Surviving Sunday: Packers News, Notes and Links for the Football Deprived

Packers couch Surviving Sunday without Packers Football

The NFL draft kicks off on Thursday and we’ll finally have some new Green Bay Packers players to root for. I’m not a Draftnik, but based on what I’ve read, listened to, seen, heard or thought, here are the top 5 players I’m most excited about possibly landing with the Packers in this year’s draft:

Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
How can you watch this and not get excited about Williams teaming with Aaron Rodgers?

Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
If Collins ends up in Green Bay, hopefully he’ll take up drinking Miller Lite instead of smoking weed. If he does, the 6-foot-1, 203-pounder has all the tools to be a star.

Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
This year’s inside linebacker class isn’t jumping off the charts, but Kendricks looks like the type of versatile and athletic player who can complement the aggressiveness of Sam Barrington inside.

Ellis McCarthy, DL, UCLA
The Packers are going to need at least one fat guy for the defensive line out of this draft. If they can nab McCarthy on day 2 or 3, I’d be pleased.

Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska
The Packers already are overloaded at receiver, but Bell stands out as another later-round find for Thompson as wide receiver.

Packers News, Notes and Links

  • Which dates do you have circled on the Packers’ 2015 schedule, which was announced on Tuesday? I’ve got Oct. 18 against San Diego because that’s the date for Throwback Weekend 5 and Thanksgiving Night against the Bears because 1) it’s against the Bears, 2) Thanksgiving night at Lambeau is going to be amazing, and 3) the Packers will be retiring the number of some guy named Favre.
  • Speaking of Packers vs. Bears: Did anyone else notice how pissed off Bears fans on Twitter were when they learned they opened the season against the Packers? Check out some of these tweets. My favorite: “So packers open with a bye week?”
  • Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is the best dead tree traditional newspaper reporter to read during the lead up to the NFL draft. Here’s McGinn’s profile of Iowa’s Brandon Scherff.
  • Want more draft insight? Download this week’s “No Huddle Radio” podcast where Jersey Al and Jason Perone break down cornerbacks and inside linebackers with Dan Shonka from Ourlads.com.
  • CheeseheadTV’s Aaron Nagler recently started a podcast and it’s really good. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was a guest this week.
  • A fun read here from Marcus at Lombardiave.com: Ranking the NFC North’s 10 best players.
  • Packers GM Ted Thompson held a pre-draft news conference this week and, per usual, didn’t say much of anything. But if you want a quick summary of the nothingness, Jason at Acme Packing Company sums it up.

Non Packers links and other Nonsense

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Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .

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6 thoughts on “Surviving Sunday: Packers News, Notes and Links for the Football Deprived

  1. “How can you watch (this) and not get excited about this guy working with Aaron Rodgers?”

    Simple: He’s not worth the first round pick. If he lasted to the 3rd round. Maybe. Not before. Between Quarless and RRod, we’ve got possession type TEs covered. What we lack is a seam splitter. Take a look at Williams 40 time. Decidedly NOT a seam splitting TE at the NFL level. Plus, all the word is that he is hard to get along with and all about himself. Pass.

    This draft is rich at pass rush, DL, CB, wide receiver and RB. While we don’t need a WR or RB, I’d much rather get a DL or CB or OLB in round 1 and take care of ILB and TE later if possible when the value is better.

    1. We could draft Williams and force RRodgers to lose weight like he did in college and suddenly he’s our seam splitter. What was the lowest Rodgers was when he played receiver in college? I do think we need a increase in talent at TE this year so I could see TT taking this guy.
      Ted

      1. I don’t think he was ever a burner – even at 245. I think that’s what he was the year he was a slot WR in college. You need to run a sub 4.6 to outrun most safeties….

        That said, Gronk can’t run a 4.6. But he’s so frigging huge and strong it doesn’t matter.

    2. Amen on Maxx. Pass on Collins at #30. Too good to pass on at #62. Wish Kendricks were 6’2″ and 245 lbs, but he has everything else. Love his instincts (and Dawson’s and Thompson’s too). McCarthy looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane, and he likes to eat. Has talent, so he’ll get overdrafted. Good value in the 6th round, but he will be gone by then. Bell is a ferocious blocker, something GB values, and a good athlete. He is fast, with a great vertical (41.5″), but he is stiff and weak (7 reps). Not earlier than a 6th rd. comp. If GB likes Pennel and Janis, don’t really see the point of Bell, or to a lesser extent, McCarthy.

  2. Memo to TT: Draft from the strength of the draft. That means pass rushers (DE/OLB), WR and RB.

  3. From previous post: TT will draft one of the following 6 guys:

    NT: Jordan Phillips or Eddie Goldman

    ILB: Eric Kendricks or Stephone Anthony

    CB: Marcus Peters or Jalen Collins
    OUTSIDE SHOT: Byron Jones.

    Top two CBs will be off the board well before pick 30. So at best, TT have be looking at the 3rd best CB. Peters may have teh talent to be the top CB but character issues may have taken him off TT’s board. The latest news on Collins is bad – underproduction and weed is a bad combo. That would take us to Combine extraordinaire Byron Jones. Jones has some good game tape to go with it. So he could be the guy.

    The above 7 could all still be on the board at pick 35 or 40 (probably not Goldman). Trading down seems to be the no-brainer. Now to find the right partner to tango with.

    WR or RB or OL/DL or OLB may be tempting enough to get somebody to want to come up 5 or 10 picks. Maybe the Jets.

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