The NFL Draft changes the face of every teams roster and the Green Bay Packers are no exception, even though theyre the reigning Super Bowl champs.
Several veterans will go into training camp to fight for a roster spot, while others will simply be let go during free agency. Heres a look at which players from the 2010 Packers roster are most affected by the latest Packers draft class.
James Jones and Brett Swain
Although they havent stated it publicly, the Packers may already have decided not to re-sign Jones if hes an unrestricted free agent. If Jones is a restricted free agent, which seems more likely, the team almost certainly would not match a big-money offer. Should the Packers re-sign Jones at a reasonable salary, then Swain suddenly looks like the odd man out. The Packers need room for second-round pick Randall Cobb and the team hasnt kept more than five receivers on the roster since 2007. With Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson and Cobb occupying roster spots, that leaves one spot for Jones or Swain. Free agency might answer the question for us and it might not. If theres a ray of hope for another receiver, its this. The last time the Packers kept six receivers, one of them was Koren Robinson, who was the teams primary kick returner. Cobb is expected to fill that role this season.
Brandon Jackson, Dmitri Nance, John Kuhn and Korey Hall
Somethings got to give at running back. The Packers added third-round pick Alex Green to the tandem of Ryan Grant and James Starks. That could spell the end of the line for Brandon Jackson, who like Jones, has four NFL years under his belt and will be a free agent of some sort when the collective bargaining agreement gets figured out. The little-used Nance, who the Packers picked up off Atlantas practice squad last season, faces an uphill climb to make the roster regardless of what happens with Jackson. That brings us to two heads of the three-headed fullback monster. Kuhn will likely be an unrestricted free agent and while he expects to be back with the Packers, theres no guarantee that will happen, especially with Greens addition. Hall, whos also a free agent with four years of service, was primarily a special teams player last season. Whether thats good enough to keep him on the roster instead of a fourth running back, if the Packers re-sign him, remains to be seen. H-back Ryan Taylor, who the Packers drafted in the seventh round, seems more likely to end up on the practice squad than the active roster, but his presence illustrates just how crowded the Packers backfield is.
Brandon Underwood and Pat Lee
The addition of Davon House in the fourth round will likely spell the end for one of these defensive backs. Lee simply hasnt lived up to expectations as a former second-round pick. Underwood, meanwhile, fell off the map after starting training camp strong, last year. He was eventually moved to safety. The Packers top three corners are set with Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams and Sam Shields. Jarrett Bush played well last season as a dime back. Unless Bush regresses, Lee will have a hard time making the roster. And if Underwood doesnt show something as a safety, hes probably on his way out, too.
Tom Crabtree, Spencer Havner and Andrew Quarless
The Packers have one lock at tight end Jermichael Finley. After that, what happens is anyones guess. The team drafted Arkansas tight end D.J. Williams, the 2010 Mackey winner, in the fifth round. While the Packers have shown a willingness to keep three tight ends on the roster in the past, two among this trio Crabtree, Havner and Quarless will still find themselves looking for a job after training camp. Havner, who was cut during training camp last year, seems as good as gone. That leaves Quarless and Crabtree battling for one spot.
Its already shaping up as an interesting training camp. Lets hope there is one.
"TP" wrote: