Ever-popular veteran Donald Driver faces an uncertain future with the Packers. Raymond T. Rivard photograph
This past week Packers veteran Donald Driver was the subject of headlines when asked about his future with the team, saying that he wanted to come back to the team but understood the business side of the game.
The popular longtime Packer is due nearly $5 million in the final year of his contract – a deal he inked last year as an extension. Though his production has dropped significantly, he has shown he can still run with the best and was one receiver in last Sunday’s NFC Divisional Playoff Game against the new York Giants who didn’t have a case of the drops. In fact, Driver caught two huge third down passes for first downs and then followed that up with a touchdown catch as the game was winding down.
His production has decreased not necessarily because of declining skills, but because of fewer balls being thrown his way and the deep pool of talent at the position.
Driver’s career statistics are impressive. He played in 193 games, has caught 735 passes for 10,060 yards. He has caught 59 touchdown passes and has one rushing touchdown.
In his 13-year career, Driver fumbled just eight times.
Could Driver continue to play until he’s 40, as he said is his goal? Probably. Will it be with the Green Bay Packers?
With the signing of all of the players off the practice squad, including Tori Gurley, the question about Driver’s future may already be written on the wall. Gurley is considered a very raw talent who could also help the team’s special teams. Will he take the next step and push for a roster spot next year? He could. If so, he could leapfrog Driver for that spot … that is if the Packers don’t do something with Driver before then.
Here is a poll to consider …
Loading ...
As an award-winning journalist and photographer, I have been editor of two weekly newspapers in northern Wisconsin for the past 20 years.
I started in the business as a sportswriter at THE-BEE, a weekly newspaper in Phillips, Wisconsin. Within six months of starting as a part-time sports reporter, I was promoted to editor. Spending 10 years in this position, I learned the ins and outs of community journalism. I took his skills to The Lakeland Times, Wisconsin's largest semi-weekly newspaper. As editor for the this family-owned newspaper in May 2000, I have continued in that capacity to present day. During the 12 years at this newspaper, I have been involved in all of the news department's successes, including moving the company from a "cut and paste" production methodology to complete electronic pagination; also overseeing the changeover from film production to all digital photography. I have had the opportunity to mentor and train many reporters who have gone on to dailies as reporters, editors and even one reporter who went on to purchase and operate his own newspaper.
My love of the Green Bay Packers moved me to write columns for select websites in the mid- to late 1990s under the pen name of Apackphan. After taking the job with The Lakeland Times in 2000, time constraints, especially in holding down a full-time job and helping to raise three beautiful girls, forced him to give up the Internet-based writings.
The opportunity to continue with lombardiave.com has been a joyous event for Rivard. Getting back into blogging on the heels of the Packers' world championship, I do so with a renewed love of a team I have followed since he was a young boy in the 1960s.
I hope you enjoy the daily blog and should you like to provide any feedback ... at any time ... send me an email at the website provided or on the website.
GO PACK!!!
NFL Mocks
SideLion Report
The Viking Age
[...] Donald Driver: What to do? – <a href="http://lombardiave.co… [...]
[...] clear Donald Driver is one of the most popular players ever to don a Green Bay Packers uniform and yesterday’s poll is indicative of that [...]
[...] he loves the organization and its fans really love the old guy. See the poll about Driver here: http://lombardiave.com/2012/01/20/donald-driver-what-to-do/ Ryan Grant may be another target, though the Dolphins have Reggie Bush in their stable. Grant is [...]