McCarthy's Gotten Paid and Derek Sherrod Is Released

I think it was a gimme that the Packers would extend Mike McCarthy. There's been no reason to let him walk, and there's no obvious replacement in sight either. Two of his possible replacements have left in recent years, Ben McAdoo is off to a great start with Eli Manning and Joe Philbin's Dolphins have been outstanding over their last five games (with only a last second loss to the Packers as the exception), and I have no interest in seeing either of their current coordinators (Tom Clements and Dom Capers) become their next head coach.

ICYMI: The #Packers announced some roster moves on Monday. http://t.co/3H1Yy3tQyA pic.twitter.com/08EEPSqTSH
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 4, 2014

The big roster move was the release of former 1st round pick Derek Sherrod. This was a simple move to make. They needed to open a roster spot for JC Tretter to return from IR and Sherrod was clearly their worst lineman this season. The fact that Tretter played tackle in college, and is more likely to play guard than center at this time for the Packers, probably helped make the move easier because of the flexibility he provides. They could have released RG Lane Taylor instead, who's been just as awful this season as Sherrod in fewer snaps, but I don't have a problem choosing Sherrod over Taylor.

I do wonder what is going to happen with Sherrod. He's still got impressive size and looks like a NFL mauler. In some ways, 2014 is like a rookie season, because he missed 2012 and 2013 due to injuries. He's a developmental project, but he looks healthy and he might have better luck developing with a different franchise.

One side note was the addition of LB Joe Thomas and RB Rajion Neal to the practice squad. Both players were making noise in training camp before they were both injured in the first preseason game. I was very interested in watching Thomas last preseason, but he only got a few snaps on special teams. I'm not expecting to see either of them on the field this season, but I'm glad they're back in the fold for possible returns in 2015.

Bulaga Questionable For Jets Game

Packers Right Tackle Brian Bulaga is "no better than a 50-50 bet" to play in Sunday's game against the Jets, ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky reports.

In practice this week, according to Demovsky, Bulaga was a limited participant due to knee soreness, something that didn't change on today's injury report.

So, as is customary, the Pack will have to wait and see if the veteran experiences any improvement in tomorrow's short practice, the team's last one before Sunday's game. 

Bulaga, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL, will likely be replaced by Derek Sherrod if he can't go.

The Packers Practiced on Wednesday but Eddie Lacy Did Not

Wednesday is the first chance to see how the injured Packers are doing. Things can change between now and Sunday but it looks like RT Bryan Bulaga is still hurting:

Bulaga worked through some drills with the #packers O-Line. ... pic.twitter.com/rdeo2klYbi
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) September 10, 2014

I think we saw the worst of RT Derek Sherrod against the Seahawks, he generally played better during the preseason, but Bulaga's return would be welcomed. Right now, it looks like career start number one for Sherrod will be happening soon.

On the other hand, RB Eddie Lacy didn't practice though he might be back very soon. He's already passed the first concussion protocol step. The Packers aren't going to rush him back, so if he does play on Sunday, I wouldn't have any concerns about him.

It seems like LB Brad Jones played awful last Thursday night because he's playing hurt (he always seems to be hurting) but that doesn't explain why he played all 70 defensive snaps against the Seahawks (one of only four defenders to do so). Maybe he aggravated the quad injury he suffered in late August at some point during the game and the coaches didn't realize it. But he was limited in practice for most of last week. Why would they rely so heavily on a player who wasn't 100%.

Despite all the talk about a big makeover on defense this season, they're still relying on a former 7th round pick who's inconsistent and/or injured and the only two options are another former 7th round pick (Sam Barrington) and an undrafted college defensive end (Jamari Lattimore). Maybe LB Carl Bradford is the answer, but he just made the switch inside a couple weeks ago. Due to missed tackles and penalties in pass coverage, inside linebacker is looking like the weak link on defense.

Packers Preseason: Beat Rams 21-7 in St. Louis

The headliners were the two starting QBs. It was the first preseason action for Aaron Rodgers, and the first time Sam Bradford played in a game since last October, when he tore his ACL. Rodgers looked great, but the offensive line gave him a time to throw and he made it look easy.

The biggest play of the game was made by the rookie, in his first preseason NFL game:

Find out what Davante Adams calls his speedy rookie teammate Jeff Janis: http://t.co/YVSHdCw25I #GBvsSTL pic.twitter.com/IPjtR5xcUd
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 17, 2014

Janis and WR Davante Adams stood out and took the lead in the battle for the No. 4 and 5 WR spot. Adams was always going to make the final roster, but he could still slip down the depth chart if he struggles in the final two preseason games.

On offense and defense, the first team players still look like the opening week starters. There are only two positions that still could change:

Tight end. TE Brandon Bostick was their lone reported injury, which was unfortunate because he probably had the best game among the top three TEs. Rookie Richard Rodgers wasn't even targeted and he didn't look good blocking. Andrew Quarless had a big gain at the end of the 1st quarter on a busted coverage, but he also committed offensive pass interference on a 4th quarter pass attempt. If Bostick can bounce back quickly, he's probably in the lead to start.

FS HaHa Clinton-Dix. On a 41 yard completion to Rams' WR Brian Quick near the start of the 2nd quarter, CB Sam Shields went underneath in coverage expecting safety help. Instead, Clinton-Dix didn't go for the ball or the tackle, and Quick ran right around him on his way to an extra 20 yards. It wasn't a great day for safeties, TE Lance Kendricks beat Micah Hyde for a touchdown later on the same drive, but Clinton-Dix isn't ready to start.

Speaking of 1st round picks, I expect him to start, but I still haven't seen much from DE Datone Jones. I don't know what to expect from him.

Matt Flynn vs. Scott Tolzien. Tolzien is the one who's making quick decisions and getting the ball out his hand. Flynn is the one throwing short, dump-off passes (Janis's TD pass was almost entirely yards after the catch) and he's holding the ball too long. But Tolzien's drives don't lead to touchdowns, though a Tolzien TD pass to WR Myles White was waived off because of a penalty on rookie C Corey Lindsay. Meanwhile, Flynn is more likely to lead them to points. They'll still need the final two preseason games to sort out who should be the backup, but I don't know who's in the lead.

As for the backups on offense, I already mentioned Janis, but elsewhere on offense RB DuJuan Harris fumbled away the only turnover in the game, which will put some pressure on him for the remainder of the preseason. OT Derek Sherrod struggled in pass protection on at least three occasions after a good game against the Titans. He's still the biggest lineman on the roster, and I don't expect them to give up yet on their former 1st round pick, but he's not ready to step in and start if needed.

As for the backups on defense, former 1st round LB Nick Perry is definitely on the second team now that LB Julius Peppers is on the roster, but the entire second team front seven looked good. I wasn't ready to jump on the NT Mike Pennel bandwagon last week, the guy couldn't get on the field at Arizona State in college, but he did look good again this week. His biggest problem is that I'm not sure whether the Packers intend to keep two nose tackles.

It was a sack-fest for undrafted LBs Jayrone Elliott and Adrian Hubbard, but they were rushing against a sieve of a left tackle for the Rams. They both showed speed around the edges, but it's not clear they're faster than either backup LB Nate Palmer or Andy Mulumba. A three sack performance (Elliott) would usually be enough for any player to earn a roster spot, however, Elliott will have to keep it up to prove this game was no fluke.

Packers won't exercise Derek Sherrod's 2015 option

According to ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky, the Packers won't exercise their 2015 option on Tackle Derek Sherrod. Sherrod, a 2011 first-round draft pick, has been eligible for a fifth year with the team since signing his rookie contract, something that obviously won't be happening now. 

Anyway, Demovsky points out in his article that, beginning in 2011, all first round picks did get 4-year deals with options for fifths, so I guess this move really isn't that surprising. The decision on whether or not that final year will be picked up had to be made by this weekend, so the Pack making this announcement now wasn't exactly random.

Also, considering that Sherrod is somebody with a history of injuries, keeping him probably wouldn't have been the smartest thing to do. So far in his career, the former Mississippi State star is yet to start a regular season game, breaking his leg in December 2011 (causing him to miss the entire 2012 season) before playing just meaningless 6 snaps all of last year.

Interestingly, the Packers keeping Sherrod through 2014 would result in him being paid a pretty hefty $7.438 million, another factor that probably helped their front office reach this decision. 

Roster Moves: Packers Open Up A Spot For Scott Tolzien

It doesn't look like the Packers are going to make a move for a quarterback, except to promote QB Scott Tolzien to the 53-man roster. They might have signed QB Matt Flynn if his elbow was OK, but the fact that he cleared waivers unclaimed is a sign that he's probably still injured. Going with only Tolzien and QB Seneca Wallace makes sense because QB Aaron Rodgers could return by the end of the month. Here are the other roster moves they've made, including one to open up a spot for Tolzien.

#Packers activated T Derek Sherrod from reserve/PUP and placed LB Sam Barrington and TE Jermichael Finley on I.R. - http://t.co/bkCWfcAs6C
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 5, 2013

I'm still in the camp that believes Finley's career is over, though that's not his current plan. Barrington is a surprise, he was injured at some point on Monday night, and his injury would have been a major problem a couple weeks ago because back then he was their only depth at linebacker. But now LB Brad Jones is back (with LB Clay Matthews not far behind) so they should be fine without him.

While the return of Sherrod helps at practice while RG T.J. Lang is recovering from a concussion, his return to the 53-man roster was more about timing because he's been practicing for the past three weeks. They had to take him off the PUP list or place him on season ending I.R. He doesn't appear to be ready, he's been practicing but no padded work, so he should be inactive for next week's game.

Position Review: Offensive Line Guards and Tackles

When the OTAs (organized team activities) start this week for the Green Bay Packers, who's playing where on the offensive line will be a topic of conversation because Mike McCarthy said that Bryan Bulaga and Josh Sitton are moving to the left side of the line and the Packers drafted two rookie lineman in April. It's clear Bulaga and Sitton will be the starters, along with T.J. Lang at right guard, but the position (guard or tackle) and future of every other lineman on the roster is an open question.

Position Review: Offensive Line-Center. Though I wrote earlier about Evan Dietrich-Smith and Greg Van Roten, they're both listed as G/C so it wouldn't be a surprise to see either of them playing guard in the future. But right now, they're the top two centers.

Marshall Newhouse and Derek Sherrod. While their situations are different, Newhouse was displaced by Bulaga on the left side and Sherrod hasn't been able to get his career back on track after a major leg injury, they're probably options 1A and 1B at right tackle. Newhouse can certainly play there but they'd rather see Sherrod show the promise they saw when selected him in the 1st round in 2011. This is a big offseason for both players. The loser will probably wind up on another team's roster in 2014.

David Bakhtiari and J.C. Tretter. The problem for the winner of the Newhouse/Sherrod battle is that they might only win the starting job for one season before Bakhtiari and Tretter are ready. GM Ted Thompson has had success finding offensive lineman in the 4th round (Sitton, Lang) and he found two more in 2013. Both players look more talented then their draft selection would indicate. They might have been available in the 4th round only because it was a strong draft for offensive lineman and they played at two little watched schools (Bakhtiari at Colorado, Tretter at Cornell). Their futures might be at guard, so they should play both guard and tackle this preseason as the coaches get a better look at them. I wouldn't be surprised to see both of them become long-term answers on the offensive line.

Don Barclay, Andrew Datko, Kevin Hughes, Lane Taylor. Barclay beat out Datko last year to become their emergency starter at right tackle, but Datko might look better this year if the shoulder he injured during his senior season is stronger. The problem for all four players is that the Packers have more depth now then they've had over the past few seasons. There might not be any room for undrafted or former practice squad players this year. I count nine lineman ahead of these four players, and the Packers have only kept seven to eight lineman at the start of the last two seasons. Even if they kept nine, these players probably wouldn't make the cut.

The starting five aren't settled like they were a year ago, but there's more depth then ever and it could lead to a surprising mix on the offensive line in 2013.

Mike McCarthy Shuffles The Offensive Line

There's been a lot written this offseason about LT Marshall Newhouse's future at left tackle and now Mike McCarthy has confirmed a move that had been discussed for a couple years; Bryan Bulaga to left tackle.

New from JS: Packers offensive line undergoes a makeover bit.ly/18xBN5s
— tom silverstein (@TomSilverstein) May 3, 2013

The main argument for keeping Bulaga at right tackle is that the team needs a good right tackle too. Bulaga was great on the right side in 2011 so why mess with success? It was a little surprising how secretive Mike McCarthy was about it. Tom Silverstein wrote:

Initially, multiple sources detailed the move, and later after an interview request, coach Mike McCarthy confirmed it and agreed to discuss it.

Or maybe he wasn't trying to keep a secret but he didn't want to talk about it. He might not want to give away any changes in his play calling tendencies. He did say "There was a lot of information that went into this decision" and "you put your athletic guy on the left and the more powerful guy [T.J. Lang] on the right."

Right now, it looks like an equal, three-way race between Newhouse, Don Barclay, and Derek Sherrod (health permitting) for right tackle job. Maybe rookies David Bakhtiari and J.C. Tretter will join in the competition, but the coaches want to see them in person first.

I don't see a downside to moving Bulaga and Sitton to the left side, but it's not obvious that this will make them any better. They might still line up with the same five players if Newhouse is named as the starting right tackle. Moving their offensive line problems from the left to the right side won't help. Still, it's great to see the coaches address the offensive line and look for ways to make the unit better.

There Could Be Some Big Changes On The Offensive Line

With the glamorous part of free agency over, the rest of the signings should come occasionally between now and before the draft, most of the interesting talk will be about who the Green Bay Packers should select in the first round.

There are several areas the Packers need to improve in, but change at some positions is probably going to come from internal options. While they need better play at safety and outside linebacker, S Jerron McMillian and LB Nick Perry are going to be given the first opportunity to make those positions better.

But one position that could use some help in the draft is the offensive line. And today, Mike McCarthy was discussing the o-line with reporters:

MM on OL: "Marshall played OK. We need some improvement from the left side and the center position."
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) March 20, 2013

By mentioning three positions (LT, LG, and C), he left open a world of possibilities.

Center is the position I've been thinking about for their late first round pick. There's no center with a first round grade, but there are a couple of good players I wouldn't mind seeing them reach for. At the top of the list is Alabama's C Barrett Jones, who's won the top awards in college at RG (first team All-SEC), LT (Outland trophy) and C (Rimington Award) as the best at three different positions in three consecutive seasons. I'm a little puzzled why he only has a second round grade, but recent foot surgery and playing the less important center position are probably the culprits.

Before last season, I thought they had the left guard position solidified with T.J. Lang. But a poor 2012 season, which the above quote from Mike McCarthy confirms, now opens the door. Are they expecting better from Lang? Could they draft a left guard and move him into a backup role (maybe release)? While I think they'll stick with Lang, the possibility should be considered.

LT Marshall Newhouse did improve in 2012, but he might have hit his ceiling. However, he seems like the least likely to go because he could still get better next season. They'll probably give Derek Sherrod a chance to return from injury and prove himself before they use another first round pick on a tackle. If Sherrod can bounce back and become the future left tackle they thought he was in 2011, Newhouse might be a good candidate to push Lang at the left guard position in 2014.

We should know the status of the offensive line pretty soon. The draft is happening next month and they'll probably open OTAs the summer with what I would expect to be the starting offensive line.

The Future For Derek Sherrod

I wanted to write an in-depth post about the Green Bay Packers' offensive line, which I see as the key to improving the running game and keeping QB Aaron Rodgers' in good health, but I haven't gotten to it just yet. In the meantime, Wes Hodkiewicz at the Press-Gazette was kind enough to inquire about former first round pick Derek Sherrod:

“I expect him to be back and competing for a spot,” [offensive line coach James] Campen said. “He was just on the cusp of doing some very good things when he got hurt. It was there and unfortunately we had the injury in Kansas City and it’s taken a little bit longer than we had thought to get ready, but we expect him to be back and ready to go.”

I'm not sure if he was really on the cusp of very good things, but his leg injury was severe and it should be something he can return from. It reminds me a little bit of the major hip injury former LT Chad Clifton suffered in his third (2002) season, however, Clifton returned to start all 16 games the following year.

At this point, with LT Marshall Newhouse and RT Bryan Bulaga apparently settled into their current positions for the 2013 season, Sherrod should be focused on getting healthy and settling into a backup role. I liked rookie RT Don Barclay as a backup player but Sherrod should be able to move ahead of him on the depth chart. The Packers will have to make a decision on extending Newhouse and/or Bulaga in a couple years and whether Sherrod is a legitimate Plan B to extending their contracts is something they'll have to evaluate next season.

Packer Injuries: Matthews, Sherrod, and the D-Line

The bad news is that LB Clay Matthews may still not be available next Sunday, but the bigger concern might be on the defensive line.

DNP for the #Packers: Woodson, White, Shields, Matthews, Driver, Pickett, Wilson.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) November 28, 2012

They've survived so far without CB Charles Woodson and CB Sam Shields. WR Donald Driver hasn't played much this season. DE C.J. Wilson is not a surprise, neither is backup RB Johnny White, since they both were hurt during the loss to the Giants. I'm not sure why DT Ryan Pickett has been held out because the injury report hasn't been released yet, but Mike McCarthy said Pickett will return to practice no later than Friday.

While shutting down the Vikings' passing attack is probably the key to the game, I still expect the Packers to frequently line up with three defensive lineman when they face RB Adrian Peterson. That could be hard to do if two starters (Pickett and Wilson) are out. However, DE Jerel Worthy has returned from his concussion, so he'll provide depth alongside DE Mike Neal and DE Mike Daniels. But that would with only be five healthy lineman, and any setback by Pickett could leave them with a very tight four man rotation.

I doubt it's a surprise to anyone reading this but it's finally official: OL Derek Sherrod is not playing this season. His leg injury was severe, and it happened late last season, so it's not surprising he needs more time to recover. I'm not sure how much could have helped anyway, but the offensive line's problems aren't going away so he can become part of the solution in 2013.

How Will The Packers Get By Without Bulaga?

In Pete Dougherty's recent article, he doesn't appear to have any inside information on injured RT Bryan Bulaga, but he can read between the lines and thinks the Packers' silence about Bulaga over the past week is a sign that the injury is serious. If you re-watch the injury on NFL Game Rewind, he might have not even been in contact with another defender when it happened, though sometimes the lack of severity has nothing to do with it's actual extent. Assuming that Dougherty is correct and it's a serious injury that keeps Bulaga out for several weeks, who are their options on the offensive line?

Evan Dietrich-Smith at left guard and T.J. Lang at right tackle. While I've seen the same problems with Dietrich-Smith that the Packers have seen over the past couple years (he's somewhat undersized and can miss his blocking assignments) he played well when he replaced RG Josh Sitton last season. And he looked good against the Cardinals last Sunday too, who have a couple of quality inside pass rushers (Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell). Lang struggled at right tackle when he played it in 2009, but he's certainly improved since his rookie season, though he did allow at least one hit on QB Aaron Rodgers. It's not an ideal situation, and it might be asking a lot of Lang, who's taken a step back at left guard after a strong 2011 season, but it should work.

Undrafted rookies Greg Van Roten and Don Barclay. While both players come from humble origins, they impressed the coaches this summer. If the Packers really believed they could improve on either of them, they could have brought in some other offensive linemen for a workout. Van Roten seemed to have made a big impression on the coaches in practice, while I was less impressed with him during the actual preseason games. Barclay played well throughout the preseason at guard and tackle (Van Roten only played guard). Neither player is a project either. According to Packers.com, Van Roten started 30 games in college and Barclay played in an impressive 52 games at West Virginia and stated at left tackle for three seasons. While Van Roten was probably undrafted because he played at a small school (Penn), Barclay is undersized for an NFL left tackle and probably not the most athletic player at his position. However, they both seem able to play, if needed.

Seventh round rookie OL Andrew Datko. This preseason, he didn't seem to be over the shoulder problems that plagued him in college and he finds himself on the practice squad instead of the active roster. If he wasn't healthy enough to practice then I don't expect the Packers would be stashing him on the practice squad. During the preseason, he didn't look like an asset in the running game but he did seem to hold up as a pass blocker. He might find himself back on the active roster soon depending on what happens with Bulaga.

Former first round pick Derek Sherrod. The Packers made room for him on the roster this week, but Sherrod still hasn't practiced in forever. It's possible he could return, but it's more likely he'll find himself on season ending I.R. in a couple weeks. They don't need another offensive lineman immediately (with Van Roten and Barclay active on game day, they'll give the Packers their usual seven active offensive lineman) so they can afford to wait a couple weeks on Sherrod.

While that isn't an impressive stockpile of depth, it's decent enough. At least they wouldn't have to rely on someone who's no good, such as former lineman Herb Taylor who was released during the preseason.

Packers Down To 75 Players: Jarius Wynn Released

The Green Bay Packers announced 10 roster moves to shrink down to 75 players by today's deadline. Most of the transactions involved injured players and only one healthy player was released.

DE Jarius Wynn. This isn't the first time he's been released by the Packers, so it's not a big surprise. He was re-signed during the great injury rush of 2010, after Justin Harrell's annual season-ending injury. He's also one of the few players I've actually interviewed, so I'm disappointed to see that he's gone, but his play on the field didn't earn him a roster spot. He had a strong couple months down the stretch in 2010, and he was useful during their playoff run to the Super Bowl, but he was a non-factor last season after recording 3 sacks in their first three games. He was involved in a couple plays last week against the Bengals, but he was clearly behind other players like Philip Merling. The Packers might have to release three defensive lineman by the end of the week, so the final game will be very important for Merling, Lawrence Guy, and Mike Neal.

FB Jon Hoese was released, but he's also been out with a hamstring injury, so it's a release related to an injury. The former undrafted free agent was released last season too, and then brought back onto the practice squad late in the year, so we might see him again.

TE Andrew Quarless and LB Frank Zombo have been hurting all training camp, but they both have a chance to return after six weeks on the PUP list. I'm a little surprised OL Derek Sherrod wasn't listed here too, which may be a sign that he'll be ready to play soon.

It's too bad to see LB Desmond Bishop's season end before it began, but his hamstring injury was serious and he'll be out for the season on I.R. A few other players were also placed on I.R. (RB Du'ane Bennett, TE DeMarco Cosby, G Ray Dominguez, DE Johnny Jones, and WR Shaky Smithson) but I wouldn't have expected any of them to make the roster if they had been healthy. Rob Demovsky expects those last five players will "receive settlements and be waived."

There are a few other players that I expected to be released (OL Shea Allard, OL Greg Van Roten, and WR Diondre Borel all stood out in a bad way against the Bengals) but they still need players for the final preseason game against the Chiefs. The starters aren't likely to play, and Aaron Rodgers might not play at all. The front office might have a good idea of their final roster, but some guys will get at least one more chance to make a good impression.

Marshall Newhouse's Concussion Challenges The OL Depth

I don't think the Green Bay Packers really wanted to enter the 2012 season with Marshall Newhouse as the only experienced, healthy left tackle on the roster. Despite their faith in Newhouse, his concussion (and it could keep him out a while, the recovery time is different for everyone) has exposed the lack of depth at offensive tackle.

The only way the free agent adverse Packers would have added veteran depth was if Chad Clifton returned healthy, but that dream ended when he failed his physical in April and he was released. It's possible he could come back in 2012 and I recall reading somewhere that the Packers were initially pleased with Clifton's recovery. The Packers have re-signed players months later, once they're healthy; that's what they did with Anthony Levine last season. However, his likely desire to start makes his return seem less likely.

They probably expected Derek Sherrod to return to practice by now, though he's still not ready. Fortunately, he should return at some point this season. After using two consecutive first round selections on offensive lineman, I can't blame the Packers for avoiding the position in the 2012 draft. They did select Andrew Datko in the 7th round, and he looked good during the OTAs back in May, but reality has set in and he's getting overwhelmed in practice. He doesn't appear to be 100% recovered from a serious shoulder injury during his senior season.

Until Newhouse returns, it's Herb Taylor with the No. 1 offensive line, but even Mike McCarthy didn't seem too excited about Taylor's prospects when he called him "raw" despite the Packers being his fourth NFL team. Taylor is probably their fifth option (behind Newhouse, Clifton, Sherrod, and Datko) but they probably would survive with him at left tackle. However, if Newhouse and Sherrod don't return soon, I don't expect the Packers to stand pat.

GM Ted Thompson has been known to make a trade or two at the end of the preseason, and I wouldn't be surprised if this season's no exception. After they've scouted all the preseason games around the NFL, they could trade a 6th or 7th round draft choice for a tackle that could help them now.

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.

Looking Back At The Second Week of OTAs

WR Randall Cobb is already looking fast and catching everything thrown to him, according to JS Online.com. His 2011 season was really impressive considering he had a short offseason to learn the offense, but he's a great talent and the coaches limited his opportunities, which I'm sure helped the learning curve. A receiver's second season, after he's had a year to learn the offense and build a relationship with the quarterback, should be a big one. The coaches, and Aaron Rodgers, all like James Jones, so I don't think Cobb should be expected to move ahead of him. But Jones, Cobb, and Donald Driver could each play about the same number of snaps in 2012. More of this next season!


The Press-Gazette had a lot of comments after Tuesday's open practice:

I wasn't sure if the Packers had gotten anything except an injured player when they drafted T Andrew Datko  in the 7th round, but he's been playing at left and right tackle. I doubt he's in the mix to start, yet, at either position, but the Packers have some other free agent options in camp besides Datko, so he's moved ahead of a few other players already.

LT Marshall Newhouse is starting, but Derek Sherrod is being held out as he continues to rehab his injured leg. Sherrod might have a chance to move ahead and win the starting job, but he won't get his chance until training camp, at the earliest.

The emergence of undrafted OLB Dezman Moses continues, as he battles Erik Walden for the backup role behind Clay Matthews. Maybe he'll be no better than Walden, but it sounds like the Packers found another undrafted free agent keeper. Apparently Walden wants to start, but he'll have no chance if he's stuck behind Matthews. They are leaving the door wide open, unsurprisingly, for Nick Perry to start at the other outside linebacker position, with only Vic So'oto backing him up.

CB Sam Shields is holding off Casey Hayward and Davon House. I don't expect this position to be resolved until we see them all play this preseason.

I'm really glad to read that QB Graham Harrell is showing improved arm strength. The only reason the Packers survived with Matt Flynn as the backup in 2008 was because he wasn't needed. If Rodgers were to miss a game or two next season, I was afraid Harrell wouldn't be up to the task. But he seems to be improving, and I'm looking forward to watching him this preseason.