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According to a source, Gurley will be promoted to the Packers' active roster soon.

According to a source close to the situation, the Green Bay Packers are working on promoting rookie receiver Tori Gurley from the practice squad to the active roster in the coming days.

The source, speaking on terms of anonymity, said that the Packers are working on a deal to pay him money in the range of an active player. Combined with Greg Jennings’ injury that will keep him out 2-3 weeks, there’s a good chance that the Packers could activate Gurley sometime before Green Bay takes on the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday.

Gurley had an extended talk with both quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers coaching staff on Monday and came away from the meetings encouraged about the upcoming situation, the source said. That would help explain Gurley’s tweet about an hour before McCarthy’s press conference on Monday that said “God works in mysterious ways ;- ) Go Pack Go.”

The source also said that another team was in talks to claim Gurley off the Packers practice squad. The team wasn’t named, but that likely helped give Gurley even more leverage to get onto the active roster.  Read more... (390 words + 1 image, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)

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Aaron Rodgers has hogged most of the highlights for the 11-0 Green Bay Packers this season, and rightfully so. The frontrunner for NFL MVP had to make a little room for some newcomers in Thursday’s win over the Detroit Lions, however.

Offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith and linebackers Robert Francois and D.J. Smith stepped in after injuries to starters and left their mark on the Packers latest victory. Unknown players stepping up when needed has become a trend for the Packers over the last two seasons.

Who are these latest unknowns and where did they come from?

Evan Dietrich-Smith

How he got here: Cut by the Packers at the end of training camp in 2010, Dietrich-Smith resigned with Green Bay in Week 17 and remained on the roster throughout the postseason. The Packers originally signed Dietrich-Smith as an undrafted free agent out of Idaho State in 2009. He was the only undrafted player to make the team.

Why he’s here: Dietrich-Smith has the athleticism to play all three interior OL positions. He can also handle a zone blocking scheme. At Idaho State, the 6-2, 308-pounder started 44 games and received All-Conference honorable mention four times.  Read more... (765 words + 1 image, estimated 3:04 mins reading time)

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There were a lot of things that can be taken away from the Packers more-difficult-than-it-should-have–been 45-38 win over the San Diego Chargers, in particular on the defensive side of the ball, but there is one player I want to focus on and what his role should be in the Packers defense going forward.

Erik Walden, come on down.

After watching his breakout game against the Chicago Bears in the 2010 regular season finale, my initial reaction was that we were witnessing another Ted Thompson-discovered diamond in the rough and that he would be a key player in the defense going forward, in particular with Nick Barnett gone.

Turns out Thompson, Mike McCarthy and Dom Capers agreed with me.  When the season started, Walden was named the starter at right outside linebacker, opposite of Clay Matthews.  With Barnett having left for Buffalo, Walden beat out Frank Zombo in large part due to an injury Zombo suffered during training camp.

With Zombo finally becoming healthy, the time has come to evaluate Walden’s progress after half of the Packers’ schedule.

The verdict? Zombo better start sharpening his Zorro sword.  Read more... (772 words + 1 image, estimated 3:05 mins reading time)

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With the bye week now in the rear view mirror, Mike McCarthy and the Green Bay Packers have shifted their focus to the one team standing in their way of becoming 8-0: the San Diego Chargers.

In his post-bye Monday press conference, McCarthy noted that practice today was full pads—something he plans to do twice this week—and the concentration was on fundamentals and getting ready for the Chargers.

“San Diego is an uncommon opponent,” McCarthy said. “We haven’t traveled out to the West Coast this year. We are taking extra time getting ready for this game.”

There was an obvious respect level from McCarthy when asked about the Chargers and their organization, starting with head coach Norv Turner and extending down to defensive coordinator Greg Manusky.

“A good football team,” McCarthy said. “Norv Turner has always done an excellent job offensively, the way he challenges your scheme. I have a lot respect for Greg Manusky. He does an excellent job [defensively] and they are very well-coordinated. The Chargers have always been a talented football team and that’s no different this year. This will be a big challenge for us.”  Read more... (581 words + 1 image, estimated 2:19 mins reading time)

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The Green Bay Packers signed rookie running back Brandon Saine from the practice squad to the 53-man roster after placing fellow rookie back Alex Green on IR, GM Ted Thompson announced Monday. The Packers also signed safety Anthony Levine and offensive lineman Paul Fenaroll to the practice squad and Cecil Newton was released.

The need for promoting Saine arose when Green tore his ACL in the first quarter of the Packers 33-27 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7. The injury occured when Randall Cobb tripped into the back of Green’s legs during a kick return. Mike McCarthy announced last Monday that Green would be lost for the season.

A third-round pick from Hawaii, Green had just three carries for 11 yards and one catch for six yards in limited snaps this season. Depending on when surgery for the injury occurs, Green should be a full-go for 2012.

Saine (5-11, 220) was signed as an undrafted free agent on July 28 and won himself a spot on the Packers practice squad by rushing for 51 yards during the preseason. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection at Ohio State his senior year. He will wear No. 33.  Read more... (455 words + 1 image, estimated 1:49 mins reading time)

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Green Bay Packers C Scott Wells deserves a contract extension before TE Jermichael Finely.

Josh Sitton received a contract extension before the season. Jordy Nelson recently signed on the dotted line for three more years. That leaves Scott Wells and Jermichael Finley as the Green Bay Packers most high profile players that will hit free agency in 2012.

If I told you one year ago that Wells should receive an extension before Finley, you would have laughed in my face. But now, one year later, that’s exactly what I’m going to tell you.

If I were Ted Thompson, I’d lock up Wells before Finley. And I would do it soon.

A year ago Wells was trying to help the Packers offensive line recover after a shaky 2009 campaign and Finley appeared to be on the verge of greatness. Today, Wells has quietyly become a reliable player at an important position and Finley is trying to re-establish himself after a knee injury cut short his 2010 season.

Finley is a great weapon and I hope the Packers find a way to keep him too, but the Packers have shown they can win without him. I love how the Packers offensive line is playing right now. If Thompson can keep this group together (with Derek Sherrod or Marshall Newhowse likely stepping in for Clifton at some point), Aaron Rodgers has a good shot at staying healthy and carving up defenses for years to come.  Read more... (542 words + 1 image, estimated 2:10 mins reading time)

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In week 2, starting safety Nick Collins was lost for the year with a neck injury, and yesterday it was announced that Collins underwent neck surgery. Head coach Mike McCarthy was completely devastated when announcing the news to the media and insisted that there is a 0% chance that Collins will play another down in 2011.  And yet, nearly two weeks later, Collins remains on the team and is still listed on the team’s weekly injury report.

This is especially odd when you consider how precious a roster spot truly is.  Here at AllGreenBayPackers.com, the staff each predicted the 53 “starting” opening day roster, and each of us had to cut players who we felt deserved a spot on the roster.  Obviously, none of us were really remotely close (I think we all had 6 wide receivers on the roster for one), but the fact remains, I think we all wish that we had 54 roster spots to work with.

The Packers, however, seem to be going about it from a completely opposite approach.  The Packers are essentially playing with 50 players at the moment; Collins is out for the year, defensive end Mike Neal looks to be out at least until after the bye week if not entirely with a knee injury and outside linebacker Frank Zombo is out with another long injury with a broken shoulder blade.  Read more... (1349 words + 1 image, estimated 5:24 mins reading time)

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