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Packers LB Terrell Manning

Packers rookie linebacker Terrell Manning had a mysteriously quiet training camp.

Although Manning was just a fifth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, many draft experts had drafted rated much higher than where he ultimately came off the board–ESPN tabbed Manning the tenth-best outside linebacker of the 2012 draft class.

Fast forward to the summer, Manning was buried behind D.J. Smith and Robert Francois on the depth chart and starving for an opportunity to showcase his abilities. When starting linebacker Desmond Bishop suffered a season-ending injury in the team’s first preseason game in San Diego, the door opened for Manning to step into the spotlight.

But the former North Carolina State standout continued to hide in the shadows.

And as Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay-Press Gazette points out–Manning was battling more than just his fellow linebackers this summer:

His problems began the first week of training camp, and the Packers’ medical staff quickly realized this was no ordinary stomach flu or food poisoning. The 6-foot-2, 237-pound Manning was tested for everything from Crohn’s disease to cancer before he was diagnosed with a parasite that caused colitis, an inflammation of the large intestine.

Manning says at one point during training camp, he weight as little as 220 pounds–which is less than the average weight of the Packers’ top four running backs. However, the rookie linebacker refused to use his health as an excuse to sit out of practice, as he was on the field for all 21 training camp practices and all four preseason games.  Read more... (400 words + 1 image, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)

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Ted Thompson has some tough decisions to make by Friday.

With the final cuts just around the corner, here are my initial predictions for how things may play out. There are a couple surprises, but overall, I think much of the roster is pretty much decided other than maybe two or three spots.

Although I assumed the Packers would keep six wide receivers all offseason, I simply no longer think that’s the case. Both Tori Gurley and Diondre Borel have been injured for part of training camp, and neither has made the same splash they made last summer at this time. I think they’ll both be let go, and the Packers will look to a different young wide receiver to stash on the practice squad.

Other than that, there aren’t too many surprises. So here goes…

Quarterback (2): Rodgers, Harrell

Although I don’t believe Graham Harrell is a No. 2 quarterback in the NFL right now, I think it’s more likely than not that the Packers will keep the position as is–with Harrell as Rodgers’s top backup. If a late-round pick could pry Colt McCoy away from the Cleveland Browns, Thompson would likely consider making that move. And despite Vince Young being an convenient punch-line for football fans, who would you rather have if you had to win a game without Rodgers: Young or Harrell? I’d take Young, and it’s not even remotely close. It’s highly unlikely that Thompson would bring in Young as a free agent, but then again, Ted hasn’t been typical “Ted” this offseason.  Read more... (1154 words + 1 image, estimated 4:37 mins reading time)

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Will this guy be the 1st overall pick in AllGBP’s Fantasy Football Draft?

Attention loyal AllGBP.com readers!

We know you love the Packers, but do you also enjoy Fantasy Football?

If so, you may be interested in joining AllGBP’s Official Fantasy Football League this year. The AllGBP.com staff is starting a 12-team league for the upcoming season, and since there are only six of us writers, we’re opening the final six spots to readers who express interest in the comments on this post.

Here is your chance to match your skills with the staff at AllGreenBayPackers.com!

(P.S. This will be the first year Jersey Al is participating in Fantasy Football, so this is your chance to be a part of history!)

The format of the league will be as follows:

1) Twelve teams split into two divisions

• “Writers Division” (myself, Jersey Al, Chad, Adam, Kris, Thomas)
• “Readers Division” (six readers of this site)

2) Standard Yahoo! PPR league (.2 Points Per Reception)

3) Nine roster positions

• QB
• WR
• WR
• WR
• RB
• RB
• TE
• WR/RB
• DEF

4) Playoffs will be Weeks 15 and 16

• Six of 12 teams make the Playoffs.

5) Division winners get 1st Round byes in Playoffs  Read more... (313 words + 1 image, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

• Remaining 4 playoff spots will be seeded by overall record, regardless of division.

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DL Anthony Hargrove

With the first mandatory roster reduction scheduled for Monday, the Packers got an early start to their cuts by releasing five players on Friday.

The team’s first five cuts were defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove, wide receiver Andrew Brewer, offensive tackle Herb Taylor, and defensive backs Micah Pellerin and Dion Turner.

Hargrove, carrying an eight-game suspension from the Saints’ “bounty-gate” scandal, is the most notable name among the five cuts. The 29-year-old signed with the team as an unrestricted free agent in March in hopes of bolstering the pass rush, but the Packers have clearly decided that they have better options on the defensive line.

Taylor, 27, is a journeyman offensive tackle with 18 career regular season games of experience. After staring left tackle Marshall Newhouse suffered a concussion in the Packers’ Family Night Scrimmage, Taylor was inserted into the starting lineup and provided very little resistance to opposing pass rushers.

Pellerin, 23, and Turner, 23, were clearly two of the Packers’ weakest defensive backs in camp, and neither player made a serious push to make the team in a crowded defensive backfield.

Brewer, 25, was cut after spending just over two weeks in Green Bay. He was claimed off waivers from the Eagles on August 8 but was never a threat to earn a spot on the Packers’ stacked receiving corps, which is perhaps the best unit in the NFL.  Read more... (281 words + 1 image, estimated 1:07 mins reading time)

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Packers RB Alex Green

Cedric Benson has only been a member of the Green Bay Packers for slightly over a week, but he’s already been getting reps with the No. 1 offense in training camp.

In just two practices wearing full pads, Benson has broken off a handful of impressive runs, and he certainly appears to be as natural a runner as any running back on the roster. Although he’s coming off three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, Benson has never been known as a game-breaker in the backfield.

His career average of 3.8 yards-per-carry suggests Benson is more of a workhorse than a true home-run threat.

And despite James Starks entering training camp as the No. 1 back, his spot in the starting lineup–and on the roster–may be in serious jeopardy. Starks has missed 16 games in his first two seasons, and he’s out of the lineup again with turf toe. If second-year back Brandon Saine is able to return to practice next week and proves his worth to the coaching staff, the Packers may consider cutting ties with Starks.

With Starks at least temporarily out of the picture, the battle to be the team’s starting running back comes down to Benson versus second-year player Alex Green.

The “starter” may be a somewhat subjective label, as the Packers may very well decide to use multiple backs within the offense this year. Of all the running backs, Green is the best receiving threat within the Packers’ spread offense, while Benson is certainly the most proven runner of the bunch.  Read more... (693 words + 2 images, estimated 2:46 mins reading time)

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Aaron Rodgers and Colt McCoy

Packers backup quarterback Graham Harrell replaced Aaron Rodgers on the team’s first possession in the second quarter, and he remained on the field well into the fourth quarter.

The Packers got an extensive look at Harrell during the game, but in almost three quarters of action, he was only able to muster up a meager three points for the offense. Harrell completed 12 of 24 passes for 100 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. And he drew a flag for intentional grounding in the endzone, resulting in a safety.

In completing fifty-percent of his passes, throwing two picks and recording a safety, it was a night to forget for the Packers’ backup quarterback.

But on the other sideline, Cleveland backup QB Colt McCoy looked like his usual steady self during his only possession of the night.

McCoy replaced starter Brandon Weeden in the middle of the third quarter and led the Browns on an impressive 14-play, 75-yard scoring drive capped off by a Brandon Jackson touchdown run. The former Texas star carved up the Packers’ reserves, completing four of six passes for 58 yards on the drive.

With the starting job occupied by Weeden, many have speculated about McCoy’s availability via trade. The most common suggestions to land McCoy? The Philadelphia Eagles with QB-guru Andy Reid, and the Packers.

General manager Ted Thompson certainly won’t speak on any specific personnel moves until something comes to fruition, but if the Browns offer McCoy for a late-round draft pick, Thompson may be tempted.  Read more... (364 words + 1 image, estimated 1:27 mins reading time)

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Aaron Rodgers and T.J. Lang

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Green Bay Packers have agreed to a four-year contract extension with left guard T.J. Lang.

Lang was a fourth-round draft pick out of Eastern Michigan in 2009, and he’s blossomed into a versatile and reliable offensive player with the Packers. After starting all 16 games at left guard last season, the Packers clearly felt that Lang was deserving of a long-term contract.

And although the Packers insist on their reluctance to play “musical chairs” on the offensive line, Lang is likely the team’s best option behind Marshall Newhouse at left tackle. If the Packers found themselves in a position without Newhouse in the regular season, they’d almost certainly do some sort of shifting, whether it be Lang or Bryan Bulaga to left tackle, instead of asking rookie Andrew Datko or journeyman Herb Taylor to protect Aaron Rodgers’s blindside.

The Packers still have bigger fish to fry, as Greg Jennings’s contract is set to expire after this season, but getting Lang’s deal extended before the season is certainly a step in the right direction.

Lang, 24, and right guard Josh Sitton, 26, form one of the league’s top duos at offensive guard. With Jeff Saturday set to replace Scott Wells at center, the interior of the Packers’ offensive line appears to be in great shape headed into 2012.  Read more... (354 words + 1 image, estimated 1:25 mins reading time)

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