Chiefs Could Become Interested in Free Agent DE Jolly

The Chiefs could soon become interested in Free Agent Defensive End Johnny Jolly, Arrowhead Pride's Matt Conner recently wrote.

Jolly, who said a few days ago that he's been medically cleared and is just waiting for somebody to contact him, played for the Packers last season, the first time he had done so since 2009 due to suspension. 

Overall, #97 has been with the Pack for five years, possibly helping him build up a relationship with former team Director of College Scouting John Dorsey, Kansas City's current General Manager who was with Green Bay when Jolly was drafted in 2006.

Jolly Gets Medically Cleared; Wants to Return to Green Bay

Packers Defensive End Johnny Jolly has been medically cleared after undergoing spinal surgury, the Green Bay Press-Gazette's Weston Hodkiewicz reports. 

Jolly, who spent the last month of 2013 on injured reserve, has stated through his agent that he wants to return to the team, a move that'd bring some much needed experience to the Pack's line.

Currently, the oldest lineman they have is just 28, possibly giving the 31-year-old Jolly a chance at another comeback. 

Due to the recent release of Jonathan Franklin, the Packers have an open roster spot, something that could seriously impact how they look in 2014.

Packers GM Thompson sees "no evidence of any decline" in Peppers' play

Packers GM Ted Thompson sees "no evidence of any decline" in DE Julius Peppers' play, the 61-year old recently told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tyler Dunne. Peppers, an 8-time Pro Bowler, signed a 3-year, $30 million deal with Green Bay March 15, officially ending his time as a rival. 

"Well, 34 is not so old," Thompson said. "Not for some of us. There’s no evidence of any decline in his play, in our opinion. He still has the same athletic traits that he had coming out. He’s had a remarkable history in the NFL in terms of durability. We’re looking forward to it. I think he is, too."

During his four seasons in Chicago, Peppers averaged a solid 35 annual tackles, a slight decline from the 39 he averaged during his time with the Panthers from 2002-2009. Technically something not so great, but still, considering that Green Bay's two main DEs in 2014, Johnny Jolly and B.J. Raji, collected just 21 and 17 tackles respectively this guy is definitely an upgrade. 

And remember, it's not like the Packers need a perfect defense to win this year. They already have arguably the league's best offense, so, in my opinion, a defense ranked somewhere in the middle of the league would be more than enough to help them collect 13+ victories. 

Packers 2014 Free Agents: The Class of 19

The Packers have 19 free agents of their own to address this offseason, although many of them will be an easy decision. The three players who are either restricted or exclusive rights free agents (which really means they aren't free agents at all) will certainly be back at a small price, and several unrestricted free agents should be considered questionable to return under any circumstances.

M.D. Jennings constantly reminded of Seattle: http://t.co/0gnxfIm7ud pic.twitter.com/11WwdvSzqN
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 21, 2013

Exclusive rights: S Chris Banjo. He was a pleasant surprise in training camp, but he didn't show much on defense when he was given the chance to replace S Jerron McMillian. He'll probably be re-signed because of his play on special teams but he's not a legitimate option on defense.

Restricted: S M.D. Jennings. If Jennings is the starter in 2014, then I'll feel like the offseason was a failure. He didn't make any big plays last season and he had the lowest grade in pass coverage according to Pro Football Focus of any defender who was with the team at the end of last season. However, he's certain to return because no team should offer him a contract and the Packers might as well bring him back to push his replacement. He'll receive the minimum tender and provide some depth, at least during the preseason.

LB Jamari Lattimore. He was their best middle linebacker last season, but that was a low bar for him to clear because of down years by A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones. However, Pro Football Focus didn't give him a positive grade in either run defense or pass coverage, so it's not obvious he's the answer to their defensive problems either. He might receive a higher tender offer because he was an undrafted player. If they offered the minimum tender then there would be no draft pick compensation if he signed elsewhere. But contracts are very rarely even offered to restricted free agents, so the chances are low that he'll receive one of any sort from another team.

Unrestricted: TE Jermichael Finley, LB Robert Francois, and DE Johnny Jolly. With all three coming off serious season ending injuries, I'm not expecting these players to receive much interest from any team. Finley's recovering from recent spinal fusion surgery, Francois tore his achilles back in October, and Jolly might need neck surgery. I know Finley was very optimistic in recent radio interviews, but that doesn't mean much. They'll either be let go because of their injury concerns or they'll be re-signed for a low amount.

QB Seneca Wallace. He was only signed because of the disastrous Battle of the Backups last preseason, and he was awful himself when he replaced Aaron Rodgers. He's a good guy but I can't imagine he'll be brought back.

QB Matt Flynn. I'm sure most fans would like to see him re-signed, but the Packers don't have to make a big push for him. He's been on the roster of four different NFL teams in the past 12 months and fallen into the journeyman portion of his career. While he's valuable to the Packers, every other NFL team has probably figured out that he's not the answer to their problems. Hopefully he's re-signed in late March, early April, at the veteran's minimum.

DE C.J. Wilson. He didn't have a terrible season, but it's a very bad sign that he couldn't get any playing time (only 108 snaps last season) when the defensive line was a train wreck. He fell on the depth chart behind the equally unimpressive Josh Boyd, so I don't see why the Packers would want him back in 2014. There's plenty of similar players in the undrafted free agent pool, so I'd expect them to add depth through the rookie class instead of re-signing him.

Those six unrestricted free agents are the easy choices. If they return, and it's questionable whether they should even be brought back in the first place, it'll only be for the veteran's minimum or something loaded with playing time incentives. That leaves ten other unrestricted free agents who could or should be brought back and I'll write about them over the next couple weeks.

Extra Points: Packers Win Over The Falcons

Since QB Aaron Rodgers had an MRI on his collarbone last week, the news hasn't been good, and it's still not looking good. QB Matt Flynn and the defense have to keep improving if they want to make the playoffs.

Pro Football Focus ran it's weekly ReFo article after the Packers' game, and I wanted to mention a couple players that I hadn't mentioned in Monday's recap.

C Evan Dietrich-Smith. The Falcons' defense was pretty unimpressive, but DT Corey Peters made an impact (PFF grade of +1.6) while recording one sack, one TFL, and one QB hit. On multiple plays, he got in the backfield, usually past Dietrich-Smith. EDS has started the last two weeks, but his injured knees must still be bothering him. He's played better than I expected this season though I'm wondering how he's going to hold up over their final three games.

LB Nick Perry. He was still listed on the injury report with the same foot injury that's forced him to miss a few games this season. With rookie LB Nate Palmer providing zero in his absence, it's been great to see Perry back. He had a strip sack fumble against the Lions that was returned for a touchdown and Pro Football Focus gave him credit for six pressures against the Falcons. He's been an effective edge rusher in his first two seasons, when healthy.

DE Johnny Jolly. A couple of minor injuries seemed to have slowed him down over the past several weeks, but he made an impact last week with a tackle for a loss and a patted down pass. Maybe he's getting healthy and back into form.

LG Josh Sitton. His back was bothering him for the first couple weeks of the season, but he's been outstanding since then. Pro Football Focus said that he surrendered no pressures against the Falcons and that was the eighth time he done that this season. He might be on pace for his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance.

Trent Williams Is Very Good At His Job

Earlier I gave some props to LT Trent Williams who, unfortunately, did a great job of shutting down LB Clay Matthews for much of the game. While he was frequently asked to drop back into coverage, three tackles, one tackle for a loss, and one QB hit is a fairly quiet day for the Claymaker.

I remembered watching a big Alfred Morris run in the first half and I was surprised at how badly the run defense broke down. Looking back at the video in slow motion, it wasn't so much that the scheme failed as it was that Williams destroyed DE Johnny Jolly. I'm a big fan of Jolly, his come back is a great story and he's earned the right to start again, but this was not a play to remember. To add injury to insult, I think this was when Jolly was injured.

Ugh RT @PFF_Sam: Trent Williams owns Johnny Jolly http://t.co/bh8tSnlWiA
— Brandon Benson (@AcmeBrandon) September 17, 2013

After Two Preseason Games, The Packers Look All Right

Before the Green Bay Packers next preseason game, when they host the Seahawks on Friday night, I thought I'd take another look back at their win over the Rams.

The starters are playing all right. In two games, the defense hasn't forced any turnovers and the offense hasn't scored a touchdown, but they haven't been outplayed either. The offensive line seems set with Bakhtiari at LT though the coaches are giving Barclay a chance to unseat Newhouse (it hasn't happened yet). S Jerron McMillian has had some trouble with deep coverage, but it must be a little confusing in the secondary when rookie CB Micah Hyde is playing so much alongside inexperience CB Davon House.

The backup offensive and defensive lines dominated the Rams' backups. The backups weren't great when run blocking, which might have been a sign that the backup wide receivers weren't blocking well, but the Rams' pass rush didn't get anywhere near QB B.J. Coleman, which led to his best preseason performance (though too many of his passes were still thrown too high). The only backup lineman without a shot is undrafted rookie Lane Taylor, who picked up two penalties in the second half, including a personal foul for an illegal block.

On the defensive side, it's all about Johnny Jolly, who's making all the plays this preseason like he did in 2009 (hustle plays, tipping passes at the line of scrimmage). I can't make a case that he doesn't deserve to start, considering we haven't seen anything from rookie DE Datone Jones, who's battling an ankle injury, and DE C.J. Wilson hasn't done much.

Who will start at running back against the Seahawks? Despite the strong performance by Eddie Lacy against the Rams, he's still fourth on the official depth chart, and the Packers have started two different backs in two preseason games (Starks and Lacy). With DuJuan Harris back at practice this week, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him get the start. The Seahawks have a great defense, and probably some extra motivation to look good against a possible playoff opponent, so no back might stand out on Friday.

The backup wide receivers are getting a lot of work. With Jordy Nelson out and Randall Cobb out, a lot of passes have been targeted at undrafted rookies Myles White and Tyrone Walker. Walker had made the most of it, until a couple of drops against the Rams, and White seems to be a favorite target for Vince Young and Coleman. However, Jeremy Ross and Jarrett Boykin haven't fallen behind either of them, so White and Walker might only be playing for a spot on the practice squad.

Preseason Recap: Packers Shutout By Cardinals, 17-0

The Green Bay Packers hadn't been shut out in a preseason game since the dark ages (a.k.a. when Forrest Gregg was the head coach in the 1980s) but that really wasn't a big surprise after they needed to add QB Vince Young to the backup quarterback battle. This game was really a sign that they'd be in trouble if anything happened to QB Aaron Rodgers. The good news is that on Rodgers' only series, he drove them 86 yards before they got stuffed at the one-yard line on 4th down.

The only injury was rookie 1st round DE Datone Jones, but it wasn't clear if his ankle injury was serious.

For Arizona, DB Tyrann Mathieu was deemed impressive but he was the highlight maker from a game without many of them. His sack of QB Graham Harrell was Harrell's fault, he completely ignored a blitzing DB which earned Harrell an exasperated stare from Mike McCarthy. Mathieu's other big play was a 24 yard punt return.

So without focusing on what the team did, here's how some individual players performed.

LT David Bakhtiari. Breathe a sigh of relief: he was solid. He looked a little off-balance on the first drive, his momentum carried him too far forward on one early run play, but he looked nearly perfect thereafter. He certainly looked better than Marshall Newhouse, who was beaten on a speed rush by DE John Abraham which led to a sack-fumble of Harrell.

WR Tyrone Walker. After the first drive, when Rodgers and WR James Jones took a seat, the undrafted rookie out of Illinois State was basically their entire offense. The Packers' backups only generated 137 yards of offense and 41 yards was from Walker. He's looked great in practice, in last weekend's scrimmage, and he did it again in his first game.

The defensive backs. Yes, CB Davon House was burnt early and often, but the guys behind him on the depth chart were awful too. Rookie 5th round CB Micah Hyde gave up a touchdown. The worst play was made by CB Brandon Smith, who was completely fooled on a comeback route and ended up running out of bounds. The good news is that none of these guys are expected to start, and since it was only one game, hopefully they bounce back next week.

The running backs. None of them made plays, but rookie RB Johnathan Franklin looked the best to me (Eddie Lacy was held out due to a hamstring injury). I need to see the rest of the preseason games before deciding.

QB Graham Harrell. It would have been a bad game even if he hadn't fumbled (see above) and telegraphed an easy interception (though WR Jeremy Ross seemed lost on the route). The only good news for him is that B.J. Coleman and Vince Young looked worse, though Young only knew about six plays. This isn't something GM Ted Thompson can fix this year, so the coaches will have to make due with the backup quarterbacks they've got.

DE Johnny Jolly. The defense didn't provide much of a pass rush, but Jolly got loose in the backfield on a couple plays. He looked almost as good as ever, despite the nearly four year absence from football. He's still got to prove himself over the remaining preseason games, however, after the first game, he looks like he should be part of the defensive line rotation.

Position Review: Defensive LIne

Ever since the 2010 season, when B.J. Raji and Cullen Jenkins were a quality pass rush tandem in their nickel package, the Green Bay Packers's defensive line has been a disappointment. It was awful in 2011 and there wasn't much improvement in 2012.

Previously: Position Reviews - Offense.

B.J. Raji. He hasn't regained the form he showed during the 2010 playoffs, but he's still their best lineman and his 2011 decline was caused by massive overuse on an awful line. The Packers have re-stocked their depth and he could return to his 2010 level now that he's surrounded with better teammates.

Ryan Pickett. The 13 year veteran still provides a solid presence against the run, but hardly anything as a pass rusher. He's a free agent after this year and GM Ted Thompson doesn't usually keep veterans in their 30s, but he's still the same player that he was when he joined the team in 2006. I'm expecting more of the same in 2013 and maybe even a return performance in 2014.

Datone Jones. He looked really good at UCLA and could become their best pass rushing lineman since Jenkins left in free agency. All eyes should be on him this preseason.

Mike Neal. He was second on the team last season with 4.5 sacks, but his future on the line looks cloudy after the selection of Jones in the 1st round. He got some work at outside linebacker but that seems like an unlikely transition for a 294 lb. lineman. He's sure to get another chance in 2013 and it'll be up to him to take advantage of it before he hits free agency.

C.J. Wilson and Mike Daniels. They're different types of players, Wilson has more size and Daniels has more hustle, but they were about as equally productive. Neither one is going to be asked to anchor the middle of the 3-4 formation and both of them might have been pushed back by Jones. They both should make the team but it's not clear whether either player has a long-term future.

Jerel Worthy. I had really high hopes for the him after his 2012 selection in 2nd round, but his biggest impact last season was his inability to stay onside before the snap. A late season knee injury will probably keep him out next season so there's nothing to see here until 2014.

Johnny Jolly. If this was 2009, I'd be really writing about how he's a young anchor to build around. But the prime of his career has been wiped out by years of legal problems. At age 30, he's finally back but who knows how he'll look after missing three seasons. I can't think of another healthy player in recent years who has missed three seasons.

Josh Boyd. I'm not sure where he fits on the roster, but I would expect the Packers to keep their 2013 5th round selection. However, I'm not sure if he can overtake either Wilson or Daniels on the depth chart. If he does make the team, I can't imagine he'll do anything except provide depth.

Gilbert Pena. Packer fans should love a big defensive lineman named Gilbert. He's a big run stuffer who probably went undrafted because he's already 26 years old. Maybe he'll turn out to be a young Ryan Pickett type lineman.

Jordan Miller. He was signed to the practice squad late last season and he's probably the longest shot to stick with the team.

Once Worthy goes on I.R., the Packers will have ten lineman for what will likely be six roster spots. It's possible that someone like Neal or Wilson is released/traded depending on what happens during the preseason. That could open up a spot for Jolly, Boyd, or Pena. But probably those three players will be looking to resume their NFL careers somewhere else at the start of the regular season.

Packers Minicamp: Shields and Jolly Return

Another week, another open practice moved inside due to bad weather. Bummer for the fans, but the media was there to watch it.

Mike McCarthy was glad to have a couple players back: DE Johnny Jolly and CB Sam Shields. Jolly's return was delayed by the "program", I assume McCarthy meant Jolly's court ordered rehab program, but he's almost at his playing weight. The team won't rush him as he returns after a three year absence. Shields finally signed his one-year offer sheet, he'd been hoping for a long-term deal, though the Packers don't have a lot of incentive to give him one until he becomes an unrestricted free agent. He took the place of CB Jarrett Bush with the first team defense, which is definitely an upgrade.

NT B.J. Raji was asked about his contract situation and he wouldn't talk about it. Maybe they've started negotiations, but sometimes the Packers don't even tell the player or his agent what's going on. Charles Woodson wasn't even asked to take a pay cut. The Packers should want to re-sign Raji but you never know.

As for the practice itself, WR Jeremy Ross looked great when completely uncovered, RB James Starks can't hold onto the ball (a bad sign for his future with the team), and some players look great in practice and during games:

Randall Cobb remains one of the team's best practice players. Hasn't dropped anything. Several long gains today.
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) June 4, 2013

The Press Got To Watch The Packers Practice

The Green Bay Packers are in the middle of their offseason program, which began on April 15th and it will end on June 14. Only a few practices are open to the public, and Tuesday May 28th was supposed to be one of them, until it got moved inside due to rain. So only the press got to watch it.

In position drills, Neal is with the OLB's.#Packers serious about the switch for now.
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) May 28, 2013

Mike Neal's move from the defensive line to outside linebacker is probably the biggest story of the last two open practices. It's a little surprising, Neal did record 4.5 sacks last season, but his future probably isn't as a starter since they drafted DE Datone Jones in the 1st round. Of course, they drafted LB Nick Perry in the 1st round in 2012, so his future doesn't look promising as a linebacker either. This looks like a last chance for Neal.

There hasn't been much else to see or report, but Tyler Dunne has a good Twitter feed if you're interested. I'm glad to read that TE Andrew Quarless looks as good as ever, but you never know until you watch the preseason games. OL Don Barclay, after playing almost exclusively at offensive tackle last season, seems to be playing everywhere on the line. It's like they know they've got a good lineman in Barclay but they aren't sure what to do with him. DE Johnny Jolly, who's coming back from a three year suspension, still isn't with the team but Mike McCarthy didn't seem too concerned.

There's never much to see in May, but the coaches and players seem to be keeping busy and working to improve on last season. That's all that can be asked of them at this point.

How DE Johnny Jolly Could Change The Packers' Draft Plans

I thought I'd be writing about the upcoming draft all this week, but instead I've found myself writing about veterans who could factor into their draft decisions. First it was about C Evan Dietrich-Smith, who signed his restricted tender. Now it's about recently reinstated DE Johnny Jolly.

Packers, Johnny Jolly in beginning stages es.pn/XUjJkK
— Kevin Seifert (@espn_nfcnblog) March 18, 2013

There's been a lot written about drafting a safety, and there's no reason they can't add more depth in the secondary, but I'm expecting S Jerron McMillian to replace Charles Woodson's role next season. The two most important areas remain the interior offensive line and the defensive line.

With Dietrich-Smith back, the Packers have an adequate Plan B if they can't find a future starter in the draft. They don't absolutely have to draft a center. Also, California C Brian Schwenke would be a great prospect, and he's someone they could select in the second round.

While Jolly was reinstated recently, I didn't expect the Packers would have any interest in him, after he was arrested multiple times and has been out of football since 2009. To my surprise, the Packers have him under contract and he's scheduled to attend the Packers' offseason workouts this week. He won't be ready to put on pads and step on the field, but the Packers will get an extended look to see what's become of the player who started 39 games in his first four seasons.

Jolly's not a great pass rusher (2 career sacks) but he was surprisingly agile for a 325 lb. guy and he had a knack for getting his hand up in the passing lanes (10 pass deflections in 2009). I'd have liked to seen him record a few sacks per season, but otherwise he was almost a perfect fit as a 3-4 defensive end. He might compare to North Carolina's DT Sylvester Williams, who's been mentioned in mock drafts as a possibility for the Packers in the 1st round pick.

While this is a great draft for defensive lineman, if Jolly still looks a lot like the guy they remember from three years earlier, he could give them the option of passing on a defensive lineman in the 1st round. There's nothing wrong if they still take a defensive lineman at the top of their draft, but I wouldn't want them to feel like they have to draft one. Jolly might give them another option.

Will They Play For The Packers in 2013? Johnny Jolly and Jermichael Finley

It's been a long road to reinstatement for former Green Bay Packers DE Johnny Jolly. He was on the verge of making it back before the 2011 season but another arrest for codeine possession cost him two more years. It's now been reported that Roger Goodell has finally reinstated Jolly from his suspension and he can resume his NFL career.

The odd thing is that the Packers have to address the situation right away because Jolly was tendered a $2.521 million contract for the 2010 season, and that amount will be applied against their salary cap beginning March 12th. They own his rights, but probably not for long, because I would expect they'll release him instead of taking that cap hit.

The more interesting question is whether Jolly has a future in football. As Tom Silverstein points out, "Ted Thompson has been willing to give players a second chance." Aaron Rodgers has been supportive of Jolly in the past so Jolly hasn't seemed to have burned all his bridges. The first step is believing in Jolly and so far, at least Roger Goodell has bought into Jolly's rehabilitation. If he does find a team willing to invite him to camp on a veteran's minimum contract, no one will really know if he can play again after three years away from football until he steps onto the field.

And for what it's worth, Jolly was a better starter in 2009 than any other lineman who started in the Packers' base 3-4 defense last season, except for B.J. Raji. If Jolly can play just as well, and get himself back into football shape before the start of the regular season, he'd be a bargain at the veteran's minimum. Of course, those are some big assumptions.

And on one final note:

Here's what Jermichael Finley told me about his future in GB: "The Packers are barely talking to me right now. I .. twenth.com/ipvzlp
— Josina Anderson (@JosinaAnderson) February 28, 2013

Not even TE Jermichael Finley knows his future with the Packers. He said he wouldn't take a pay cut, but who knows if that's talk or just his first offer. Otherwise, nothing's really changed except the Packers are keeping a tight lid on the roster decisions they discuss internally.