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Packers WR Donald Driver is willing to take a pay cut to stay in Green Bay.

Speaking a day after his team had lost to the New York Giants in the NFC Divisional Round, Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver wasn’t having any of the speculation that he may be retiring after 13 NFL seasons.

And without actually saying it, Driver made it seem clear that continuing his career in another city had become a viable option.

“If the Packers don’t want me, I’ve got to go somewhere else and play,” Driver said. “I don’t have a choice. I’m not ready to hang the cleats up.”

That sound-byte from Driver probably caught Packers GM Ted Thompson a little off guard. A fair number of observers had envisioned 2011 being the 37-year-old’s final season.

The plot added another twist last Friday.

At a breakfast banquet in Milwaukee, Driver said that he’d be willing to take a pay cut to stay with the Packers in 2012, a statement that seemed to contradict his earlier feelings on wanting to play elsewhere if the Packers weren’t willing to keep him.  Read more... (1099 words + 1 image, estimated 4:24 mins reading time)

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Tim Masthay

1) Introduction: The Packers didn’t need to use Tim Masthay that much this season, but on the rare occasions he trotted onto the field, he did what he needed to do.

2) Profile:

Timothy James Masthay

Position: P
Height: 6-1
Weight: 200 lbs.
AGE: 24

Career Stats:

3) Expectations coming into the season: Keep rolling. Masthay closed the 2010 season with a bang by punting well in the playoffs, especially against Devin Hester and the Bears in the NFC Championship.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Masthay’s net average of 38.6 yards per punt was the best net by a Packers punter in 48 years. Lowlights have to be whenever Mashtay stepped on the field because, well, that meant the Packers were punting.

5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success: The Packers horrible defense needed all the field position help it could get. Masthay’s punts landed inside the 20 yard line almost 50 percent of the time and I can’t remember any horrible shanks.

6) Player’s contributions in the playoffs: Masthay contributed too often in the playoffs. If he remained on the sideline and didn’t contribute anything, this space would be used to preview the Packers Super Bowl matchup instead of an end-of-season report card on the team’s punter.  Read more... (252 words + 1 image, estimated 1:00 mins reading time)

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Mason Crosby

1) Introduction: With the security of a new contract and inspiration from our own Jersey Al, Mason Crosby had an excellent season. Hopefully it’s a giant step in the right direction for Crosby and not a one-year occurrence.

2) Profile:

Mason Walker Crosby

Position: K
Height: 6-1
Weight: 207 lbs.
AGE: 27

Career Stats:

3) Expectations coming into the season: Step up. Packers fans were sick of hearing about Crosby’s powerful leg and all his untapped ability. They wanted to see that ability actually tapped. For the most part, Crosby delivered.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Field goals of 56 and 58 yards against the Falcons and Vikings, respectively, stand out. So do all of Crosby’s booming kickoffs. He faded a bit down the stretch in the field goal department, missing two of his last three attempts.

5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success: As impressive as Crosby’s 85.7 field-goal percentage was, perhaps just as impressive was his career high 65-yard kickoff average. Kick coverage has been a sore spot for the Packers recently, but Crosby’s booming kicks deep in the end zone made sure the Packers didn’t have to worry too much about coverage breakdowns.  Read more... (284 words + 1 image, estimated 1:08 mins reading time)

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Tom Crabtree

1) Introduction: The Packers signed Crabtree to the practice squad late in the 2009 season, then the gritty tight end surprised by making the Packers 53-man roster out of training camp in 2010. Despite a recent revolution at the position, Crabtree is a throwback player who’s primarily asked to block and be a contributor on special teams.

 

2) Profile:

Tom Crabtree

Position: TE
Height: 6-4
Weight: 245 lbs.
AGE: 26

Career Stats

3) Expectations coming into the season: The Packers drafted two tight ends in April, including one (Ryan Taylor) who possessed a skill set that resembles Crabtree’s. Five tight ends then came to camp with a chance to crack the 53-man roster, including Crabtree, and all five ended up making the team. Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson weren’t willing to give up Crabtree’s blocking and experience on special teams. Expectations for 2011 were that Crabtree would reprise those far from glamourous roles.  Read more... (547 words + 1 image, estimated 2:11 mins reading time)

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D.J. Williams

1) Introduction: When the Packers selected D.J. Williams in the fifth round last April, most were quick to say that “the rich were getting richer,” with the assumption that Williams—the Mackey Award winner in 2010—would step right into a role in the Packers already deep and talented offense. That may still happen in time, but Williams didn’t add much to the Packers’ offensive pot during his rookie season.

2) Profile:

David Edward Williams, Jr. (D.J)

Position: TE
Height: 6-3
Weight: 254 lbs.
AGE: 24

Career Stats

3) Expectations coming into the season: In the shorts and helmet start to training camp, Williams looked like a player that was actually going to have an impact on the Packers offense. How could Mike McCarthy possibly keep a guy that looked this good off the field? Once the pads came on and the game sped up, however, Williams quickly reverted into the 5th round rookie he really was. He was then plagued by mental miscues during the preseason, and it was clear by the start of the season that Williams needed time before becoming a bigger factor in the Packers’ offensive plans.  Read more... (492 words + 1 image, estimated 1:58 mins reading time)

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Ryan Taylor

1) Introduction: Ted Thompson raised a few eyebrows in April when he took Taylor just two rounds after selecting D.J. Williams at the same position. The Packers then had five tight ends, including Taylor, with a chance to make the final roster at the beginning of training camp. By September 3, Taylor and his four peers had, in fact, made the 53.

2) Profile:

Ryan Lawrence Taylor

Position: TE
Height: 6-2
Weight: 245 lbs.
AGE: 23

Career Stats

3) Expectations coming into the season: A special teams captain in two of his four years at North Carolina with experience playing linebacker, Taylor reminded some of Spencer Havner. If he was able to make the 53-man roster in 2011, most expected Taylor to play a similar role.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Taylor played on just 32 offensive snaps but did catch his first career touchdown pass in Week 14 against Oakland. It ended up being Taylor’s only catch of the season. To his credit on special teams, Taylor was active in 15 of 17 games and finished second on the team with eight total tackles.  Read more... (368 words + 1 image, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

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