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| Packers Sign TE Quarless | Packers Story: The Green Bay Packers have signed TE Andrew Quarless. The signing was announced Monday by Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson.
Quarless, the first of the team's two fifth-round draft picks, was a four-year letterman at Penn State. He appeared in 49 career games, including 29 starts, and finished his career as the Nittany Lions' all-time leader in receptions by a tight end (87) and second in receiving yards by a tight end (1,146).
Quarless becomes the fourth of seven Packers draft picks to sign with the team.
| | '5k Run At Lambeau Field' Has 1,800 Registrants; Will Cap At 3,000 | Packers Story: Interested Participants Encouraged To Sign Up Before Race Reaches Limit
The inaugural '5K Run at Lambeau Field' has surpassed half its capacity with 1,800 registrants, the Green Bay Packers reported Friday.
Interested participants are encouraged to register before the event reaches its capacity of 3,000 runners.
The event, presented by the Packers and Bellin Health, is a run/walk set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 31, the first day of Packers training camp.
The computer-timed run is highlighted by a neighborhood route that ultimately takes participants into Lambeau Field and around the famed gridiron. The event has a special finish line located in the parking lot - a replica of the team's 50-yard line, which will be created on a partially sized field, painted to mirror Lambeau Field on game day.
Bellin Health is contributing its considerable race expertise to the event through logistical and medical support. The organization's..
| | Packers Green Team Announces 'First Downs For Trees' | Packers Story: Packers' First Downs To Result In Additional Trees Planted In Community
The Packers Green Team and Wisconsin Public Service today announced a new program, "First Downs for Trees," a joint effort with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and local forestry and parks departments in Northeastern Wisconsin to increase the number of trees planted in the area.
The announcement was made at Skyline Park in Ashwaubenon, located just south of Lambeau Field. A tree was planted to kick off the program.
Through the program, the Packers will provide additional trees to be planted in Brown County, with one tree to be planted for each first down earned by the team during the regular season. (Last year's squad gained 335 first downs.) A combination of sugar maples, hackberry, honeylocust and flowering crab trees are among the species that will be used.
"Tre..
| | More Than 30,500 Tickets Sold For Packers Family Night | Packers Story: Click here for the Family Night Fact Sheet
Aug. 7 Event to Benefit Wendy's Wonderful Kids Program
More than 30,500 tickets for 'Packers Family Night, Presented by Bellin Health,' have been sold, the organization reported Monday.
With the initial sales period having passed, the limit of eight tickets per purchase has been removed.
Tickets, priced at $10, are available through Ticketmaster and may be purchased in person, over the phone or via the Internet. Tickets also can be purchased at the Packers' ticket office in person. All individuals, regardless of age, require a ticket for admittance.
A direct link to online ticket sales information can be found by clicking here.
Over the phone, tickets can be purchased by calling toll fr..
| | Festival Foods To Operate Two Eateries In Lambeau Field Atrium | Packers Story: Titletown Grill and Boomerang Cafe To Open For Shareholders Meeting, July 29
The Green Bay Packers and Festival Foods today announced a partnership to operate two eateries, the Festival Foods Titletown Grill and Festival Foods Boomerang Cafe, in the Lambeau Field Atrium.
The eateries will celebrate their first day of operations for the Packers' annual shareholders meeting, July 29, and then re-open for training camp, Packers game weekends, and during special events.
"Festival Foods has been a great partner with the Packers and their first-class operation of the eateries will enhance the relationship," said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. "Starting with the Frozen Tundra Hockey Classic in 2006 and continuing with other events such as Festival of Lights, our fans have appreciated the excellent work of Festival Foods."
The operation of the eateries is a natural extension for Festival Foods, which recently opened The Marq (formerly the..
| | Packers Family Night Tickets On Sale Friday | Packers Story: Click here for the Family Night Fact Sheet
Aug. 7 Event to Benefit Wendy's Wonderful Kids Program
Tickets for 'Packers Family Night, Presented by Bellin Health,' go on sale at 9 a.m. Friday, June 25.
Tickets, priced at $10, will be available through Ticketmaster and may be purchased in person, over the phone or via the Internet. Tickets also can be purchased at the Packers' ticket office in person. A limit of eight tickets per purchase will be in place for an initial sales period to allow more fans to have the chance to make a transaction. All individuals, regardless of age, require a ticket for admittance.
A direct link to online ticket sales information can be found by clicking here.
Over the phone, tickets can be purchased by calling ..
| | Packers Sign Three Draft Picks | Packers Story: The Green Bay Packers have signed G/T Marshall Newhouse, RB James Starks and DE C.J. Wilson. The signings were announced Wednesday by Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson.
Newhouse, the second of the team's two fifth-round draft picks, was a three-year starter at left tackle for TCU. He appeared in 52 career games, including 38 starts, and earned first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors as a senior.
Starks, a sixth-round selection, became Buffalo's all-time leading rusher in just three collegiate seasons (2006-2008). Though he missed the 2009 season due to injury, he also holds school records for rushing touchdowns (34) and points scored (222).
Wilson, a seventh-round pick, was a four-year letterman at East Carolina. In 54 career games, including 37 starts to close out his collegiate career, he tallied 192 tackles, including 45 for loss, and 27 sacks. He earned first-team All-Conference USA hon..
| | Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - June 22 | Packers Story: (What have you seen from Allen Barbre?)
Allen Barbre has been working exclusively on the left side. He has been working at left guard and at left tackle. Allen has matured through his experience last year, both in the weight room and I feel on the field. I think he has done an excellent job at left guard. He has done some very good things. We have looked at him on some special teams, so we're just trying to create opportunities for all of the players, particularly Allen, following suit with not exactly what we did with Spencer Havner, but more in that mindset. We feel we have some very talented football players and we know there is going to be some players that we are going to have to make some tough decisions on. We want to make sure we have as many opportunities throughout for as many guys that have that flexibility. You see Allen Barbre running down on a kickoff cover, it's pretty impressive. He's had a good offseason.
(How set is your roster at t..
| | Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - June 21 | Packers Story: (How did Tramon Williams look to you?)
I love your first questions. I look forward to them. Tramon Williams. I did not get a chance to watch him a whole lot. I watched him work out on Thursday. He's in excellent shape. I'll have more information when I watch the film. But I'm not concerned with where Tramon is right now. I think he'll be fine and ready to go when training camp starts, and we'll use these couple days here to get him up to speed.
(Good to have him back in the fold?)
Absolutely. Tramon Williams, he's one of our guys. He's a Green Bay Packer. He's someone that I've personally enjoyed watch grow from his time here, the way he came into our program and the individual success that he's had, and really for the bright future that's in front of him. It's great to have Tramon back.
(The mandatory mini-camp used to be a bigger deal. Is it a testament to the attendance you had in OTAs that this is a continuation of tha..
| | Packers Family Night Group Ticket Orders Due Monday | Packers Story: Click here for the Family Night Fact Sheet
Aug. 7 Event to Benefit Wendy's Wonderful Kids Program; General Ticket Sales Begin June 25
The Green Bay Packers on Saturday reminded interested parties that group ticket orders for 'Packers Family Night, Presented by Bellin Health,' are due Monday, June 21.
The group ticket program (minimum of 50 tickets) application form is available online here, in person at the Packers ticket office or can be requested to be faxed by calling 920/569-7501. Group ticket orders are restricted to approved groups and organizations, and are to be used for the sole purpose of accommodating a group or organizational outing. Resale is prohibited.
Space is limited for group orders. If the total number of tickets requested by groups exceeds the number of seats..
| | Packers Release Four Players | Packers Story: The Green Bay Packers have released CB Trevor Ford, S Khalil Jones, LB Tim Knicky and QB Noah Shepard. The transactions were announced Friday by Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson.
Ford was signed as a non-drafted free agent in May 2009 and appeared in three games for the Packers last season. Jones spent the final two weeks of the 2009 season on the Packers' practice squad.
Both Knicky and Shepard were signed as non-drafted free agents in April 2010.
| | NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell To Attend Packers Annual Meeting | Packers Story: Will Visit With Shareholders and Answer Questions At July 29 Meeting At Lambeau Field
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will be in attendance at the Green Bay Packers Annual Meeting of Shareholders, set for July 29, at 11 a.m. in Lambeau Field.
Information about the special visit from the commissioner was included in proxy information that was sent and e-mailed to shareholders this week. Shareholders are being asked to vote their proxies online in an effort to streamline the process and save resources.
Goodell is scheduled to answer questions submitted by shareholders after the conclusion of the meeting. Shareholders have the opportunity to submit questions when voting their proxies online, and also will be able to submit questions in writing the day of the meeting.
This year's meeting will mark the seventh time the event will be held in Lambeau Field (1998-99, 2006-09).
| | Tickets Still Available For 'Evening With Lombardi,' June 21, At Lambeau Field Atrium | Packers Story: Event To Feature Key Members Of The Creative Team For The Upcoming Broadway Production About The Life Of The Hall Of Fame Coach
Tickets remain available for the special event, "An Evening with Lombardi," on Monday night, June 21, at 7 p.m. in the Legends Club of the Lambeau Field Atrium.
Tickets can be picked up, for a $10 donation, in person at the Packers' ticket office. On Monday, June 21, the ticket office will be open until 6:30 p.m. Cash or checks only will be accepted. Proceeds from the evening will benefit area theater groups.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. for the unique event which will feature key figures from the upcoming Broadway play, "Lombardi," talking about the production and the life of the legendary former Packers coach Vince Lombardi in a very intimate setting. The play is set to open on Broadway, in New York's Circle in the Square Theater, on Oct. 21.
The evening's participants will include:
Veteran actor Dan Lau..
| | Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - June 16 | Packers Story: (Most of OTAs in the book, where are you at?)
Most of the OTAs in the book ... well, we've probably got about 85 percent of our offensive and defensive schemes in. We'll have one more installation tomorrow, and those installations will be mirrored in the training camp practice schedules. Everybody will have been introduced to all the new concepts and everything we're trying to accomplish by the end of tomorrow's practice, and we'll go into the mini-camp and we will go back and review installs one through nine.
(Have you had any recent conversations with Tramon Williams and do you expect him next week?)
Tramon, Atari, I really have no new information for you. As we spoke last week, Johnny Jolly has signed his tender. I have excused Johnny from mini-camp next week. We feel it's important for him to concentrate on his legal situation. But I have nothing new to report on either Tramon or Atari today.
(So you don't know if they..
| | Packers, Bellin Health Offer 5k Run At Lambeau Field July 31 | Packers Story: Computer-Timed Route Includes Lap Around Lambeau Field
The Green Bay Packers and Bellin Health today announced details for the inaugural 5K Run at Lambeau Field, set for the morning of the Packers' first day of training camp, July 31.
The computer-timed run, which begins at 10 a.m., is highlighted by a neighborhood route that ultimately takes participants into Lambeau Field and around the famed gridiron. The event has a special finish line located in the parking lot - a replica of the team's 50-yard line, which will be created on a partially sized natural grass field, painted to mirror Lambeau Field on game day.
"As our players get training camp underway, runners and walkers can participate in their own way through the 5K," said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. "The start of training camp is an energizing time. We're excited to add this healthy-minded event as part of the kickoff weekend."
Bellin Health will be contributing its cons..
| | Packers To Host 'Evening With Lombardi,' June 21, At Lambeau Field Atrium | Packers Story: Event To Feature Key Members Of The Creative Team For The Upcoming Broadway Production About The Life Of The Hall Of Fame Coach
Limited Tickets Available To The Public Monday In Person At Packers' Ticket Office; Proceeds To Benefit Area Theatre Groups
The Green Bay Packers announced today that they will host a special event for fans and the community, "An Evening with Lombardi," on Monday night, June 21, at 7 p.m. in the Legends Club of the Lambeau Field Atrium.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. for the unique event which will feature key figures from the upcoming Broadway play, "Lombardi," talking about the production and the life of the legendary former Packers coach Vince Lombardi in a very intimate setting. The play is set to open on Broadway, in New York's Circle in the Square Theater, on Oct. 21.
The evening's participants will include:
Veteran actor Dan Lauria ('The Wonder Years') who will play the legendary coach
Pulitzer ..
| | Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - June 9 | Packers Story: (There are a lot of padded practices early on in training camp again this year. Do you like the tone it sets?)
The training camp schedule is very similar, especially the first three weeks comparing to last year's training camp schedule. The number of padded practices that we had last year to the prior year is all the same. Now, once we get into the preseason games with Cleveland at home and Seattle away, and then we go to a short week at home against Indianapolis on Thursday night. We will then transfer into more of an in-season schedule. But I really like our training camp schedule, the 2-1-2 program. Our environment, in my opinion, is second to none. The new stadium down there with the fans and the night practices, it is a great environment and we look for quality, physical work again this year.
(How do you like the spacing of the preseason games?)
I'd prefer seven days between every game. If it was up to me I would play four on Saturd..
| | Packers 2010 Training Camp Schedule | Packers Story: 2010 Training Camp Announcement
Printable Training Camp Schedule (PDF)
2010 TRAINING CAMP PRACTICE DATES AND TIMES
All dates, times and dress are subject to change.
*Any practices moved inside to the Don Hutson Center due to inclement weather, poor field conditions or for any other reason will be closed to the public due to space limitations. All other practices listed are expected to be open unless listed otherwise. All outdoor practices are expected to be held on Ray Nitschke Field (across from the Resch Center). Type of practice (pads or shells) is subject to change without notice.
DayDatePractice Times
SaturdayJuly 312:00 p.m. - full pads
SundayAugust 18:45 a.m. - full pads
6:30 p.m. - full pads
MondayAugust 22:00 p.m. - full pads
TuesdayAu..
| | Schedule Set For Packers Training Camp, Presented By Bellin Health | Packers Story: Visit www.PackersTrainingCamp.com for more training camp information!
2010 Training Camp Schedule
Printable Training Camp Schedule (PDF)
**
Action Kicks Off Saturday, July 31, At 2 P.M.
The Green Bay Packers today announced the schedule for 2010 Packers Training Camp, Presented by Bellin Health, featuring seven two-a-days and eight night practices at Ray Nitschke Field.
With a theme of "Back to Football," training camp opens with a single practice at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 31. The first of seven two-a-day workouts follows Sunday, Aug. 1, with a morning practice at 8:45 a.m. and an evening workout at 6:30 p.m.
The other two-a-days, all with the same practice times of 8:45 a.m. and 6:30 p.m...
| | 'Packers Family Night, Presented By Bellin Health,' Set For Saturday, Aug. 7 | Packers Story: Click here for the Family Night Fact Sheet
Event to Benefit Wendy's Wonderful Kids Program
The Green Bay Packers today announced that 'Packers Family Night, Presented by Bellin Health,' will take place Saturday evening, Aug. 7. The event will benefit the Wendy's Wonderful Kids foster care adoption program, a signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.
'Family Night,' now in its 10th year, will feature an intra-squad scrimmage between the Packers' offense and defense. Evening activities get underway in the stadium at 5:30 p.m., followed by on-field football drills at 6:30 and the scrimmage at approximately 7:30.
"We're very pleased to have a great partner, Bellin Health, join us in one of our unique training camp traditions, 'Packers Family Night,'" said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. "It's exciting to welcome families into Lambeau Field ..
| | Finances Show Profit, But Troubling Trends Remain | Packers Story: RISE OF PLAYER COSTS RELATIVE TO REVENUE A GROWING CONCERN
The Green Bay Packers once again were profitable over the past fiscal year, but their operating profit dropped more than 50 percent from the previous year as the rising cost of player salaries continued to outpace revenue growth.
In the team's latest financial report, a preview of which was released to the media this week, the Packers' operating profit for the 2010 fiscal year (ending March 31, 2010), was $9.8 million, down from $20.1 million the year prior. The primary reason for the decline, despite a $10.1 million increase in overall revenue, was a $22.1 million jump in player costs, which increased 15.9 percent from $138.7 million to $160.8 million. It marked the third consecutive year that operating profits declined, from $34.2 million (2007) to $21.4 million (2008) to $20.1 million (2009) to $9.8 million (2010).
That's the trend the Packers have pointed to as unsustainable - declining o..
| | Memories Of A Packers Hall Of Famer: Mark Chmura | Packers Story: Former Green Bay Packers tight end Mark Chmura is among three 2010 inductees into the team's Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony is slated for Saturday, July 17.
A sixth-round selection in 1992 from Boston College, Chmura spent eight seasons in Green Bay (1992-99) and appeared in 89 games with 62 starts. He posted 188 receptions for 2,253 yards and 17 touchdowns during his career, with his reception and touchdown totals ranking fourth all-time among Packers tight ends.
Chmura earned All-Pro honors in 1995, was a three-time Pro Bowl selection (1995, 1997-98), and was a key contributor to the Packers' Super Bowl XXXI and XXXII teams. Packers.com caught up with Chmura to ask him to share with fans his recollections of the most memorable game in which he played for Green Bay, aside from the two Super Bowls.
It wasn't a game that led directly to a Super Bowl, at least not that year, but it was a pivotal one in the Packers' progression toward an NFL champ..
| | Memories Of A Packers Hall Of Famer: Greg Koch | Packers Story: Former Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Greg Koch is among three 2010 inductees into the team's Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony is slated for Saturday, July 17.
A second-round draft choice in 1977 from the University of Arkansas, Koch played nine seasons (1977-85) in Green Bay, appearing in 133 games. A fixture at right tackle almost immediately upon his arrival, he was a second-team All-Pro selection following the 1982 season and was part of one of the greatest offenses in club history when the Packers amassed 6,172 yards in 1983, the second-best output ever in club annals.
Packers.com caught up with Koch to get his recollections on a couple of the more memorable games in his Green Bay career.
The 1982 season is remembered league-wide as one shortened to nine regular-season games by a strike, but for the Green Bay Packers and Greg Koch, it became a historic and memorable season for a completely different reason.
The Packers made the..
| | Getting To Know A Draft Pick: Andrew Quarless | Packers Story: To help Packers fans get to know the newest members of the team better, Packers.com caught up with each of the seven 2010 draft picks for an extended Q&A about their background, both on and off the field.
The interviews are being posted as a weekly series, continuing today with fifth-round selection Andrew Quarless of Penn State.
Where is your hometown, and what is the most interesting thing about it?
My hometown is Uniondale, which is in Long Island, N.Y. It is right outside New York City, so you are right next to the city.
Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?
I usually say my own prayer. I usually listen to slow music to calm me down, because sometimes you get too excited and then by the time you get out there you are tired. I just try to calm down mentally and say my prayer.
What has been your greatest accomplishment on the football field?
We played in the Rose Bowl my junior year on t..
| | Return Game Looks To Improve On '09 | Packers Story: As the Green Bay Packers look at their return game for 2010, they see both promise and uncertainty, and that goes for both punt and kickoff returns.
On punt returns, it starts with Will Blackmon. There's plenty of promise there, as Blackmon returned three punts for touchdowns during the 2007-08 seasons, but no one can be certain how well he'll come back from the knee injury that ended his 2009 campaign after just four games.
"We're talking about a guy that's coming off major knee surgery, but we also are talking about a guy that's had very good production for us as a returner," special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum said. "Taking that he's healthy, we'll move forward, and I expect him to be a real factor there."
All reports throughout the spring indicated that Blackmon would be ready for the start of training camp. With Blackmon out last year, receiver Jordy Nelson averaged just 5.3 yards on 17 punt returns. Cornerback Tramon Williams nearly doubled that av..
| | Memories Of A Packers Hall Of Famer: Marv Fleming | Packers Story: Former Green Bay Packers tight end Marv Fleming is among three 2010 inductees into the team's Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony is slated for Saturday, July 17.
An 11th-round draft choice from Utah in 1963, Fleming played seven seasons (1963-69) in a Packers uniform, appearing in 95 games - fifth most in club history among tight ends. As a tremendous blocker, he was a key component of the Packers' vaunted sweep. He also recorded 109 receptions for 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns during his Packers career.
He was a key player for the Packers' three straight championship teams (1965-67), appearing in Super Bowls I and II. Packers.com caught up with Fleming to ask him to share with fans his recollections of the most memorable game in which he played for Green Bay, aside from the two Super Bowls.
When Packers fans reflect on or hear about the 1967 season, most of the attention is immediately focused on the famous "Ice Bowl" against the Dallas Cowboys an..
| | Destined To Be Great In Four Seconds | Packers Story: In a matter of four seconds, the quarterback must make a throw with pin point accuracy to keep his team moving down the field. One-one thousand, the quarterback drops back in the pocket. Two-one thousand, his receivers break off their routes. Three-one thousand, the quarterback scrambles to his right and scans the field for an open receiver. Four-one thousand, the buzzer goes off just after he releases the ball.
Those four seconds and the pressure to guide their team to the NFL 7-on-7 National Tournament, presented by the National Guard, is what eight quarterbacks and their teammates faced on Sat., June 19, at the Packers' second annual Youth Football Tournament inside the Don Hutson Center.
After a round-robin portion of the bracket, Ashwaubenon worked its way through a single-elimination bracket and pulled out an exciting 48-42 overtime victory against Edgar. The second-seeded Jaguars used a superb defensive effort, prior to completing a heart-pounding fourth-and-..
| | Getting To Know A Draft Pick: Marshall Newhouse | Packers Story: To help Packers fans get to know the newest members of the team better, Packers.com caught up with each of the seven 2010 draft picks for an extended Q&A about their background, both on and off the field.
The interviews are being posted as a weekly series, continuing today with fifth-round selection Marshall Newhouse of TCU.
Where is your hometown, and what is the most interesting thing about it?
I'm from Dallas, but I'm from a community in Dallas called Lake Highlands. As a high school, at one point we had the most NFL players from one high school in the nation. We have a pretty well-renowned football program at Lake Highlands. Guys like Frank Okam (defensive tackle, Houston Texans) and Marcus Coleman (former defensive back for the Jets, Texans and Cowboys) made it. We've had a few guys here and there, and at one point there were seven or eight guys from our high school in the league. It was pretty cool.
Do you have any pre-game..
| | 'Evening With Lombardi' Intrigued Packers Fans | Packers Story: Less than a handful of times people can recall when sports and theatre have mixed. The yet-to-be-released play 'Lombardi' - based on David Maraniss' impressive biography When Pride Still Mattered - was talked and discussed in detail Monday evening at Lambeau Field, amongst Packers fans of all ages.
To show how important and inspiring this Broadway play is to the people of Green Bay, Dan Lauria received a standing ovation after he finished a brief portrayal of Vince Lombardi's speech in an opening scene. The crowd rose, clapped and cheered when he ended with, "We only want winners."
This original piece will bring the art and sports audience together to watch one of the most iconic Americans of the 20th century, Vince Lombardi.
A long time coming, this historic play opens Oct. 21 at Circle in the Square in New York, and is about one of the most famous men in Green Bay history and quite possibly NFL coaching history. The man who will be representing the..
| | Lang Eager To Make Up For Missed Offseason | Packers Story: Simply put, offensive lineman T.J. Lang has done his best to make the most of a difficult situation.
Geared up like many second-year pros are for their first full offseason program in the NFL, Lang reported with the rest of the Packers' participants in mid-March and got to work. But within the first two weeks of workouts, the wrist that had begun bothering Lang toward the end of last season was flaring up again.
So he went to have another round of tests done on it and, lo and behold, a fracture that had not been visible on previous scans was suddenly present. So Lang was scheduled for surgery in early April and ruled out of all the spring organized team activities (OTAs) and recently concluded mini-camp.
Just like that, the opportunity to be in his first offseason program, a time coaches swear helps players make their biggest jumps from Year 1 to Year 2 in the NFL, was gone.
"It was pretty disappointing," Lang said. "I was expecting to have a prett..
| | Getting To Know A Draft Pick: James Starks | Packers Story: To help Packers fans get to know the newest members of the team better, Packers.com caught up with each of the seven 2010 draft picks for an extended Q&A about their background, both on and off the field.
The interviews will be posted as a weekly series, continuing today with sixth-round selection James Starks from Buffalo.
Where is your hometown, and what is the most interesting thing about it?
Niagara Falls is where I'm from. For it to be such a small town, I would say there's a lot to do. As far as sports and everything, you can keep yourself busy.
Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?
I usually listen to some gospel music first, and then I'll listen to some R&B, and then I'll listen to some rap. The gospel music kind of soothes you, the R&B you start getting in the mood a little more, and then rap just takes over when it's about that time to play. Since high school, I felt comfortable every game doing tha..
| | Packers Shock Winners With Road Trip Giveaway | Packers Story: Is this a scam? Do you really work for the Green Bay Packers? Is this a joke? I am not giving my social security number to a telemarketer because there has to be a catch. This has to be a hoax. Prove to me that I am really the winner of two tickets, roundtrip airfare and a hotel room for two nights to a randomly selected Green Bay Packers road game this season.
Those are just a few thoughts that ran through the minds of Tracy Dahl and Tina Uecker when they received a call from Garrison Cummings and the Packers Pro Shop. Those two, along with six others, were the lucky few drawn from over 63,000 entries in the contest.
"When I signed up, I did not think that I had a chance of winning at all," Uecker said. "I truly didn't believe that people actually won those internet contests. But, I love the Packers, so thought that it would be worth a shot.
"I thought it was a hoax. I think I asked Garrison four times if it was for real and what the catch was. He assured ..
| | Notebook: Receivers Take Strides During Offseason | Packers Story: With more snaps to be had during OTAs and mini-camp with the No. 1 offense, fourth-year wide receiver James Jones and third-year wideout Jordy Nelson both made the most of their opportunities.
Those increased reps came courtesy of wide receiver Donald Driver's absence after the 35-year-old veteran had clean-up procedures on both of his knees this offseason.
"I think James Jones and Jordy Nelson have had outstanding offseasons," Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. "If you go through the OTA films, James Jones, just from a production standpoint, probably stands out as one of the top performers through the OTAs. He's gotten a lot of opportunities, particularly in the slot with Donald's absence, and I think he's done a very good job of that.
"I think Jordy's had some outstanding days of practice and is very fundamentally sound. So that group has a lot of experience, the tight end group, they have a lot of experience together. I really like the perimeter group, just..
| | Woodson Taking Nothing For Granted | Packers Story: As cornerback Charles Woodson enters his 13th season in the NFL still chasing that elusive championship, his perspective is worth listening to.
Having been a member of five playoff teams during his 12 combined years in Oakland and Green Bay, Woodson knows as well as anyone that there are no guarantees in this league.
He was a member of the Raiders' 2002 Super Bowl team that failed to make the playoffs the following season. And he was on the Packers' 2007 team that reached the NFC Championship Game and didn't go to the postseason the next year.
So when Woodson reflects on the 2009 Packers' squad that was as hot as any team in the NFC in the second half of last season -- only to fall agonizingly short in overtime in the Wild Card playoff in Arizona -- and on the foundation that experience can lay for another potential playoff run in 2010, he's not going to believe everything will just magically fall into place.
It's going to take more than that, and ..
| | Notebook: Jenkins Keeps Expanding His Game | Packers Story: Throughout his career with the Green Bay Packers, defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins has made himself valuable with his versatility.
Beginning in 2004, Jenkins proved to be a productive defensive tackle in the previous 4-3 alignment, stuffing the run and rushing the passer from the inside. Then late in the 2006 season, he shifted out to defensive end on early downs and maintained his role as an inside rusher in the nickel package.
Last season he made the switch to defensive coordinator Dom Capers' 3-4 scheme as an end in the base defense and, again, an inside rusher in sub packages.
Now his repertoire is expanding even further, as Jenkins took a handful of snaps in Monday's mini-camp practice as a stand-up outside linebacker, rushing the passer on the edge from a two-point stance.
"It's always good to feel like your game is respected enough where they'll even consider to do things like that, especially being a big guy at 300-plus pounds," Jenkins sai..
| | Williams Returns To Action | Packers Story: With the Packers in their final week of offseason practices before a month off until training camp begins, the team welcomed the return of one of their most dependable players in cornerback Tramon Williams.
Williams, who didn't sign his restricted free agent tender until last week, was back on the field for the first time this offseason and worked with the No. 1 defense at right cornerback on the opening day of Green Bay's mandatory mini-camp.
"I felt great," Williams said. "I felt better than I thought I was going to feel, so it was a good thing."
Williams did not participate in the Packers' four weeks of organized team activities, instead working out back in Houston with LeRoy Franklin, a trainer he also worked with coming out of college back in 2006.
"I watched him work out on Thursday," Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. "He's in excellent shape. I'll have more information when I watch the film. But I'm not concerned with where Tramon is right now...
| | Defense Eager To Employ New Tweaks To Scheme | Packers Story: Offseason workouts in the NFL can be a real grind. There are no games to look forward to, and there are no pads and no hitting to spice up the practice action.
But talk to a few of the Green Bay Packers' defensive players and there's definitely some excitement swirling as the offseason winds down with next week's mini-camp. That energy stems from what they see as a potentially expanded playbook in the second year of defensive coordinator Dom Capers' 3-4 scheme.
"We went through the first half of these OTAs and we were just kind of rehashing memory from last year, but now we're learning new defenses," second-year outside linebacker Clay Matthews said. "We're trying to implement new ideas and schemes to see ways in which we can beat teams that we fell short (against) last year.
"We're light years ahead of where we were last year and we look forward to start using all these plays we're putting in."
No scheme stays exactly the same from year to year. C..
| | Two Mini-Camp Practices Open To Public | Packers Story: Fans have one last chance to see the Packers practice before training camp begins later this summer.
The team's three-day mandatory mini-camp begins on Monday, and the first two practices are open to the public, weather permitting. The workouts are scheduled for 10:45 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday at Ray Nitschke Field.
The mini-camp officially concludes the team's offseason program, which began in mid-March. The players take approximately five weeks off before reporting for training camp on July 30. The first training camp practice is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 31, at Nitschke Field.
| | Notebook: Starks Looking To Make His Mark | Packers Story: Rookie running back James Starks last played in a game more than 18 months ago, and he knows questions about his durability will linger until he gets back on the field and stays there.
Starks, who was selected by the Packers in the sixth round of this year's draft out of the University at Buffalo, sat out his entire senior campaign following shoulder surgery last August. While that missed time surely caused his draft stock to plummet, Starks said he is pain-free and is trying to look at the positive side of the year away from game action.
"People look at it as if, 'Man, he didn't play a whole season,'" Starks said. "I have to look at it as a good thing. I didn't take any bangs and I got to work out and get stronger, building my strength and endurance as far as my shoulders and everything. I should be fine."
Starks entered his senior year as a preseason All-America and All-Mid-American Conference selection. He was originally limited by the shoulder injury i..
| | Competitive Training Camp Shaping Up In Secondary | Packers Story: Seeing cornerback Charles Woodson taking part in Wednesday's open OTA practice on Ray Nitschke Field was a return to normalcy of sorts for the Packers' secondary, but it was also a reminder of just how different that unit could look come training camp.
During OTAs over the past month, young players like Pat Lee and Brandon Underwood, along with veteran Jarrett Bush, have taken the vast majority of first-team reps at cornerback, as have veteran Pro Bowler Nick Collins and rookie third-round draft choice Morgan Burnett at safety.
That has left the second and third units to be filled out by a slew of rookies and other young players trying to make their mark. The OTAs have provided a significant opportunity for cornerbacks Josh Bell, Trevor Ford, D.J. Clark and Sam Shields, along with safeties Charlie Peprah, Anthony Levine and Khalil Jones, to get noticed.
But that depth chart is almost certain to change, and perhaps dramatically so. The list of defensive back..
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Yahoo! Sports - NFL - Green Bay Packers News
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| Packers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports) | | The Packers had a sneaking suspicion they would have to play without defensive end Johnny Jolly. Maybe not the entire 2010 season—as is the profound case for Jolly, whom the NFL suspended indefinitely July 16 for violating its substance-abuse policy—but Green Bay braced itself for the prospect of a lengthy absence. Now that Jolly won't be able to apply for reinstatement until after Super Bowl XLV in February, the Packers' moves during the offseason made sense. They used a high pick on a defensive end in the April draft, taking Purdue's Mike Neal in the second round. With Jolly nowhere in sight on the practice field, the team shifted previously entrenched nose tackle Ryan Pickett to Jolly's starting spot at left end, enabling 2009 first-round...
| | Goodell: Pack finances reflect owner concerns (The Canadian Press) | GREEN BAY, Wis. - As the only NFL team required to disclose its financial information to the public, the Green Bay Packers have become Exhibit A amid rising tensions between owners and players over a new collective bargaining agreement.
| | Goodell: Pack finances reflect NFL owner concerns (AP) | As the only NFL team required to disclose its financial information to the public, the Green Bay Packers have become Exhibit A amid rising tensions between owners and players over a new collective bargaining agreement. Just don't expect other teams to open up their books in an attempt to make the owners' case.
| | NFL Team Reports: NFC North (SportingNews.com) | Several times a week, The Trenches will present team reports from Sporting News' 32 NFL correspondents.
| | Holmgren hobbling, but excited by team (The Canadian Press) | BEREA, Ohio - Mike Holmgren is excited about the Cleveland Browns — even if he is starting his first season as team president with his right leg in a cast.
| | Time for rookie hazing to end (Yahoo! Sports) | Cowboys WR Dez Bryant was right to reject a practice that no longer matches the NFL's current landscape.
| | Packers sign Neal, only Bulaga left (AP) | The Green Bay Packers signed second-round pick Mike Neal on Monday, leaving only first-rounder Bryan Bulaga unsigned from April's draft. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Neal is a defensive end who played four years at Purdue. He started 23 games and appeared in 46 overall, making 99 tackles including 13 sacks.
| | NFL preseason capsules (AP) | NFL preseason capsules as training camps open: AFC EAST BUFFALO BILLS (6-10) OPEN CAMP: July 29 LAST YEAR: Popgun offense that Terrell Owens couldn't spark, instability at quarterback and inability to stop the run conspired to prompt yet another coaching change (Dick Jauron fired after 3-6 start) as bumbling Bills celebrated their 50th year by capping a decade of ineptitude and missing...
| | The Shutdown Corner Team Preview: The Detroit Lions (Yahoo! Sports) | With the first rookie camp just around the corner, and the preseason soon after, it's time to start...
| | DB rankings: Here's why Jets top the Pack (Yahoo! Sports) | The Jets have the potential to feature a more frightening defense with the addition of Antonio Cromartie.
| | Deep Posts: The Albert Haynesworth Diet Plan (Yahoo! Sports) | Well, here's the latest on the ongoing Albert Haynesworth vs. the Washington Redskins saga: Haynesworth...
| | Packers open books, prove little (Yahoo! Sports) | The Green Bay Packers franchise's recent financial disclosure was an interesting gambit in the ongoing labor...
| | Chmura, Fleming, Koch inducted into Packers Hall (AP) | Mark Chmura was pretty sure this day would never come. The former Green Bay tight end was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame on Saturday despite a career that was tarnished by a sexual assault allegation. A vital cog on the Packers' two Super Bowl teams in the 1990s and a three-time Pro Bowl selection, Chmura called this the "icing on the cake" of his football life.
| | NFL suspends Packers DL Jolly indefinitely (The Canadian Press) | GREEN BAY, Wis. - The NFL suspended Green Bay Packers defensive end Johnny Jolly without pay for the upcoming season and perhaps beyond for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
| | The Big Ten might make itself at home at Lambeau Field (Yahoo! Sports) | Lambeau Field, historic home to the Green Bay Packers, might also soon be home to the Big Ten's title game .
| | Packers' Woodson and 15 others escape house fire (PA SportsTicker) | Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson says he was lucky to escape a burning house in Michigan over the weekend.
| | Packers' profit dips, team cites player costs (The Canadian Press) | GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay Packers remain profitable, just not as much as they have been in recent years.
| | Packers' Woodson and others escape house fire (The Canadian Press) | BAY HARBOR, Mich. - Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson says he was lucky to escape a burning house in Michigan over the weekend.
| | Packers need more help up front (Yahoo! Sports) | Aaron Rodgers put up impressive numbers despite the lack of support from Green Bay's O-line.
| | Heroic Charles Woodson shuts down a house fire (Yahoo! Sports) | OK, so maybe he didn't completely shut it down — the fire did manage to reduce a gigantic house to a...
| | Packers sign fifth-round pick Quarless (The Canadian Press) | GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay Packers have signed tight end Andrew Quarless, a fifth-round pick in the NFL draft.
| | Packers sign fifth-round TE Quarless (AP) | The Green Bay Packers have signed tight end Andrew Quarless, a fifth-round pick in the NFL draft. Quarless started 29 games at Penn State. He finished his career as the Nittany Lions' all-time leader in receptions by a tight end (87) and second in receiving yards by a tight end (1,146). Quarless becomes the fourth of seven Packers draft picks to sign with the team.
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FOXSports.com News for Packers
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| Shareholders: High Expectations Embraced |
| | Buzz: Latest from NFL training camps | Buzz: Latest news from around NFL training camps.
 
NFL - sport - Football - American - Training camp
| | Two-a-Days: Cornerbacks |
| | Two-a-Days: Inside LBs |
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| | Training Camp Starts Saturday |
| | Two-a-Days: Safeties |
| | STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL | An anticipated camp battle between incumbent Atari Bigby and rookie Morgan Burnett at strong safety is shaping up now that money matters are being resolved.
The Packers signed Burnett, a third-round draft pick, to a four-year contract July 20.
To ensure what could be a highly competitive showdown for the starting job when training camp starts July 31, the team and Bigby will have to reach an accord.
Bigby remains unsigned as a restricted free agent and, consequently, missed all offseason workouts. That opened the door for Burnett to step in as a starter alongside Pro Bowl free safety Nick Collins and flash some of the playmaking skills he had in college at Georgia Tech.
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Aaron Rodgers. Backups -- Matt Flynn, Graham Harrell.
Despite being sacked a league-high 50 times in 2009, Rodgers delivered a Pro Bowl-worthy season in getting the Packers back to the playoffs. He had career highs for passes (541), completions (350), passing yards (4,434) and touchdowns (30) as he connected on 64.7 percent of his throws with only seven interceptions for a gaudy passer rating of 103.2. Rodgers is a dual threat to pull the football down, compiling 316 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. He took responsibility for some of the high frequency of sacks and spent extra time in the offseason on working to get rid of the ball sooner. Flynn is destined to be Rodgers' top backup for a third straight season. His time to shine invariably is in the preseason games, but Flynn has refined his passing skills to go with solid leadership to give the Packers faith he could lead the offense if needed. Harrell, a prolific college passer at Texas Tech, signed as a free agent in the offseason and may be no better than practice-squad material should Green Bay keep only two quarterbacks on the roster for the second straight season.
RUNNING BACKS: Starters -- Ryan Grant, FB Quinn Johnson. Backups -- Brandon Jackson, James Starks, Kregg Lumpkin, Quinn Porter; FB Korey Hall, FB John Kuhn.
In the Packers' pass-thriving offense, Grant quietly produced a second straight 1,200-yard season, rushing for 1,253 to eclipse his 2008 output of 1,203. Grant regained the explosiveness that often eluded him the previous season and improved his per-carry average by a half yard to 4.4. Green Bay had little to speak of for rushing yards after Grant, however, in 2009. Rodgers, as the quarterback, ranked No. 2 on the team. Jackson likely will be the No. 2 back since he is dependable as a third-down blocker and pass catcher, but he must offer more than the 111 yards in 37 carries (3.0 average) from a season ago. Starks, a sixth-round draft pick, is an intriguing rookie prospect and could win the No. 3 job even after not playing his final college season at Buffalo because of a shoulder injury. Johnson is a bulldozer at fullback, and the time seems right to let him start after the team brought him along gradually as a rookie last season. Keeping three fullbacks another season seems unlikely, so it comes down to a battle between Hall and Kuhn, who offer a lot on special teams.
TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- Jermichael Finley. Backups -- Donald Lee, Andrew Quarless, Spencer Havner, Tom Crabtree.
Finley is on the cusp of being the next dominant tight end in the league. His breakthrough sophomore season, by the end of which he jumped ahead of Lee as the starter, featured 55 catches for 676 yards and five touchdowns. Lee's production dipped the last two seasons, when he had 39 and 37 receptions after a 48-catch, six-touchdown 2007 season. He will turn 30 Aug. 31 but remains an asset for doing the dirty work on the line. Quarless, a fifth-round draft pick, has big-play potential but will have to prove he has moved past a troubled career at Penn State. Havner, who spent the offseason recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in a motorcycle accident, could be the odd man out after coming through with four touchdown grabs in his move from linebacker to tight end last season.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Greg Jennings, Donald Driver. Backups -- James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Brett Swain, Patrick Williams, Chastin West, Charles Dillon, Shawn Gore, Jeff Moturi.
Jennings and Driver give the Packers one of the best pass-catching tandems in the league. They combined for 138 receptions, more than 2,100 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2009. Driver, who led a balanced passing attack with 70 catches and six touchdowns, is showing no letup at age 35 and feels energized after recovering in the offseason from arthroscopic surgery on both knees. Jones and Nelson thrived in Driver's absence in the offseason practices, and Nelson was particularly in sync with Rodgers. Swain, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, leads the cast of young players' vying for the fifth and probably final spot on the roster.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LT Chad Clifton, LG Daryn Colledge, C Scott Wells, RG Josh Sitton, RT Mark Tauscher. Backups -- C/G Jason Spitz, T Bryan Bulaga, T/G T.J. Lang, T/G Allen Barbre, T/G Marshall Newhouse, C/G Evan Dietrich-Smith, T Breno Giacomini, T Chris Campbell, G Nick McDonald.
The pressure is on the line to get its act together after it was mostly to blame for putting Rodgers in harm's way with the 50 sacks last season. The veteran combination of Clifton and Tauscher make a difference for the right reasons when they are healthy and on the field, so the Packers were compelled to re-sign them as free agents in the offseason. The team protected itself should Clifton, who hasn't played a full season since 2007, suffer a setback by taking former Iowa standout Bulaga in the first round of the draft. Lang, a non-participant in offseason workouts because of wrist surgery, is expected to be ready for the start of camp and will back up Tauscher. Wells and Sitton are coming off solid seasons. That leaves the Packers to get things solidified at left guard. Colledge has been the primary starter there since his rookie season in 2006, but he will have to fend off a challenge from his pal Spitz, who is recovered from a back injury that cost him the final three months of last season and the starting job at center. Newhouse, a fifth-round draft pick, needs development and is better suited to play guard after starting at left tackle in college.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LDE Ryan Pickett, NT B.J. Raji, RDE Cullen Jenkins. Backups -- DE Justin Harrell, DE Mike Neal, DE Jarius Wynn, DE C.J. Wilson, DE Ronald Talley, NT Anthony Toribio, NT Aleric Mullins.
Not having Johnny Jolly on the field to open camp won't be new for the Packers, who were without him throughout the offseason. Still, the July 16 announcement from the league office that Jolly had been suspended for at least this season because of a violation of the substance-abuse policy means Green Bay will have to make do without a productive starter for the long haul. Pickett, exclusively a nose tackle his first nine years in the league, was moved to Jolly's spot at left end in the 3-4 alignment. That allows Raji, the team's top draft pick last year, to finally assume a full-time role at his natural spot on the inside after his rookie season was hindered by a camp holdout and an ankle injury. Jenkins is a high-motor mainstay at right end. The wild card is Harrell, the oft-injured 2007 first-round draft pick who is healthy again after missing the 2009 season because of recurring back problems. With Jolly's uncertain future probably on their minds, the Packers took Neal from Purdue in the second round of the draft, and he will be counted on to bolster a lackluster pass rush, along with possibly Wilson, a seventh-round choice.
LINEBACKERS: Starters -- LOLB Brad Jones, ILB Nick Barnett, ILB A.J. Hawk, ROLB Clay Matthews. Backups -- ILB Brandon Chillar, OLB Brady Poppinga, ILB Desmond Bishop, Cyril Obiozor, Robert Francois, Frank Zombo, Alex Joseph, John Russell.
The Packers figure to open the season with the same starting four with whom they ended last season. The question mark is on the left side. Then-rookie Jones took over down the stretch for an injured Aaron Kampman, who since signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, and did some good things with four sacks and capable coverage skills. Still, the Packers are in need of more consistent pass rush from the position, which could make Poppinga a viable option after he lost the starting job on the other side to the highly productive Matthews (team-high 10 sacks as a rookie) early last season. Barnett and Hawk were 1-2 on the defense in tackles last season with 122 and 87, respectively, but the impactful plays from the former first-round draft picks were few and far between. Barnett should be ready for the start of camp after having arthroscopic knee surgery early in the offseason. Chillar and Bishop are nice situational players, and Obiozor has a chance to stick after being promoted from the practice squad as an undrafted rookie late last season.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- LCB Charles Woodson, RCB Al Harris, FS Nick Collins, SS Atari Bigby. Backups -- CB Tramon Williams, CB Pat Lee, CB Brandon Underwood, CB Josh Bell, CB Jarrett Bush, CB Sam Shields, CB D.J. Clark; S Morgan Burnett, S Will Blackmon, S Derrick Martin, S Charlie Peprah, S Anthony Levine.
Harris is optimistic he will be ready for Week 1 of the season, but the Packers haven't ruled out placing him on PUP as the 35-year-old tries to bounce back from several torn ligaments in his left knee in November. Williams, an emerging young player, gives the team comfort should Harris need more time in his recovery. What's more, the leader of the defense, Woodson, is fine and dandy at age 33 on the heels of being named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Woodson flourished in his new roving position with career highs of nine interceptions, three touchdown returns and 81 tackles, along with a personal-best-tying four forced fumbles. Things are murky beyond Woodson, Harris and Williams, though the team is hopeful Lee and/or Underwood can contribute in a nickel or dime role -- Lee is healthy again after missing the 2009 season with a knee injury. Who starts next to Collins, who earned a second straight trip to the Pro Bowl with six interceptions, is up in the air. Bigby, a restricted free agent, skipped all offseason workouts and has yet to sign the team's qualifying offer. Assuming he arrives and is signed for the start of camp, he will have a major battle on his hands to keep the starting job from going to Burnett, a third-round draft pick who exhibited his playmaking skills in the offseason. Blackmon was moved to safety after not contributing much in four seasons as a cornerback. Martin, who missed offseason work because of ankle surgery, is a valuable special-teams performer.
SPECIAL TEAMS: PK Mason Crosby, P Chris Bryan, P Tim Masthay, LS Brett Goode, PR/KOR Will Blackmon.
Besides the battle at safety, the most scrutinized duel in the preseason will be at punter. The Packers want to see what young candidates Bryan and Masthay can do in game situations, so the showdown could last most of camp. The left-footed Bryan has a knack for directional kicking, thanks to his experience of playing in his native Australian Rules Football. The right-footed Masthay had the stronger leg in the offseason. Crosby is determined to make amends for his lackluster efficiency in 2009, when he made 27 of 36 field goals for a career-worst 75 percent. Blackmon is recovered from the season-ending knee injury he suffered in Week 4 and should give the return game a much-needed boost.
Atari Bigby - Al Harris - Chad Clifton - Free agent - American football positions
| | Presented By: | 
| | NOTES, QUOTES | --SS Atari Bigby has signed his one-year, $1.759 million restricted free agent tender, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Bigby has been injury prone as a hard hitter, and will face competition for his starting job from rookie Morgan Burnett.
--Not unlike most teams, the Packers have some negotiating work to get done in the final days of the offseason.
Green Bay, which opens training camp July 31, has its top two draft picks unsigned: first-round offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga and second-round defensive end Mike Neal.
"Would I love to be in on time? Yeah," Bulaga said. "But, there's a business part to it. Mr. (Russ) Ball (the Packers contract negotiator) and my agent, Tom Condon, that's their job is to do that; my job is to come out and play football."
--Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and linebacker Clay Matthews were honored as the team's 2009 MVP and rookie of the year, respectively, at the Packers Hall of Fame induction event July 17.
Offensive tackle Greg Koch and tight ends Marv Fleming and Mark Chmura were enshrined.
--Packers president Mark Murphy said the team has interest in bringing a possible Big Ten Conference football championship game to Lambeau Field.
The title game is expected to be launched in 2011, when Nebraska joins the conference.
Murphy would like to boost the club's sagging locally generated revenue and previously mentioned expanding Lambeau Field's capacity by upward of 9,000 people as a possibility.
--NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is scheduled to attend the annual Packers shareholders meeting, July 29 at Lambeau.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "The important thing for us going into the season is going to be, let's get five guys in place up front who we feel good about and let's get five guys behind them we feel good about as well. We have the opportunity to not have a lot of shuffling." -- Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, on the state of the offensive line.
Atari Bigby - Al Harris - Chad Clifton - Free agent - American football positions
| | Presented By: |
| | INSIDE SLANT | The Packers had a sneaking suspicion they would have to play without defensive end Johnny Jolly.
Maybe not the entire 2010 season -- as is the profound case for Jolly, whom the NFL suspended indefinitely July 16 for violating its substance-abuse policy -- but Green Bay braced itself for the prospect of a lengthy absence.
Now that Jolly won't be able to apply for reinstatement until after Super Bowl XLV in February, the Packers' moves during the offseason made sense.
They used a high pick on a defensive end in the April draft, taking Purdue's Mike Neal in the second round.
With Jolly nowhere in sight on the practice field, the team shifted previously entrenched nose tackle Ryan Pickett to Jolly's starting spot at left end, enabling 2009 first-round draft pick B.J. Raji to take over at the nose, his natural spot.
With that, the Packers had their Jolly-less approach in place, if indeed the league disciplined him by docking games -- and pay.
"Johnny is a good player that loves everything about the game of football," general manager Ted Thompson said after the suspension was rendered. "We appreciate the contributions he has made to the Packers the past four seasons. His focus and priorities now lie elsewhere -- our thoughts are with him during this difficult personal time."
Jolly is only the second Green Bay player to be suspended for a season. Hall of Fame running back Paul Hornung was banished in 1963 for gambling.
Jolly faces up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted on a felony charge of possessing 200 grams of codeine outside a nightclub in his hometown of Houston in July 2008. The repeatedly delayed start to the trial is scheduled for July 30, the same day Jolly's teammates will report for training camp in Green Bay.
Despite the Packers' intuition to have a backup plan ready were Jolly to be lost for any length of time, he won't be easily replaced.
Jolly was a reliable and productive starter the last two seasons after he returned from a serious shoulder injury in 2007. He didn't miss a game in 2008 and '09 and produced 82 and 75 tackles in those seasons, the latter No. 1 among the team's defensive linemen.
Green Bay is going to try to compensate by plugging in the massive, yet mobile Pickett on the outside for the first time in his 10-year pro career and setting Raji loose on the inside to tie up blockers and provide some pass rush.
The depth behind the starting line, which includes right end Cullen Jenkins, is suspect since 2007 first-round draft pick Justin Harrell has been fragile as a pro and there's no telling what the Packers can get out of rookies Neal and possibly C.J. Wilson (seventh-round choice) this season.
So, the season-long suspension of Jolly can't be easily dismissed and could have far-reaching ramifications for the Packers.
CAMP CALENDAR: Players report July 30 to the team's facilities in Green Bay. Camp opens there July 31. An intrasquad scrimmage will be held at Lambeau Field on Saturday night, Aug. 7. The team has seven two-a-days scheduled in the first 20 days of camp, which will close Aug. 31.
Atari Bigby - Al Harris - Chad Clifton - Free agent - American football positions
| | Presented By: |
| | Bucs sign WR Benn, closer on DT McCoy | By RICK STROUD
Times Staff Writer
TAMPA - Mark Dominik crossed off another item from his
pre-training camp checklist as the
Bucs attempt to get every rookie
under contract before Friday's report date.
The
Bucs general manager said he also is
making progress on a five- or six-year deal for Oklahoma defensive
tackle Gerald McCoy, the third overall pick.
On Tuesday, the
Bucs signed receiver Arrelious Benn,
one of two second-round picks for the
Bucs in April, to a four-year
deal.
Mark Dominik - Oklahoma - Gerald McCoy - Wide receiver - Defensive tackle
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JSOnline.com Packers
JSOnline.com
| Packers by Position: Defensive linemen | Was Johnny Jolly's season-long suspension a death knell for the defensive line of the Packers? Not even close. Ted Thompson prepared for not having Jolly for at least a portion of 2010, expending almost $10 million in guaranteed money to keep Ryan Pickett and then drafting Mike Neal in the second round and another defensive end in the seventh.
| | Packers by Position: Running backs | Unlike some teams, Green Bay has just one back worthy of extensive carries. For better or worse, it will be Ryan Grant for the fourth straight season.
| | Packers, Bulaga close to agreement | Two sources indicated that first-round pick Bryan Bulaga, the lone Packer still unsigned, was in striking distance of an agreement and was likely to be in camp on time.
| | Packers to wear advertising patch | The Packers will wear an advertising patch on their practice jerseys, a first for the team, but a growing trend for the NFL.
| | Packers safety Bigby signs tender | For the fourth time in the last five years, the Green Bay Packers will have every veteran player under contract for the opening of training camp.
| | Packers by Position: Offensive line | If things go according to plan, the Green Bay Packers offensive line should be better than it was last season. If they don't, it could be a very long season for the offense.
| | No. 2 pick Neal signs | Defensive end Mike Neal signed Monday, leaving the Green Bay Packers with six of their seven draft choices under contract four days before the opening practice of training camp.
| | Packers by Position: Tight ends | Adrian Wilson, the Arizona Cardinals' three-time Pro Bowl strong safety, sounded like someone who never wanted to see Jermichael Finley again after a 51-45 overtime victory over Green Bay in the wild-card playoffs.
| | Packers by Position: Wide receivers | The division of footballs among the Green Bay Packers' four crack wide receivers means a lot more to the players than the coaches at one of the team's most outstanding positions.
| | Packers by Position: Quarterbacks | Just as the Packers were Brett Favre's team from 1992-2007, they now belong to Aaron Rodgers. Almost without skipping a beat, the Packers see it as making a simple and also stunning transition from one franchise quarterback to another.
| | Guide to Packers training camp | The Green Bay Packers' training camp will be at St. Norbert College in De Pere for the 53rd consecutive summer, the longest stay at one location for any NFL team.
| | Packers good enough for Super Bowl | The Green Bay Packers will have the Super Bowl realistically in their sights when training camp starts, but they need to get off to a good start.
| | Keeping the Packers staph free | The Packers equipment manager has the never-ending job of cleaning and maintaining the team gear. A few years ago he added something new to his already manic daily routine: the Sani Sport machine, which, according to its manufacturer, kills dangerous and contagious staph and e-coli bacteria and the H1N1 virus.
| | A railbirds' guide to Packers training camp | One of the most anticipated times in the NFL season is quickly approaching: Putting on the pads and going to work at training camp. But what exactly do the expert evaluators look for among the flying elbows in the clouds of dust?
| | Fleming, Koch and Chmura to be enshrined in Packers Hall of Fame | With Fleming, Greg Koch and Mark Chmura making up the inductee class for 2010, it should be a wonderfully entertaining walk down memory lane for the Packers Hall of Fame banquet Saturday evening at the Lambeau Field Atrium. The three men represent three different generations of Packers tradition and lore.
| | Packers' Jolly suspended indefinitely | The National Football League suspended Green Bay Packers defensive end Johnny Jolly indefinitely and without pay for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
| | Packers offer Lambeau Field as site for Big Ten title game | Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy said the team has made preliminary contact with Big Ten officials to request information on hosting a new conference championship game, which will become possible after Nebraska leaves the Big 12 for the Big Ten in 2011.
| | Favre: Health not an issue | Brett Favre was badly beat up in Minnesota's overtime loss at New Orleans last January, a well-documented part of that epic NFC Championship Game.
| | Packers' worth, worries up | The Green Bay Packers said Wednesday that the franchise's net profit was up last year and it had record revenue but said higher expenses, including player costs, remain worrisome.
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