet to be known, although some do consider Hubbard's not being taken a gift for the defensively-bad Pack. 

I guess we'll find out if that's actually true during preseason.

New Packers TE Rodgers not worried about walking in #12's shoes

To Packers fans, seeing the team draft another Rodgers out of Cal this year was exciting.

The last time they did so, as you should already know, resulted in them acquiring one of the best QBs in the league, so assuming the best in this year's situation was obviously justified.

To some though, it may downplay how talented new Tight End Richard actually is, something that the youngster apparently doesn't believe. 

"I don't think I need to walk in his shoes," Rodgers, who will wear #89 in the upcoming season, recently told Fox Sports Wisconsin's Paul Imig. "Because he plays quarterback."

While what the 98th overall pick in this year's draft says there should be true, as he did have a nice 59 receptions during his three years as a Golden Bear, it isn't.

When a team has a star player with a similar history like Aaron Rodgers, this sort of treatment is to be expected, no matter what Richard ends up doing in the pros. If he's good, he'll only be known as that guy with the same name, and if he's bad, well, you get the point. The prospect's unlucky. It's just something he'll have to deal with.

Abbrederis doesn't consider playing for Packers a distraction

For a fifth-round pick on an NFL powerhouse like the Packers, former Wisconsin Wide Receiver Jared Abbrederis is pretty relaxed. 

The ex-Badger star, who suffered a career-threatening broken femur when he was a sophomore in High School, grew up outside of the small Wisconsin town of Wautoma, making him a big fan of the Pack.

With that, as well as the fact that he's the first UW player drafted by Green Bay since 2001, you'd think the youngster would be nervous going into the upcoming season, although that apparently isn't the case. 

"It's not a distraction to me," Abbrederis told ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky. "I'm more about doing my thing and not really worrying about what people think or anything like that so I don't think it really bothers me."

While it probably shouldn't, as the Packers biggest stars right now come from far away places like California, Alabama, and Kansas, I'm surprised that this guy is so calm going into his rookie season.

Expectations for him shouldn't be so high, since he is just the 176th overall pick, but still, we can't downplay how important a Badger finally being on the roster is to the fans of the state, especially since it's been so long since it last happened. 

Packers sign Hawaii DB Charles Clay

The Packers have signed Hawaii Defensive Back Charles Clay, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tom Silverstein reports. 

Clay, a native of the Aloha State, has played for the Rainbow Warriors since 2011, spending his freshman year at SMU after redshirting in '09.

In his career at the usually weak Mountain West school, Clay was solid, collecting a total of 113 tackles, 8 pass breakups, and 4 forced fumbles. Despite those nice numbers, the youngster wasn't drafted earlier this month, the reason why this tryout happened.

Impressively, 69 of those tackles and 4 of those pass breakups actually came last season, even though the Warriors went just 1-11.

Overall, I'd say this guy seems like a good acquirement, as he has a reputation for being able to stop opposing ball carriers. Still, the fact that he's from Hawaii and played there has got to be acknowledged, as Honolulu and Green Bay are obviously nothing alike.

Now I'm not saying that this guy's an automatic failure just because he's from a warm place, but it's definitely something to be looked at. I'm no expert on how conditions effect play, but I'm assuming a temperature drop from 70 to 20 during the winter won't exactly help him.

Packers considering signing TE Colt Lyerla

The Packers are considering signing former Oregon TE Colt Lyerla, CSN Northwest's Aaron Fentress reports. 

Lyerla, a 2012 Fiesta Bowl Champion with a recent arrest on his record, worked out for the team earlier this week, apparently making a strong impression. 

According to Fentress, the Pack have previously done research on the undrafted youngster, a big reason why they gave him the chance they did.

“We did a lot of work on Colt,” Green Bay GM Ted Thompson said yesterday. “He’s very talented. We interviewed him at the combine. He’s made some mistakes. We felt he was worth bringing in and taking a look at.”

That last part may be true, as the ex-Duck undoubtedly has potential, but still, the debate on whether or not the risk of signing him is worth taking is there.

As I said in the post I did about Lyerla Saturday, the prospect can be irresponsible off the field, so I guess the Packers just have to decide if they think he's worth it. In my opinion, he probably is, as people who do dumb stuff usually don't mess up twice, but again, you can never be too sure. He could always take a turn for the worst. 

Packers Give Former Oregon TE Colt Lyerla a Tryout

The Green Bay Packers have given troubled Oregon TE Colt Lyerla a tryout, NBC Sports' Darin Gantt reports.

Lyerla, once considered College Football's best TE, was kicked off the Ducks near of the middle of last season due to an off-the-field drug arrest, somewhat ruining his career. 

Because of that issue, Lyerla was made ineligible for the 2014 NFL Draft, causing teams like the Packers to sympathetically give him a chance.

During his two and a half seasons at the Pac-12 school, Lyerla was solid for the National Championship contenders, catching 34 passes for 565 yards. Interestingly, 25 of those catches and 392 of those yards came in 2012, meaning that this guy appears to be capable of contributing when he's behaving.

That year, Oregon went a dominant 12-1, winning the Fiesta Bowl easily over Kansas State. 

However, the previously mentioned arrest and controversial tweets ended up knocking #15 out of the public's eye, making his recent tryout with Green Bay very important to his possible NFL future.

Still, even if the showing does pay off it seems unlikely that it'd help him much, as the Pack already have two solid TEs in Andrew Quarless and Richard Rodgers on their roster.

Packers Continue Signing Draft Picks; Get WR Jared Abbrederis and Center Corey Linsley on Contracts

The Green Bay Packers, in their continuing hurry to sign all of their 2014 draft picks, have gotten WR Jared Abbrederis and Center Corey Linsley on contracts, team GM Ted Thompson announced last night. 

The duo, products of Wisconsin and Ohio State, respectively, were each taken by Green Bay in Saturday's fifth round.

During their times at those Big Ten schools, each put up pretty good numbers, as Abbrederis collected 202 receptions for 3,140 yards and Linsley helped the Buckeyes break multiple school records with 87 touchdowns and 637 points last season. 

Later on at the combine, the two's success continued. There, Linsley, a 296 lb, 6'3" Offensive Lineman, reached 27 inches on the vertical jump, while Abbrederis ran the 40 yard Dash in just 4.50 seconds.

Interestingly, Abbrederis is the first Badger to be taken by the Packers since 2001, when OL Bill Ferrario was drafted in the fourth round. The four-year college star is also the first Wisconsin rookie to head up to Green Bay under Ted Thompson, making him signing today very likable.

As for Linsley, him being acquired is also very intriguing, as he is well known for his ability to control rushing defenders.

Packers sign WR draftee Jeff Janis; cut CB James Nixon

The Green Bay Packers have signed WR draftee Jeff Janis and cut CB James Nixon, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tyler Dunne reports. 

Janis, a seventh-round pick out of Division II's Saginaw Valley State, was dominant last season, catching 83 passes for an impressive 1,572 yards.

As of now, the details of his first pro contract have not been released, although, in my opinion, just hearing that a solid prospect like him is signed is good enough. 

As for the announcement on James Nixon, it's nothing too surprising, as Nixon has never been much of a well-known name. He signed onto the Pack's practice squad back in September 2012, not appearing in a regular season game until last year, when he appeared in three contests (Weeks 6, 7, and 8; all Packers wins) before going down in November with meniscus cartilage damage.

In those three weeks, Nixon surprisingly didn't record a single tackle, likely making the decision to cut him pretty easy. As you all probably already know, Green Bay just drafted another young CB in Baylor's Demetri Goodson, so keeping a banged up guy like Nixon around in 2014 wouldn't make much sense, even if he does have some potential.

Thompson: Drafting Rodgers not connected to Finley

While Jermichael Finley's NFL future is currently unclear, there is one aspect of his drama that I consider to be a safe bet: that the Packers don't want to let him go. 

Finley, who suffered a severe, possibly career-ending spine/neck injury in last season's Week 7 win over the Browns, caught 223 passes for 2,785 yards during his six seasons with the team, making him a fan favorite and one of the most feared Tight Ends in the league. 

2013's event, unfortunately, brought that all to a grinding halt, forcing Green Bay to look elsewhere for #88's successor. 

During last weekend's draft, they appear to have finally found him in Cal's Richard Rodgers, although General Manager Ted Thompson insists the two are unrelated. 

“I don’t necessarily think the two are tied at all,” Thompson told the Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel's Tom Silverstein earlier this week. “We were just trying to pick a good player.”

While what Thompson says could be true, I'm not necessarily going to buy it. Had Finley stayed healthy throughout last season, it seems unlikely that the team would look for another TE the way they did, especially since they seem to have such bigger needs elsewhere.

The Packers Signed 12 Rookie Free Agents After The 2014 NFL Draft

Once in a while the Green Bay Packers will make a big find in the undrafted free agent pool, but typically there's about a one-in-five chance that they even find a decent backup. Looking back at this list of the undrafted free agents signed in 2012, only RT Don Barclay has been a starter (and that was largely due to necessity after Bryan Bulaga was injured and whatever happened to Marshall Newhouse). The only other notables are S Sean Richardson, who might have a backup role next season, and LB Dezman Moses, who stuck around for one season before being released.

Of the 12 rookie free agents signed in 2014, the first thing that jumps out at me is that they added four more linebackers.

ILB Jake Doughty, Utah State. He appears to be an inside linebacker who will compete against LB Sam Barrington for a backup/special teams role. He's undersized but he was very productive in college.

OLB Jayrone Elliott, Toldeo. An outside pass rusher who will compete against Nate Palmer and Andy Mulumba for a backup role. Like Doughty, he's not an exceptional athlete but he was very productive in college.

OLB Adrian Hubbard, Alabama. He's the big name on the list. Unlike the above two linebackers, he was very inconsistent in college (he probably should have stayed in school) but he's an impressive athlete. He mentioned a heart condition, but it doesn't seem to be a concern for him or the Packers.

OLB Joe Thomas, South Carolina State. Another small school guy to compete against Palmer and Mulumba. He's undersized, but he dominated in the NCAA Subdivision.

DE/DT Carlos Gray, North Carolina State. One of two big bodies signed to provide some bulk to the defensive line. He was only a backup last year and a surprising early draft entrant. He seems like a long-shot.

DT Mike Pennel, Colorado State-Pueblo. You can't coach a player to be 6-4 and 332 lbs. He could be a defensive anchor. He also couldn't get on the field at Arizona State, and was suspended after complaining about a lack of playing time.

CB/S Ryan White, Auburn. He wasn't invited to the combine, and he played a backup role at Auburn last season. His 4.51 40 time at his pro day seems slow for a 5-10, 194 pound defensive back.

G Jordan McCray, Central Florida. A big guy (6-3 and 322 pounds) who can play either guard position. The Packers don't have a lot of depth at guard, which helps him, and he can bond with former Central Florida alum Josh Sitton.

RBs Rajion Neal, Tennessee, and LaDarius Perkins, Mississippi State. There are a lot of running backs on the roster. I don't know what these two will do other than provide depth during training camp.

TE Justin Perillo, Maine. He appears to be more of a receiver than a blocker. There are a lot of bodies on the roster, but the tight end position seems wide open at the moment. An impressive camp could move him up the depth chart quickly.

QB Chase Rettig, Boston College. The extra camp arm. His best hope is that the Packers only want to keep either Matt Flynn or Scott Tolzien, and stash a 3rd QB on the practice squad. His college resume wasn't impressive in a run-heavy offensive scheme, but he does have NFL ability.

Overall, I don't feel like any of these guys have a very good chance of sticking next season. Maybe one of the outside LBs will stand out in practice. McCray, Perillo, and Rettig might have a shot depending on how it goes during training camp.

Packers Head Coach McCarthy convinced team is better after draft

Now that the 2014 NFL Draft and its aftermath have officially concluded, the question is raised: what does the staff think of the new guys? 

Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy was asked that very question yesterday by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tom Silverstein, giving an overall enthusiastic answer. 

"(We're) absolutely (better)," McCarthy said. "Not a team in the league doesn't feel better. Our players in program is off to a great start. Number of players we've added and now in process of adding new members. Definitely a shot in the arm when these guys come in. We got better (this weekend)."

While it's obvious that the Pack didn't get worse with their acquisitions, I'm still skeptical about this year's rookies. Not because I see any real issues with them (I'm actually pretty excited about Cal's Richard Rodgers), but simply because I'm always doubtful when it comes to draftees. Sometimes they turn out like Aaron Rodgers, but most of the time they turn out like Nick Perry, a guy who came with a lot of hype but ended up being just a frustrating mix of injuries and unproductiveness. 

Now I'm not saying that that always happens, but come on, it's definitely a recurring problem in this league. That can't be denied.

Baylor CB Demetri Goodson excited to join Packers

Going into yesterday, Demetri Goodson knew he'd get drafted in the fifth or sixth round. 

The Baylor CB, who spent four seasons in Waco racking up 38 tackles and four interceptions, received calls during his time at the combine from the Titans, Steelers, Broncos, and Dolphins, so you gotta imagine the Packers taking him instead was a little surprising. 

Not that it matters.

"It's the best feeling in the world," Goodson said in a tweet on the Packers team feed. "Made me feel like a little kid."

During his career with the Bears, Goodson reminded me a lot of Green Bay's Tramon Williams, a guy who simply always hustles. He's not recognized for his constant efforts, as the box score rarely finishes in his favor, but still, his speed and athleticism are definitely admirable. 

So, with that I'd say my point here is clear: I love this acquirement. Like every drafting, it's not guaranteed to work, but if recent history has taught us anything, it's that fifth round CBs nobody's heard of have the potential of becoming really special. I mean, just look at Richard Sherman. In 2011, he was just another prospect, but now, as we all know, he's the highest paid player at his position. 

2014 NFL Draft, Rounds 2 and 3: Packers Select Adams, Thornton, and Rodgers (Not That Rodgers)

There's some merit in the idea of drafting the best player available. Maybe that's what the Green Bay Packers are doing, but it sure looks like they're addressing the positions (other than inside linebacker) where they need help.

2nd round, Fresno State WR Davante Adams. He posted obscene numbers in his final college season (131 receptions, 1718 yards, 24 TDs - in one season!) as part of Fresno State's high powered spread offense, which he'll never come close to repeating as a pro. At 6-1 and 212 pounds, he's similar in size to former WR James Jones, though he doesn't have quite as much speed. However, he did record an outstanding 39.5 inch vertical jump at the combine, so he can go up and get the ball away from a defender. Watching the highlights below, he's good at getting yards after contact, another important skill for a Packer receiver. Mike McCarthy's offense has struggled at times when he's been forced to scrape together a group of receivers due to injuries, so keeping the position deep and talented is important.
3rd round, Southern Miss DT Khyri Thornton. Without Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly around, they needed at least one more big body to backup on the defensive line along with second year DL Josh Boyd and free agent Letroy Guion. Thornton's not much of a pass rusher, but he's a high energy guy who was his team's captain. He's a bit of a reach for the 3rd round, but he's agile for a 300 pounder and that probably makes him a good fit for the more flexible scheme DC Dom Capers wants to install next season.

3rd round, California TE Richard Rodgers. Yes, the Packers just drafted another Rodgers from Cal. It's destined to be a great move! Just as Clinton-Dix reminds me of Burnett, and Adams reminds me of Jones, Rodgers reminds me of another Packer; Andrew Quarless. The Packers seem to keep drafting players who are comparable to players they've drafted in the past. This Rodgers is more of a receiver than a blocker, he even slimmed down last year to play a hybrid slot receiver position, which is fine because they really need a tight end who can catch more than they need one who can block. Just like Thornton, he's a bit of a reach for the 3rd round, but there aren't a lot of players like him who are still available, so it's better to get him now.

The Packers have five more picks on Saturday and it's time to find some depth. They could use another interior lineman, and maybe even a tackle depending on the rehab schedules for Bulaga and Sherrod. I'd be surprised if they didn't draft a linebacker, and they could also use another defensive back. Maybe even a quarterback, who could start the regular season on the practice squad, leaving the backup job as a battle between Flynn and Tolzien (with the runner up finding himself released).

Packers draft pick Clinton-Dix on relationship with Eddie Lacy: "We're pretty close"

When the Packers drafted Alabama S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Thursday night, you gotta imagine that he and Sophomore RB Eddie Lacy were thinking the same thing. 

The duo, who won two national championships during their two seasons (2011-2012) together with the Crimson Tide, are known to have had a solid relationship during their college days, something Clinton-Dix confirmed during a recent interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tyler Dunne:

"Me and him are pretty good, pretty close," Clinton-Dix said. "Going up against him every day in practice kind of made me upset because he’d give me a little spin move every now and then... I'll be glad to be back with him in Green Bay."

While it's currently unclear how much this familiarity will help the two's chemistry in the foreseeable future, I can't see it hurting anything. The two seem to be friends, so while it may not give the Packers any on-field advantages this fall it's likely that Lacy being on the roster will at least make Clinton-Dix's transition to the pros easier.

I mean, aren't personal relationships worth something in the modern world? They're not necessarily a huge factor in success or lack of success, but they have to matter a little bit, don't they?

2014 NFL Draft: Packers Select Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the 1st Round

With the necessary departure of former starter M.D. Jennings a few weeks ago, the Packers selected Alabama FS Ha Ha Clinton-Dix with the 21st overall pick in the May 2014 NFL draft. It was expected that Clinton-Dix would be gone by that point, but the Jets chose Calvin Pryor (more of a strong safety) at No. 18 overall and let the "most pure free safety in the draft" fall into the Packers' lap.

I thought teams might target safeties earlier this year, but instead they went with quantity. In total four safeties were selected in the 1st round. I thought at first that the Saints were trading up to No. 20 to grab Clinton-Dix before the Packers could, but instead the Saints went for a wide receiver.

The coaches were raving about him after the selection, but that's to be expected. Even if turns out to be another Morgan Burnett, he's still an upgrade over Jennings and allows them to use Micah Hyde in a backup safety/slot corner role, which he might be better suited for.

2014 Mock Draft Roundup: Packers at No. 21 Overall

This list is just looking at the mock draft selections for the Green Bay Packers in the 1st round. 

CBS Sports: Washington St. SS Deone Bucannon, VT CB Kyle Fuller, OSU LB Ryan Shazier.

ESPN: Oklahoma St. CB Justin Gilbert, Alabama ILB C.J. Mosley. Rob Demovsky's post also links to a couple other sites who chose Washington TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (1st round seems too early for him) and Michigan State CB Darqueze Dennard (who could be a Top 10 pick).

Journal Sentinel: C.J. Mosley.

SB Nation: Two more picks for C.J. Mosley.

If you noticed a strong Ryan Shazier/C.J. Mosley vibe, you're not alone. No one seems to expect either of the top two safeties (HaHa Clinton Dix or Calvin Pryor) to be available when the Packers are on the clock, so a couple of authors think the Packers will draft the best available cornerback (Dennard, Gilbert or Fuller) instead. Assuming TE Eric Ebron is long gone, in addition to Clinton Dix and Pryor, there are a couple of reach selections at safety and tight end, which doesn't seem like a good idea.

In general, there are a couple of constants. First, the various mock drafts are consistent in their inconsistency. I think we'll be surprised by a couple of the players who will still be available at No. 21 for the Packers. Hopefully it'll be one of the quarterbacks, which might make it possible for the Packers to trade down. Also, there shouldn't be a big run on linebackers until the end of the 1st round, so most mock drafts expect that two of the best (Mosley and Shazier) will still be available. Selecting either of them makes the most sense if the Packers are standing pat.

I read multiple stories this offseason about how LB Brad Jones struggled last season and was inconsistent. Maybe the local beat reporters can tell that linebacker is a position the team knows it has to address. Since they didn't add anyone new in free agency, that help would have to come from the draft. Safety is another obvious area that needs improvement, and without an incumbent starter after the release of M.D. Jennings, but the value doesn't seem to be there at the No. 21. I would expect one of those linebackers will be selection, unless the opportunity to trade down with a quarterback needy team presents itself.

Packers take Oklahoma State CB Justin Gilbert 21st overall in latest ESPN Mock Draft

So far this offseason, plenty of names have been thrown around as possible Packers first round picks, but according to ESPN.com's NFL experts, the Pack Beat Writer Rob Demovsky included, we'll be surprised when tonight comes around. Because, in their opinion, the 21st player taken in this year's draft won't be Ohio State LB Ryan Shazier or North Carolina TE Eric Ebron, but instead will be underrated CB Justin Gilbert, a four-year Oklahoma State star.

In his college career, Gilbert's numbers, though not necessarily as impressive as Shazier's, were pretty good, as the Huntsville, Texas native collected a combined 182 Tackles and 15 Interceptions. If you like math, that's an average of 45.5 takedowns a year, a stat that likely won't translate to the pros yet is still definitely impressive. 

Now if the Packers do end up taking Gilbert with their first pick I won't necessarily be ecstatic(I'm keeping my fingers crossed when it comes to Eric Ebron), but I don't think I'll get too down either. This guy clearly has a lot of talent, so if he ends up being available after Shazier and Ebron have been taken I'd have no problem seeing him get called to the stage.