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2012 is a big season for Packers T Derek Sherrod

Injuries to Chad Clifton, Josh Sitton and Bryan Bulaga meant that the Packers offensive line never really gelled last season. Guys like Marshall Newhouse and Evan Dietrich-Smith did a decent enough job filling in, but the line never got rolling like I thought it would.

This might be a little tricky to attempt before the draft, but let’s take a look at several offensive line scenarios for the 2012 season. If/when injuries hit, what are the Packers options and potential lineups up front?

Scenario 1
LT Chad Clifton, LG T.J. Lang, C Jeff Saturday, RG Josh Sitton, RT Bryan Bulaga.

This is the ideal scenario. In a perfect world, Clifton comes back, he’s healthy and productive, and the Packers trot out the same five guys every week. We can dream, right?

Scenario 2
LT Derek Sherrod, LG Lang, C Saturday, RG Sitton, RT Bulaga

Maybe Clifton gets cut or goes down early in the season and the Packers have to once again fill a hole at left tackle. If that happens, the ideal situation is for Sherrod to come back from his broken leg and step right in, showing improvement from his rookie season and becoming the left tackle of the future. Bulaga would stay at right tackle and the future would bright. If only it was that easy…  Read more... (783 words + 1 image, estimated 3:08 mins reading time)

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Surviving Sundays With No Packers Football

The Packers signed free agent center Jeff Saturday this week to replace the departed Scott Wells. Yes, I said the Packers signed a free agent. A free agent that I actually heard of, nonetheless.

I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to react to this occasion.  It’s been a while since Ted Thompson blew the dust off the checkbook he uses to sign free agents from other teams and actually brought someone in. Fans from other teams often celebrate like they just won the Super Bowl after inking a free agent so….congrats fellow Packers fans?

Thompson obviously didn’t know how to react to the occasion, either. He was so confused and out of sorts about what he just did that he turned around and did it again, signing free agent defensive lineman Daniel Muir.

Now, Muir fits the mold of a Packers free-agent signing much more than Saturday. Muir is a journeyman that Thompson signed and released once before. He’ll have to fight hard just to make the team and anything he contributes during the season will be a bonus.  Read more... (916 words + 1 image, estimated 3:40 mins reading time)

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Jeff Saturday and Robert Kraft

ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced on twitter today that former Colts All-Pro center Jeff Saturday is now “Packer People.”

Looking at Saturday’s career and actions on and off the field, if such a thing as “Packer People” exists, Saturday would certainly embody it.  You may remember Saturday’s heartfelt words thanking Patriot’s owner Robert Kraft for “saving football” while dealing with his wife’s illness at the end of last year’s lockout.

Saturday is a devout Christian and a popular motivational speaker,  speaking on leadership and teamwork.

On the field, Saturday is a 5-time Pro Bowl selection (as recent as 2010) and a 4-time All-Pro.  According to his agent Ralph Cindrich, Saturday signed a two-year deal with the Packers.

Saturday will be 37 years old by the time the season starts and this will most likely be his last contract in the NFL.  Still, I can’t think of a better stop-gap to lead the Packers offensive line while the Packers look to draft and prepare a center for the future.

Follow @JerseyAlGBP You can follow Jersey Al on Facebook and Twitter .  Read more... (235 words + 1 image, estimated 56 secs reading time)

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Former Colts center Jeff Saturday could be a temporary solution for the Packers offensive line.

The NFL media is atwitter over the latest news and rumors surrounding Peyton Manning, his former center Jeff Saturday, and the Green Bay Packers. In short, Manning has finally chosen the Broncos as his new team, which spells the end of “Tebowmania” in Denver. (But that’s beside the point.) This, of course, sets up the possibility of a “domino effect,” wherein Colts teammates follow Manning to the mountains.

Two players who could have interest in doing this are tight end Dallas Clark and center Jeff Saturday. However, rumbling quietly into this big mill of speculation is that, in addition to the Broncos, Saturday is also scheduled to meet with the Packers. They are, as we all know, trying to fill the void left by Scott Wells, who just signed with the St. Louis Rams.

Keen fans have been quick to question the interest that Ted Thompson apparently has in Saturday. The veteran center will be turning 37 in June and has played his entire 13-year career in front of Peyton Manning – minus last season.  Read more... (829 words + 1 image, estimated 3:19 mins reading time)

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Scott Wells signs with the St. Louis Rams

Packers Free Agent center Scott Wells is gone. His management company has announced that  Wells signed a contract today with the St. Louis Rams. According to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Wells signed a four year deal at six million per year with 13 million guaranteed. The Packers are believed to have offered Wells 4.5 million per year.

Houston’s free agent center Chris Myers, rumored to be on the Packer’s radar (I didn’t particularly believe it), is also now off the market. Myers re-upped with the Texans, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Schefter is reporting that Myers contract with Houston is for 4 years at $25million, $14mil fully guaranteed.

Wells and Myers signed very similar contracts, which in the Packers’ opinion (and mine), is way too high for a center over 30 years old.

When reports came out about the Packers talking to Myers, I never really believed it was serious. Tthe Packers have shown they will resign their own free agents first (especially if getting a hometown discount). Going after Myers, similar in age and salary as Wells, made no sense. Most likely it was strictly a leverage play on Wells.  Read more... (383 words + 1 image, estimated 1:32 mins reading time)

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Despite Tom Silverstein’s shocking news that the Packers are interested in former Miami Dolphins’ defensive end Kendall Langford, chances remain high that the Packers instead address their defensive deficiencies through the draft.

In doing so, the question becomes which position should the Packers address first; an outside linebacker to put opposite Clay Matthews or another body to build up a much-needed pass rush. Or what about center if Scott Wells finds a new home via free agency and the Packers come up empty-handed with veteran centers?

Regardless of need, Ted Thompson is likely to draft the best player available when the Packers get on the clock, but it’s worthwhile to play the game.

While the Packers having glaring holes both on the defensive line and at right outside linebacker, addressing the issues of the defensive line will also help to alleviate additional pressure placed on the outside linebacker, as well as the defensive back field.  Read more... (590 words + 1 image, estimated 2:22 mins reading time)

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The Bears traded two third-round picks for WR Brandon Marshall.

It’s 11:30 p.m. central time on Tuesday, March 13, 2012. I’m going to read a few pages in my book and go to bed. By the time this publishes around 7 a.m. central time on Wednesday, March 14, 2012, a bunch of other stuff might have happened and the news contained in this post might feel like it’s 10 years old.

Welcome to the start of NFL free agency.

A lot went down on Tuesday when 532 NFL players hit the open market. Let’s take a look at the developments that concern the Green Bay Packers:  Read more... (525 words + 1 image, estimated 2:06 mins reading time)

• Packers center Scott Wells is as good as gone according Packer Report. I was a big advocate for bringing Wells back, even if it meant overspending a little. Maybe it’s me accepting the fact that Wells is probably leaving, but I started changing my mind a couple days ago. Is it wise to overspend for a 31-year-old center that’s undersized and isn’t that great of a run blocker? Probably not, especially when there’s extensions for Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings and Clay Matthews coming up in the near future. The Packers will miss Wells’s pass blocking. They’ll miss his command of the pre-snap calls just as much. But it’s not a devastating loss…I don’t think.

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