Report: Driver open to return to Packers

Despite recently retiring from the league, former Packers WR Donald Driver is still saying he will play for Green Bay in 2013 if the team wants him, according to NFL.com. 

"If the Packers called me and said, 'Drive, come back to training camp,' I'd be back for training camp," Driver explained. "But until then, I'll be sitting at home and just watching football."

I doubt that he actually believes what he's saying. He seems pretty retired to me. And even if he serious about wanting a possible return, I doubt it'll happen. Right now, the Packers don't need any another receiver at all. 

Favre on Rodgers: "We got along fine"

In an interview with the Milwaukee JS, former Packers QB Brett Favre was asked why people think he and Aaron Rodgers have a bad relationship. Favre's response, of course, downplayed that theory. 

"I have no idea, honestly," Favre said. "I think Aaron, if he were on this phone right now would say the same thing. I spent a tremendous amount of time studying the game myself. In the latter part of my career I was a lot more vigilant from a mental aspect of it. I was trying maybe to make up for the lack of physical skills over time. I can remember, pretty much all the time, Aaron would say: 'Do you mind if I watch a little film with you?' This would be when people left, Wednesday or Thursday, 5:30 (p.m.) or something. I'd say, 'Sure.' His style of play, obviously, is a little bit different than mine. But I would try to offer him things that were not so much style as things I worked at, little nuances that I worked at. The way I played the game doesn't mean you have to play it that way. I would say, I'm throwing quick here - this is a run play, but I'm throwing quick because the corner is off at outside leverage at eight yards. So I'm going to throw a quick slant. Well, you know, how do you get to that? Little things like that. Then from a leadership standpoint, always being accountable and things like that. Taking the blame. . . . You got to play the game the way you play it. He has done a heck of a job with that. But we spent a lot of time just kind of talking about what had made me successful. Very knowledgeable guy. And we got along fine. I mean, really. There were no problems between Aaron and I. I had no problem with him becoming the next quarterback for the Packers. It was bound to happen at some point. I have no problems with the success that he's had. In fact, I'm proud of it. And you know what? I was well aware of the media making a big deal out of it. I mean, I'm not going to sit there and fight it all the time. I knew it wasn't true. Aaron knew it wasn't true. Did I talk to him all the time? No. Do I talk to other guys all the time? No. So he knows how I feel about him and he knows how I feel about his career up to this point." 

Packers Jones still believes team will have three 1,000 yard receivers in 2013

Earlier this offseason, Packers WR James Jones made headlines by stating that he, Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb would each have 1,000 yard seasons in 2013. When asked yesterday in the locker room if he still believes that, Jones reassured that he does. 

“I do, I do,” said Jones, who set new career-highs for receptions (64), receiving yards (784) and touchdowns (14) this past season. “I've been on record as saying that I believe we have three 1,000-yard receivers in this room. I believe me, Randall and Jordy, if we all stay healthy, we can all reach over 1,000."

Now that's the kinda confidence people wanna hear. I don't care if it doesn't happen, but I do care that believes it can. 

Thoughts on Desmond Bishop's possible release

In the last few days, multiple news sources have been reporting that the Packers may soon release Desmond Bishop. Bishop is coming off an injury-plagued 2012 season, getting hurt in the team's first preseason game and not stepping on the field again. 

In my opinion, this is exactly what they should do. Right now there's simply no reason for the Pack to keep him. He's hurt most of the time, and when he's not hurt he's not productive. Keeping him would be a waste of money. It's time for the team to move on from him and commit to Brad Jones. 

Packers May Soon Release Desmond Bishop

I've been expecting the Green Bay Packers to release LB Desmond Bishop ever since they re-signed LB Brad Jones because his new contract pays him like a starter ($11.75 million over three years). While LB A.J. Hawk took a multi-million dollar pay cut, he's still paid like a starter ($10.6 million over three years) and the decision to re-negotiate instead of releasing looks like a clear sign that they still believe in him. 

Since the Packers only need two starting inside linebacker, paying Bishop like a starter doesn't make much sense. Especially for the Packers, who aren't known for ever keeping high priced veterans in reserve roles. Now the rumors have heated up again:

According to #NFL source, barring a contract restructure or trade, #Packers will be parting ways with ILB Desmond Bishop (@desbishop55).
— Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde) June 12, 2013

I can't see any team offering anything in trade for a veteran coming off a lost season (hamstring injury) who's scheduled to make over $3 million. A contract restructuring seems unlikely too. Bishop wants a chance to start, his goal is to be defensive player of the year, and he can't do that from the bench. As mentioned earlier, the Packers aren't known for keeping veterans as bench and/or special teams players. Plus, they still have depth at inside linebacker, even if Bishop is gone.

Another problem is that the last time Bishop was healthy, he was bad against the run, which is exactly what you don't want from an inside linebacker. While he did record five sacks in 2011, usually after a delayed inside blitz, Jones had two sacks last season and Hawk increased his sack total from one and one-half in 2011 to three in 2012. They seem capable of making up what Bishop added as a pass rusher.

My only question is why now? Everything I wrote above about Bishop has been true for a while. This is the final week of OTAs (organized team activities) and he sat out at least one open practice due to his hamstring. That was precautionary and probably not a big deal, but the Packers apparently didn't see enough progress from him in some regard. Parting ways with him seemed inevitable to me for a while, but maybe the Packers have only recently come to the same conclusion.

Free Agent RB Ahmad Bradshaw signs with Colts

According to ESPN.com, former Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw has signed with the Colts. The deal is worth 1 year and about $1.1 million. 

Earlier this offseason, it was reported that the Packers had some interest in this guy, but apparently not enough. While they don't really need another RB right now, it'd still be nice to add a veteran to a pretty young offense. But it didn't happen. And frankly I'm a little disappointed in that. Bradshaw can still play and right now we really don't know just how good Eddie Lacy and Jonathan Franklin are. If they turn out to be failures, the Packers will regret not signing this guy to a deal that that wouldn't have been worth that much. 

Report: Patriots sign Tim Tebow

Finally, the drama of whether or not Tim Tebow will play this season is over.

In case you didn't hear already, which is highly unlikely, the lefty was signed by the New England Patriots last night. This signing is the very definition of a publicity stunt. There is no way he will get any meaningful playing time with that team. They don't need another quarterback. They already have Brady starting every week, and if he gets hurt there must be a guy on the bench who's still better than Tebow. But in some ways I am relieved about this, because now we don't have to worry about him coming to Green Bay and screwing everything up.  

Bears unlikely to sign JaMarcus Russell

According to ESPN.com, the Bears are unlikely to sign QB JaMarcus Russell. Russell, who's been out of the league for three years, displayed a "big arm" at the team's workout on Friday but was apparently not good enough to take one of their other QB's jobs. 

Despite this somewhat failure, I still expect Russell to find a job somewhere for the 2013 season. In his career, this guy's been solid, not great. But solid should still be good enough to get him a backup spot on a team desperate for arms. Who that team will be? Nobody knows yet. 

NFL releases 2013 league events schedule

In a press release released earlier today, the NFL announced the full League Events schedule for the rest of the 2013 offseason. Here it is:

June 23-29	Rookie Symposium, Aurora, Ohio.
July 11	Supplemental Draft (if necessary).
July 15	At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multi-year contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2013 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.
Mid-July	Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies and first-year players no earlier than 22 days prior to the club’s first preseason game. Veteran players (defined as a player with at least one pension-credited season) other than quarterbacks or "injured players" (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) may report to a club’s preseason training camp no earlier than 15 days prior to the club’s first scheduled preseason game or July 15, whichever is later. Veteran quarterbacks and injured players may be required to report to the club’s preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies and first-year players. A three-day acclimation period will apply to players who are on a club’s roster up to and including the mandatory veteran reporting date. Players who join the roster after that date may practice (including wearing pads) and play immediately after passing a physical.
July 22*	Signing Period ends for Unrestricted Free Agents to whom a "June 1 Tender" was made by
August 3	Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony, Canton, Ohio.
August 4	Hall of Fame Game, Dallas Cowboys vs. Miami Dolphins, Canton, Ohio.
August 6	Deadline for players under contract to report to their clubs to earn an Accrued Season for free
August 6	If a drafted rookie has not signed with his club by this date, he cannot be traded to any other club in 2013, and may sign a player contract only with the drafting club until the day of the draft in the 2014 League Year.

Jennings: I'll take Brett (over Rodgers)

When asked by the Pioneer Press who he preferred as a quarterback, Favre or Rodgers, former Packers WR Greg Jennings continued to grow into a hated rival by saying that he would take Brett.

"When you talk about comparing quarterbacks, it's hard to compare guys. I'll take Brett. He did it for so long. I got there in a period of time where Brett already was there (as an elite quarterback). Then the guy they have now, he sat behind Brett and he learned so much. Christian didn't really have that opportunity. He had to jump in. The way you compare them has to be a little different. The guy they have now (Rodgers) was (essentially) a veteran rookie. It's a little different, but Christian has tremendous upside. I think what I see now is a quarterback who's maturing and who's growing and wanting to learn and grow, which is huge."

I don't really consider that statement big, but apparently some people do. 

Jones: "I don't like Greg no more"

This week, Packers WR James Jones finally gave his opinion on the whole Greg-Jennings-to-the-Vikings ordeal. 

"Yeah, (Jennings and Driver) are my dogs," Jones said after practice Wednesday. "But I don't like Greg no more. He left us. But 'D-Drive' is my dog. I talk to him every once in a while. It's different. We knew this day would come where all of us wouldn't be together, so we're kind of prepared for it. We have a good group, a good team. So we're excited about what's going to happen."

I don't really know why he doesn't like Jennings anymore, seeing as his departure was kind of inevitable this offseason. But I guess he's entitled to his opinion. He knows a lot more than me. 

Brett Favre: "I Was At Fault"

I'm not surprised things have cooled off between the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre. As he said last September: "it's like a grudge...you just kind of get over it." On Thursday, he said in an interview with WGR in Buffalo (of all places) that "I was at fault" for the end of his career as a Packer, but this is an interesting observation on the comment:

As for the "I was at fault" one-liner, make sure you listen to the full Favre interview. Wasn't the emphasis of his point to WGR.
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) June 7, 2013

Maybe it was just a throw-away line, but at least he said it.

I wasn't happy with how Favre retired, and then un-retired. After years of going back-and-forth on retirement, his actions in 2008 were the final indecisive blow-up. I can understand why he had second thoughts, he could still play, but he should have given that some more thought before announcing his retirement in March 2008.

On the other hand, I wasn't thrilled with how the Packers acted either. Instead of trading him, they should have just released him. The Packers had even released Vince Lombardi from his contract, and more recently    the Colts released Peyton Manning. Favre's trade was intended to keep him away from the Vikings, but that obviously didn't work. However, the 3rd round pick they got from the Jets for Favre was then part of the trade to acquire a second 1st round pick in 2009 that became LB Clay Matthews, so as usual, GM Ted Thompson knows what he's doing.

Over the past few years, I've avoided writing about Favre because it's a hot button issue for many readers, and I've read (and deleted) many angry comments about it. But time heals wounds and the issue is cooling off, though it's never going to go away. At some point the Packers will retire Favre's number, so says Aaron Rodgers, and they already tried to do it in 2008. When it does happen, it will be the public end to whatever bitterness remains between Favre and the Packers. It looks like his comments are starting to clear the way forward.

Is Tramon Williams A No. 1 Cornerback?

Cornerback can be a hard position to evaluate because it's not always clear what's being asked of him. What type of coverage did the defense call? Was he supposed to be in man or was it a zone coverage? Did another teammate miss an assignment? Was he supposed to play off and that's why he's allowing so many short receptions? Also, some corners inflate their interception totals by taking too many chances. Those INTs are usually what decides a trip to the Pro Bowl, but it's not the way to decide which cornerback is the best.

CB Tramon Williams, after Charles Woodson moved to safety, has become their No. 1 cornerback. He had a fantastic run with three INTs in the 2010 playoff. But over the past two seasons he's only had six in total and his recorded pass defenses fell from 22 in 2011 to 16 in 2012. Part of the problem has been that he's drawn more difficult assignments. Also, he hurt his shoulder in Week 1 of the 2011 season and it's been bothering him ever since, though it looked like it was less of a problem last season. It hasn't helped him that the Packers' high powered offense has often forced opponents to throw a lot more to try and keep pace.

Cornerbacks' coach Joe Whitt Jr. has heard the criticisms of Williams and he doesn't agree with it. More interestingly, after two seasons of asking Williams to press in coverage, Whitt hopes to give more him more opportunities to play off and make big plays. From Jason Wilde at ESPN Wisconsin:

If you go back to 2010, most of his impact plays came from being off. This year, my whole mantra, and I told (defensive coordinator) Dom (Capers), I know we want to press because if you look at our completion percentage, they don’t complete a lot of balls on us. Now, we still gave up too many explosives but they don’t complete a lot of balls on us. We might give up a little more completions, but I’m going to allow them to do what they do, so you might see Tramon and Casey (Hayward) play off. But I have a feeling he’s going to make more of those splash plays .

After a disastrous 2011 season, the pass defense bounced back to No. 7 overall according to Football Outsiders. The emergence of rookie CB Casey Hayward played a big role in that improvement, but Williams's presence as the No. 1 CB helped take some pressure off Hayward too. Over the past three seasons, the Packers have gone from 24 INTs as a team in 2010, to 31 in 2011, to 18 in 2012. Interceptions don't relate directly to great defense, the Packers pass defense was horrible in 2011, but they can completely change the direction of a game.

In 2010, their ball hawking secondary played a huge role during their Super Bowl run. While interceptions aren't everything for a pass defense, a secondary that make "more of those splash plays" might be what the team has been missing in the playoffs over the past two seasons.

Packers Harris has cyst removed from lung

According to NFL.com, Packers RB DuJuan Harris recently had a "fist-sized" cyst removed from his lung. Despite the news, Harris is still expected to be fine and ready for training camp. 

"The cyst was pressing against his lung, and now he has full capacity with his lungs so he should have even more endurance and speed, so it was a blessing in disguise," Harris agent, David Lee, said. 

Doctors believe the cyst had been there for Harris' entire life and was constantly pressing against the lung. While asked about it, the running back said that he had felt pain there before but assumed it was indigestion. 

Reggie Bush: "We're able to win a Super Bow"

According to NFL.com, new Lions running back Reggie Bush believes his new team can win a Super Bowl. Bush is entering his first year with Detroit. 

"Honestly, I don't think we're far at all," Bush said Tuesday, via MLive.com. "We have the guys here to be able to win a Super Bowl."

While most football fans won't agree with that statement, I have no problem with a guy who just switched teams having a lot of confidence. He should. It makes the team and the fans like you. I still don't believe that they have any chance of having success in the postseason this year, but it's still nice to have hope. 

Mike McCarthy: Jolly deserves a second chance

According to NFL.com, Johnny Jolly will return to the Packers Tuesday. Jolly hasn't played with the team since 2009 due to criminal activity.  

When asked why the team was welcoming the defensive end back, Packers coach Mike McCarthy said that he believes everyone deserves a second chance:

"I think our society is built on second chances," McCarthy said Monday, via ESPNWisconscin.com. "Think how many times you look through the history of successful individuals that probably or maybe wouldn't have happened without a second chance. Every case is different. There's no absolute right way and wrong way when you evaluate every situation. I'm glad to see Johnny Jolly going through the process that he's going through. (I'm) very proud of where he is to this point. But he still has a lot in front of him."

I honestly don't care what the team does with Jolly. In my opinion, he won't contribute to the team, so they don't need him. But he still could be an asset, so if they think it's necessary to give him another chance I guess they should.

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

Packers Sam Shields signs team's RFA tender

Today, the Packers made the first step toward signing Sam Shields to a multi-year deal when they got the defensive back to sign the team's one-tear restricted free agent tender, which is reportedly worth $2.023 million. The signing locks in Shields through the 2013-2014 season, plenty of time for the team to negotiate a long-term deal. 

While Shields is a pretty good defender and a fun guy to watch, I don't want the Packers to give him too much money. He simply hasn't deserved a 7-year deal. If they give more than 4 years and $4-5 million, I'll be a little mad. In my opinion, the Packers don't necessarily need him to win. But they should still sign him. 

Rodgers: "I think we'll have a more consistent running game"

In a Q&A published earlier today by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers praised the team's offense, while also saying that he expects the running game to be more consistent in the upcoming season.

"We have three of the best (wide receivers) in the league as a combination with Jordy Nelson, James Jones  and Randall Cobb," Rodgers said. "I'm really excited about those guys, and then we've got some guys behind them who have a chance to make the team and contribute. I like our offense and I like what we can do in the passing game. And now, I think we can complement it with a more consistent running game with two stud backs we got in the draft and a former used car salesman (DuJuan Harris)."

In this case, I completely agree with #12. The possibility of the running game finally having success in 2013 is something that excites me for the first preseason game. 

Raji: "I want to get back to the Pro Bowl"

In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal, B.J. Raji, who's been in the news a lot lately for minor stuff, talked about how he wants to "dominate the game" in 2013, the last season of his current contract. 

"I want to get back to the Pro Bowl," said Raji on his individual goals. "I think that I have that ability. And I want to help other guys get to the Pro Bowl who haven't been there. I want to obviously help us get back to being a top-five defense. And I just want to dominate the game, from Week 1 to whenever we're done playing and just have an impact in every football game."

I see nothing wrong with that statement. I just hope that he'll play the way he says he will.