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Rodgers and Matthews are becoming Pro Bowl perennials. Rodgers will start for the NFC

The NFL Pro Bowl rosters were announced on December 26th and among them were three Green Bay Packers who were voted in outright.  Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, linebacker Clay Matthews and center Jeff Saturday will represent the Packers at this year’s contest.  Here is a look at each and what got them here.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers is having yet another phenomenal season.  He is obviously the face of the team and their fate rests squarely on his shoulders.

A look at the numbers tells us all that we need to know about why Rodgers will be the NFC’s starting quarterback in this year’s Pro Bowl:  3930 yards, 67% completion percentage, 35 touchdowns (just eight interceptions) and a quarterback rating of 106.2.  And those are Rodgers’ average numbers over the course of his career as a starter.

Just when it seems that there has to be some sort of drop-off in Rodgers’ play, he comes out and puts up more great numbers and the Packers, again, find themselves strong contenders to reach another Super Bowl.  Despite the issues that the team has had with the offensive line and in pass protection, Rodgers has continued to find ways to make plays and win games for this team.  A very well deserved Pro Bowl start for #12.  Read more... (659 words + 3 images, estimated 2:38 mins reading time)

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The NFC North is set to be one of the NFL’s toughest divisions during the 2012-13 season, despite being home to the lonely Minnesota Vikings. The Packers are the reigning kings, but the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions are certainly formidable foes.

With so much talent in the division, there is a good chance the North could see three playoffs with the Packers, Bears and Lions continuing their season past the first weekend in January.

Green Bay Packers
The Packers aren’t only favorites to win the division, but likely the conference and possibly even the Super Bowl. Dominating their way through the regular season last year, minus a Kansas City hiccup, the Packers were able to bring back the majority to key contributors.

The team lost center Scott Wells via free agency and cut Chad Clifton due to financial reasons, but replaced Wells with veteran Jeff Saturday. Clifton had fallen out of rotation due to his back troubles.

The Packers didn’t lose much in terms of personnel and added reinforcements on the defensive side of the ball via free agency and the draft. Key draft picks Nick Perry, Jerel Worthy and Casey Hayward as well as free agent signing Anthony Hargrove (after his suspension) and many others will have opportunities to not only make the team but improve the defense.

After finishing 15-1 and sweeping the division last season, the Packers should be even better in 2012.  Read more... (712 words + 1 image, estimated 2:51 mins reading time)

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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…

Scenario 3
LT Bulaga, LG Lang, C Saturday, RG Sitton, RT Newhouse  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.

Saturday, on the other hand, will be expected to be what he’s been his whole career: A reliable pass-blocking center who quarterbacks the offensive line for one of the most explosive offenses in the league, often during no-huddle situations. I’m sure Saturday is up to the task, but he’s also going to be 37 years old when the season starts.  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.

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Jersey Al Bracco is the founder and editor of AllGreenBayPackers.com, and the co-founder of Packers Talk Radio Network. He can be heard as one of the Co-Hosts on Cheesehead Radio and is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com.

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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.

Doesn’t Thompson shun the aging veteran? Isn’t he a bigger proponent of developing his own talent?

Generally speaking, yes.  Read more... (825 words + 1 image, estimated 3:18 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.

So where do the Packers look now? There are some other free agent centers on the market, but I find it unlikely they will give anyone a long term deal. Perhaps the logical thing to do would be to offer a 1-2 year deal to someone like 35 yr old Todd McClure, who had been the staring center for the Falcons for the last 12 years. That would allow then to then draft and develop a center from the upcoming NFL Draft.  Read more... (372 words + 3 images, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)

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