AllGreenBayPackers.Com

1) Introduction:  Coming into the season, the Packers made it clear that they wanted to improve their running game in 2012. Cedric Benson was supposed to be the feature back, thus giving the Packers a more balanced offense. Prior to signing with the Packers, Benson had at least 1,000 rushing yards in three consecutive seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. Benson signed with the Packers Aug. 21 and served as the starter until he suffered an injury in week five.

2) Profile:

Cedric Myron Benson

• Age: 30
• Born: 12/28/1982, in Midland, TX
• Height: 5’11″
• Weight: 228
• College: Texas
• Rookie Year: 2005
• NFL Experience: 8 years

 Career stats and more:

3) Expectations coming into the season:  Some had high hopes for Benson in 2012. Having eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in three straight seasons, the Packers hoped for a similar result. Once Benson arrived in town in the summer, there was no question as to who the starting running back was—it was Benson. But with perhaps the league’s best quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, Benson was never expected to be the focal point of the Packers’ offense.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Benson was effective at the beginning of the season; he scored the Packers’ only touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks in week three. But his best game of his season was Sept. 13 against the Chicago Bears in which he totaled 116 yards on 24 total touches. The low-point of Benson’s season was obviously week five when he suffered a season-ending injury.  Read more... (358 words + 1 image, estimated 1:26 mins reading time)

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1) Introduction: With the exception of Bart Starr, there may not be a more popular Packer than Donald Driver. But everyone’s favorite Driver entered the 2012 with perhaps the lowest expectations of his career. Through training camp, Driver still looked like he belonged. But playing behind Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb, Driver’s opportunities figured to be limited this season.

2) Profile:

Donald Jerome Driver

• Age: 38
• Born: 02/02/1975, in Houston, TX
• Height: 6’0″
• Weight: 194
• College: Alcorn State
• Rookie Year: 1999
• NFL Experience: 14 years

 Career stats and more:

3) Expectations coming into the season: Because the Packers were so deep at the position to start the season, Driver wasn’t expected to be a difference-maker within the offense. In fact, some even questioned whether or not the team should use a roster spot on the aging wide receiver. But nonetheless, the Packers decided to keep Driver around for one more season.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: The highlight of Driver’s season was week two against the Chicago Bears. Leading 16-3 in the fourth quarter, Aaron Rodgers hit Driver for a 26-yard touchdown. It was Driver’s only reception of the game and the first of just two scores on the season. As far as low-lights, Driver was a healthy scratch four times in 2012. Starting with the Dec. 2 matchup against the Vikings, Driver missed three of the team’s final five games of the regular season. He was also inactive against the Vikings in the wild card round of the playoffs.  Read more... (392 words + 1 image, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)

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1) Introduction: In the first game of his NFL career last season, Randall Cobb burst onto the scene with two touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints. He proved to be a dynamic kick returner with seemingly limitless potential. But with wide receiver being one of the Packers’ deepest positions, it was unknown just how many opportunities Cobb would get to prove his worth.

2) Profile:

Randall Ladonald Cobb II

• Age: 22
• Born: 08/22/1990, in Maryville, TN
• Height: 5’10″
• Weight: 192
• College: Kentucky
• Rookie Year: 2011
• NFL Experience: 2 years

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3) Expectations coming into the season: Last summer, Cobb was clearly behind Jennings and Nelson in the pecking order at wide receiver. But it became evident early in training camp that the Packers had big plans for the second-year player. Cobb lined up inside, outside and even in the backfield, in hopes of getting him into the open field more often. But still, playing behind Jennings

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Cobb led the team with 80 catches and 954 receiving yards this season and likely would have surpassed 1,000 if he hadn’t missed the Packers’ week 17 game at Minnesota. He caught at least six passes in eight out of the 15 games he played, with his biggest game coming at Minnesota in week 15. Against the Bears, Cobb racked up 115 yards on six catches, helping the Packers win the NFC North title. His least effective game of the season was in week three at Seattle, in which he caught just one pass for a one-yard loss.  Read more... (431 words + 1 image, estimated 1:43 mins reading time)

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1) Introduction: General manager Ted Thompson always seems to find hidden gems after the draft. And wide receiver Jarrett Boykin is certainly that. With a handful of starting-caliber wide receivers already on the roster, the undrafted rookie cracked the team’s 53-man roster after an impressive preseason. It’s easy to see why he wasn’t selected in the draft, as he ran a 4.72 forty at the combine, but Boykin certainly impressed the coaching staff enough in training camp to make the final roster. Oh yeah, and here’s a reminder that the Jacksonville Jaguars — yes, those Jaguars — cut Boykin on May 7, only to see him crack the Packers’ roster a few months later.

2) Profile:

Jarrett Boykin

• Age: 23
• Born: 11/04/1989, in Chattanooga, TN
• Height: 6’2″
• Weight: 218
• College: Virginia Tech
• Rookie Year: 2012
• NFL Experience: 0 years

 Career stats and more:

3) Expectations coming into the season: Not much was expected from Boykin coming into the season. He was the undrafted rookie playing behind emerging talents Randall, James Jones and Jordy Nelson, as well as Pro Bowl players Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. It was a crowded receiving corps, and Boykin was an afterthought.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Boykin caught five passes for 27 yards in the regular season. But the biggest catch of his rookie season was in the regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings. Trailing by seven points and facing a fourth-and-one late in the fourth quater, Rodgers hit Boykin for seven yards and a first down. A.J. Jefferson was called for pass interference, but the Packers declined the penalty. It was the first eye-catching play of Boykin’s NFL career.  Read more... (392 words + 1 image, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)

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1) Introduction: Coming into the season, James Jones was perhaps the least talked-about wide receiver on the roster. Donald Driver, 37, returned for a 14th season, Randall Cobb was on the verge of becoming one of the team’s top playmakers, Jordy Nelson was coming off the best season of his career, and Greg Jennings was still the clear-cut No. 1 receiver. But injuries caused Jennings, Nelson and Cobb to miss a combined 13 games, leading to Jones having the best season of his six-year career.

2) Profile:

James Deandre Jones

• Age: 28
• Born: 03/31/1984, in San Jose, CA
• Height: 6’1″
• Weight: 208
• College: San Jose State
• Rookie Year: 2007
• NFL Experience: 6 years

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3) Expectations coming into the season: Not much was expected from Jones before the season. He was clearly behind Jennings and Nelson in the pecking order, and Randall Cobb was as impressive as anyone on the roster during training camp. Jones wasn’t expected to be anything more than the team’s No. 3 receiver.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Jones led the NFL with 14 touchdown receptions this season, so the 2012 season as a whole was basically a personal highlight reel. In a three-game stretch between Sep. 30 and Oct. 14, Jones had two touchdown catches in each game. His best individual game of the season was probably week 15 in Chicago, in which Jones caught three touchdowns. His worst game of the season was against the New York Giants, when the Packers were blown out, and Jones was held without a catch.  Read more... (424 words + 1 image, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

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1) Introduction: Jordy Nelson entered the 2012 season coming off his best season as a professional. Nelson played a key role in the Packers’ 15-1 season a year ago, catching 68 passes for 1,263 yards and 15 touchdowns. And after an impressive showing this summer at training camp, it looked like Nelson was poised to build upon his breakout year in 2013.

2) Profile:

Jordan Raymond Nelson

• Age: 27
• Born: 05/31/1985, in Manhattan, KS
• Height: 6’3″
• Weight: 217
• College: Kansas State
• Rookie Year: 2008
• NFL Experience: 5 years

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3) Expectations coming into the season: Because he played so well last season, most expected Nelson to have another stellar season in 2013. Dating back to the Packers’ Super Bowl run in the 2010 season, Nelson had been among the league’s most productive wide receivers. Anything short of a Pro Bowl-caliber season in 2012 would be a disappointment.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: The highlight of Nelson’s 2012 season was a two-game stretch in weeks six and seven. Against the Houston Texans and St. Louis Rams, Nelson caught a total of 17 passes for 243 yards and four touchdowns — that’s an average of 8.5 catches, 121.5 yards and two touchdowns per game. In the other ten games Nelson appeared in, he caught 32 balls for 502 yards and three touchdowns — an average of 3.2 catches, 50.2 yards and 0.3 touchdowns per game.  Read more... (393 words + 1 image, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)

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1) Introduction: For Greg Jennings, the 2012 season was the last year remaining on his contract. After suffering a groin injury in the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, Jennings struggled to return to form, which opened the door for Randall Cobb and James Jones to emerge within the offense. But later in the season, Jennings finally returned to the Pro Bowl form Packers fans have grown accustomed to.

2) Profile:

Gregory Jennings Jr.

• Age: 29
• Born: 09/21/1983, in Kalamazoo , MI
• Height: 5’11″
• Weight: 198
• College: Western Michigan
• Rookie Year: 2006
• NFL Experience: 7 years

 Career stats and more:

3) Expectations coming into the season: Entering the 2012 season, expectations for Greg Jennings were extremely high. After all, Jennings had at least 920 receiving yards in his previous five seasons. But after suffering a groin injury in the season opener against the 49ers, his season took a turn for the worse.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Injuries clearly hampered Jennings throughout the season. He failed to surpass 46 receiving yards in a single game until week 17 at Minnesota, in which he caught a season-high eight passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. The team’s three-game stretch to finish the season was clearly the highlight of his season. Including the two playoff games, Jennings averaged six catches for 78.3 yards over the team’s final three games. Consider everything prior to be “low-lights” of his 2012 season.  Read more... (369 words + 1 image, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)

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