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While the Green Bay Packers are still in the early stages of training camp, I usually like to pay more attention to the second units. This seems especially true this year, as there aren’t many starting spots up for grabs (left guard and fullback, maybe).

So my interest then turns to who will be called upon to save the day in case of injury to a Packers starter. To that end, I fired up the Family Night scrimmage on the DVR and put the old slow motion remote to use. Time for a little dissection by DVR.

Some observations…

Bryan Bulaga: I can see why Mike McCarthy is giving Bulaga a chance at a starting job. Bulaga was almost perfect in his Packers debut. He wasn’t beaten once. Whether out on the edge with a linebacker or further inside battling the likes of Cullen Jenkins, Bulaga stood his ground and neutralized the pass rush. He showed quick feet, a good punch, excellent balance and proper body position. I can’t say enough about how solid he looked. the Packers didn’t run enough with the twos to make an evaluation on his run blocking.

Marshall Newhouse is going to have a hard time making this team. He displayed a lack of strength and was easily thrown off balance, but in his defense, he was given reps at left tackle, which is not a position he’ll play in the NFL. Newhouse needs to build a lot more strength and then be used at guard, where his football smarts will help him more. As I have written previously, I believe Newhouse is destined for the practice squad, at best.  Read more... (837 words + 1 image, estimated 3:21 mins reading time)

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Call him the Florida Flash.  By now, most Packers fans know that Sam Shields can outright fly. Shields himself knows that putting that speed to use on the playing field will be his ticket to outpace other candidates for a spot on the 53-man roster. Let’s just say that after his 98 yard interception at the family night scrimmage, Shields has made a good first impression.

I generally like to do my undrafted free agent evaluations before training camp starts, so I can make more of a “blind”  evaluation uninfluenced by camp performances (I like the challenge). While in the previous weeks I covered the wide receivers, running backs and offensive linemen free agents, there just hasn’t been time to get to the defensive UDFAs.

But there are a couple of defensive UDFAs in camp that are worthy of a “better late than never” evaluation, and we’ll start with Sam Shields.

Shields was born in Sarasota Florida and played football there for Booker High School. After a senior year where Shields caught 67 passes for 1,201 yards (17.9 avg.) and 22 TDs, as well as two TDs on punt returns and a 44 yd average on kickoff returns, Shields was a top-20 nationally ranked WR recruit. Shields chose the University of Miami over Florida, LSU and other suitors.  Read more... (1088 words + 1 image, estimated 4:21 mins reading time)

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Weekly Packers News from Twitter and other Sources by Al Bracco and Holly Phelps. (As heard on Cheesehead Radio. 8/5/10 )

Packers News – 7/30/10 – 8/5/10

AL: As I predicted on last week’s show, the Packers signed Bryan Bulaga the day after the shareholders meeting. Bulaga signed a 5-year contract, 15 million dollar contract, with almost 9 million in guaranteed money.  To make room for Bulaga, the Packers cut linebacker John Russell.

{Holly: Great to see that the Packers have all their ducks in a row.}

HOLLY: Not all smooth sailing as the Packers opened their first day of training camp, though — three players failed their required physicals.  As expected, Al Harris is not ready yet but getting close.  Also surprisingly, rookie James Starks is still suffering from the hamstring issue that bothered him during OTAs.  The big shocker, of course, was safety Atari Bigby.  After refusing to sign his (reduced) tender until the day before camp, Bigby shows up on day one with an ankle injury.  Bigby claims it was fine all summer and that he hurt it during the conditioning test.  We should note that, after seeing a doctor in North Carolina, Atari’s scheduled for surgery, again, and will likely be out at least a few weeks.  Read more... (1196 words + 5 images, estimated 4:47 mins reading time)

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After several years and much hard work, the Green Bay Packers and Mason Crosby today found the answer to his kicking problems – no defense. Yes, it seems that with no rush, Crosby is just fine, thank you.

Without a rush, Crosby was able to go five for five in field goals attempts at Tuesday night’s practice. When the Packers went to their full-team two minute drills, Crosby was given the opportunity to “win the game” with a last second 39 yard field goal. Of course, he missed.

Sadly, that wasn’t the shocking part. What ensued is fairly incredible. The Packers allowed Crosby to line up and take the kick again, but this time with NO DEFENSE. And of course, Crosby makes it.

Believe it or not, I’m not here to kill Mason Crosby. He’s certainly trying his best (we hope). No, I’m here to kill the Packers’ coaching staff and how they have handled Crosby. They have pandered to Crosby like he’s their supermodel girlfriend. Anything he wants. Anyway he wants it. No competition. Nobody to push his sorry ass and make him fight for his job.  Read more... (472 words + 1 image, estimated 1:53 mins reading time)

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Computer Security experts today are warning the public of a nefarious computer worm that has infected millions of computers. First identified in the wild a year ago, and dubbed the “Brett Favre” virus, this nasty piece of malware spams your computer with false and exaggerated Brett Favre content.

Favre news stories, articles, videos, blog posts, board posts—everywhere you surf, this virus will inundate you with everything Brett Favre. Has Brett Favre really retired? Will the Vikings offer him more money? Will Brad Childress be his personal chauffeur? Will he come back to “stick it” to Ted Thompson?

Will he play for the Vikings? Is he meeting with Brad Childress? Is he mowing his lawn? Evidently this virus has conjured up thousands of topics regarding Brett Favre and spread these alleged “articles” throughout the Internet.

The virus is believed to have first been planted on several popular Internet sports sites. As unknowing fans visited these sites, they were infected with the worm, which then started generating Brett Favre content and posting it on web sites throughout the Internet. Within hours, there were over one million Brett Favre articles on the Internet.  Read more... (539 words + 1 image, estimated 2:09 mins reading time)

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Just about any Packers fan knows (and laments about) how Green Bay kept 3 fullbacks on the 2009 roster. Could tight end be the position for roster overcrowding in 2010? As I mentioned on Cheesehead Radio last week, I think there’s a decent chance. Let me expand on that thought…

In 2009, the Packers selected Quinn Johnson in the 5th round of the NFL draft. Johnson had a hot and cold college career, but was unquestionably looked at as a physical specimen with athletic ability and raw talent that will require some time to develop.

In 2010, the Packers selected Andrew Quarless in the 5th round of the NFL draft. Quarless had a hot and cold college career, but was unquestionably looked at as an immature kid with athletic ability and raw talent that will require some time to develop.

Sound familiar?

In 2009, the Packers did not want to lose Quinn Johnson, by taking a chance on putting him on the practice squad. Certainly, a team like Carolina, who signed Tyrell Sutton and then later had to use him at fullback, would have taken Johnson in a heartbeat. If Johnson can learn to use his skills wisely and improve his pass blocking, the Packers will be very pleased with this pick in a few years.  Read more... (745 words + 1 image, estimated 2:59 mins reading time)

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Weekly Packers news with a bonus rant, from Al Bracco and Holly Phelps. (As heard on Cheesehead Radio. 7/29/10 )

Al: The Packers made continued progress in the area of player signings this week. With Mike Neal agreeing to a 4-year contract and Atari Bigby finally signing his tender offer, the Packers are only a Bryan Bulaga signature away from having every player ready for camp. Bulaga has indicated that he plans to be in camp on time, but then again, so did BJ Raji last year. This one feels different, however. Bulaga was not as high a pick as Raji was and Dez Bryant, the player selected right after Bulaga is under contract, so there’s little else to wait for. All the pieces are in place and I believe as soon as the Packers put this shareholders meeting day behind them, Bulaga will be signed on Friday or Saturday. That would be like going back in time – first day of training camp and nobody’s holding out.

{Holly: It’s been fun to watch the guys check in on Twitter — like roll call. “Present!”}  Read more... (1608 words + 2 images, estimated 6:26 mins reading time)

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