This was certainly a week like no other in the Packers Universe. A full off-season’s worth of activity was compressed into a time period of seven days. Here’s a day by day account of the week’s events:
Monday: July 25th, 2011
– The NFL lockout ends and the players approve the new agreement.
– Packers immediately start reaching unofficial agreements with Undrafted Rookie Free Agents (UDFA)
Tuesday: July 26th, 2011
– Nick Barnett comes to Lambeau Field, meets with Ted Thompson and leaves with only memories of his 8-year Packers career. Packers save 5 million in cap space.
– Packers Announce the signing of UDFAs:
Diondre Borel, QB, Utah State (6-0, 199)
Anthony Bratton, S, Delaware (6-2, 200)
Ray Dominguez, G/T, Arkansas (6-4, 334)
Sampson Genus, C, South Florida (6-1, 315)
Tori Gurley, WR, South Carolina (6-4, 216)
Jon Hoese, FB, Minnesota (6-2, 238)
M.D. Jennings, S, Arkansas State (6-0, 185)
Elijah “Peanut” Joseph, ILB, Temple: (6-1, 243)
Elisha “Eli” Joseph, NT, Temple (6-2, 290) (officially signed on Friday)
Jamari Lattimore, OLB, Middle Tennessee State (6-2, 230)
Brandian Ross, DB, Youngstown State (6-0, 191)
Brandon Saine, RB, Ohio State (5-11, 220)
Theo Sherman, G, James Madison (6-3, 302)
Antoine “Shaky” Smithson, WR, Utah (5-11, 202)
Vic So’oto, DE/OLB, BYU (6-3, 265)
Kerry Taylor, WR, Arizona State (6-0, 198)
Chris Donaldson, DE, Oklahoma State (6-1, 300) (officially signed on Friday)
– Packers players start arriving in Green Bay. Meet with trainers, coaches and are given their playbooks.
Wednesday: July 27th, 2011
– Packers announce the signing of free agent kicker Mason Crosby to a 5-year contract worth 14.75 million dollars.
– Rumors fly about other Packers that will or won’t be back. Some player agents respond. Colledge’s agent says he’s surely gone. Poppinga’s agent is doubtful he’ll be released.
Thursday: July 28th, 2011
– Packers Shareholders Meeting – Ted Thompson greeted with standing ovation.
– Daryn Colledge signs a 5 year deal with the Arizona Cardinals.
– Justin Harrell released, saving 1.25 million of cap space.
– Brady Poppinga released, saving 2.3 million of cap space.
– Players check into St. Norbert for start of training camp.
– Brandon Jackson signs a 2-year deal with the Cleveland Browns.
– Jason Spitz signs a 3-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
– Packers sign four of their draft choices, Caleb Schlauderaff, Ryan Taylor Ricky Elmore and D.J. Williams
– Mike McCarthy’s wife gave birth to a baby girl, Isabella.
Friday: July 29th, 2011
– Brandon Chillar, recovering from a shoulder injury, reports with a serious hamstring injury. The Packers release Chillar, saving 2.6 million in cap space.
– Packers release Tackle Mark Tauscher
– Packers release linebacker Matt Wilhelm.
– Korey Hall signs with the New Orleans Saints.
– Packers release practice squad players S Michael Grieco and LB Curtis Young.
– Packers sign five of their draft choices, Derek Sherrod, Randall Cobb, D.J. Smith, Lawrence Guy and Davon House. Only Alex Green remains unsigned.
Saturday: July 30th, 2011
– Cullen Jenkins signs a 5 year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.
– Packers announce signing of Alex Green – all draft choices and UDFAs are now under contract.
– Packers sign free agents Spencer Havner and Brett Swain.
– Packers hold their first practice of training camp (helmets and shorts only)…
- Derek Sherrod starts with the 1s in Daryn Colledge’s old spot, left guard. T.J. lang mans LG with the 2s.
- No. 2 OL left to right was Newhouse, Lang, McDonald, Schlauderaff and Campbell
- Frank Zombo starts with the 1s at ROLB. Walden with the 2s.
- Brad Jones with the 2s at LOLB.
- Mike Neal worked with the 1s at RDE, with Howard Green in that spot with the 2s.
- Alex Green was given uniform #20, but there was no announcement of the release of the former owner, Atari Bigby.
- Cobb, Williams, Shaky and Shields taking turns fielding punts.
- Mathsay 3 of 4 at 38yd field goals (in Crosby’s absence)
– John Kuhn, James Jones, Atari Bigby and Anthony Smith remain as unsigned free agents.
Sunday: July 31st, 2011
Packers sign free agent receiver James Jones.
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Jersey Al Bracco is the founder and editor of AllGreenBayPackers.com, and the co-founder of Packers Talk Radio Network. He can be heard as one of the Co-Hosts on Cheesehead Radio and is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com.
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Great coverage of OUR WORLD CHAMPION GREEN BAY PACKERS!!!
Thanks Scott!
James Jones is reportily gone to that no-name team to the west of Green Bay.
Holy crap, Ted is all in with the draft and develop philosophy. As a supporter of that stategy I’m at a dichotomy relating to the Eagles signing of Jenkins. On one hand, sticking with and properly executing “the plan” (acquiring new young talent and great coaching) insures long-term success but if the Pack could have resigned CJenkins with the same terms as the Eagles did, well it would have seemed like a good deal to me.
I’m going to have to fend off the co-workers who believe Ted is still to frugal with FA’s(especially if Jones leaves); even after he won a SB.
I do think TT would have made a heck of a poker player.
Maybe its the short window under which they’re operating, but man what a number of changes!
None of the changes are earth-shattering, thanks to the system of building depth Ted has in place. This is going to be a great decade to be a Packers fan.
Mojo, I agree with you. Hopefully all these youngster will catch on quickly.
i think the packers should keap most of the vets. other teems seen some thing in them. but resigning jones and kuhn was very good.
Can’t do that after winning a Super Bowl. They will get offers you just can’t justify matching…
Instead of thinking about the Packers inactivity in the free agent market, just think about getting back Grant and Finley.