Aug 9, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) looks to pass as offensive guard Louis Vasquez (65) and center Nick Hardwick (61) block Green Bay Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji (90) and defensive end Jerel Worthy (99) during the first quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

For once, the Green Bay Packers are deep at defensive line – and that’s despite the Friday release of Anthony Hargrove.

The improvement of the Packers 2011 32nd place ranking starts with the front and Ted Thompson clearly understands that fact. This past offseason he strengthened the team’s depth at the position by drafting Jerel Worthy and Mike Daniels, picking up Daniel Muir and Phillip Merling in free agency to add to veterans Ryan Pickett, B.J. Raji, C.J. Wilson, and Mike Neal. Throw in Lawrence Guy, the lineman who was on IR all last season, and you’ve got a base of players who will vie for spots on the 53-man roster.

With Raji, Pickett and Worthy as the only linemen who I would consider locks, it’s going to be very interesting the next couple of weeks as Ted Thompson and company have some really difficult choices.

I once heard there were two free agent periods – the first one in March and the second one when the Packers reduce their roster before the start of the regular season. That could be the case this year as there will be several quality players who will be snatched up quickly by teams across the league. Though Hargrove probably won’t be one who gets picked up any time soon because of his bountygate suspension, he might be of value to a team that’s looking to boost its defensive line midway through the season – that’s when Hargrove would become available.

In fact, I wouldn’t even count the Packers out at that point. We all know how injuries to a couple key players at a position can put a team at a huge disadvantage. If the Packers do suffer from a lack of depth on the line, Thompson might take a look back at Hargrove … but that’s pure speculation at this point.

Right now, the Packers are deep at the position and should be well-stocked for the regular season.

Though he didn’t get much playing time lately, it became clear today that Ted Thompson wasn’t going to wait half of the season for Hargrove. The former Saints and Seahawks defensive lineman was signed this spring prior to the announcement by the league of his suspension for his involvement in the Saints’ bountygate.

Obviously Thompson didn’t want to deal with it and made Hargrove one of the first cuts this training camp.

Here is the full release issued by the Packers PR department:

Aug. 24, 2012

## FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ##

PACKERS RELEASE FIVE PLAYERS

The Green Bay Packers released WR Andrew Brewer, DE Anthony Hargrove, S Micah Pellerin, T Herb Taylor and CB Dion Turner. The transactions were announced Friday by Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson.

This past April, former Packer great Leroy Butler walked onto the stage at Radio City Music Hall and announced the selection of the future of the Packers defense: Jerel Worthy.

The Packers took Worthy with the 51st pick of the draft, which raised eyebrows in Packer Nation. Worthy came with a lot of baggage, the same type of baggage from which Ted Thompson normally avoids. While playing at Michigan State, the defensive end developed a reputation for being lazy and taking plays off.

After being drafted Worthy embraced his reputation by saying “I take plays off just like everyone else,” which made many cringe. There were also criticisms of his play. Many scouts said Worthy didn’t possess the ability to shed the offensive lineman and work in space. But with the right coaching staff I feel all of this can be fixed.

Through training camp I haven’t heard much from Worthy other than that he is a high energy player who has treated every play like it was an in-game situation. That last sentence signifies that the man has started to change his ways.

I think that Worthy is the key to getting this defense back into championship  form. I’ll even go out on a limb and say Worthy is the next great Packer defensive lineman.

Worthy plays with a mean streak, and this is what this defense has been missing. If Worthy can put his energy and attitude into playing football then I believe he will fill the hole left by Cullen Jenkins.

In college, Worthy took on a lot double teams. This allowed his defensive mates to take advantage and penetrate the backfield. This fact alone should bring a smile to Clay Matthews and BJ Raji’s faces.

He doesn’t need to be an immediate All-Pro defensive end this season, he just needs to have enough of an impact to make his defensive mates better. Worthy possesses something that CJ Wilson, Mike Neal, and Jarius Wynn don’t seem to have: aggressiveness.

Worthy will get his chances to show his abilities with Anthony Hargrove serving an eight game suspension. If he stays healthy he could start making his impact in week 1.

During Thursday’s preseason game against the Browns, and the remaining two games,  keep your eye on #99 as he starts to get acclimated to the game.

In addition to tight end Jermichael Finley hitting the practice field for the first time, Anthony Hargrove talked about his role on the team and that he has resigned himself to the fact that the bounty suspension on him will probably stick and he won’t be activated until November – if he indeed makes the roster.

Newly-acquired center Jeff Saturday – who has been relatively silent – also went on record today, talking about how he likes the structure of the Packers camp in comparison to those of the past that he experienced with the Colts.

Some good news is that Jermichael Finley was back at practice and is expected to participate in pad practices later this week.

Other notes of interest from Monday as reported by the Green Bay Press Gazette:

Jordy Nelson is just one player who will be looking to take his game one step higher after his breakout season in 2011.

Zachary Thompson of FantasyCPR and I sat down for a Q&A this past week – talking about the Green Bay Packers and what things look like for the coming season.

Geared toward the fantasy fans out there, FantasyCPR has been talking with all 32 NFL Fansided.com blog editors about their teams to get a feel for the best players and how to rank teams and players for the coming season.

The goal of this website is to deliver consistent fantasy analysis to help fantasy players win.

If you have comments or suggestions about the site, contact Fantasy CPR at fantasyCPR@yahoo.com, and follow them on twitter @fantasyCPR.

So, take a trip over to the site for all your fantasy needs and while you’re at it, check out the Packers preview here or scroll down for the full Q&A.

Green Bay Packers – Fantasy Football Preview 2012

Fantasy football leagues are activating across the country and draft dates are being set and obsessed over. Last season, one offense everybody loved owning and a defense they loved playing against was the Green Bay Packers. The Pack are looking to bring back the offense and overhaul the defense. Ray Rivard of Lombardi Ave. was willing to join us and help us get some insider information on the cheeseheads’ outlook for this season.

Zach Thompson, FantasyCPR: The Packers offense was awesome last year. Aaron Rogers emerged as one of the top QB’s in the league to be sure. Is there any reason to think he won’t reduplicate that statistical performance this year?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t match or exceed hisperformance of 2011, it will be a huge disappointment. Rodgers has the same weapons coming back with him in 2012 and there isn’t any reason why this team can’t continue to produce huge numbers on the field. In fact, without injuries, you can be sure to see Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson continue to put up 1,000 yard-plus seasons. When those two players have backups like James Jones and Donald Driver behind them – players who could be starters on most other teams - this is one high-powered offense. And it’s all led by Rodgers. His skill and uncanny ability to avoid pressure has made Rodgers a step above the best QBs in the league. I can only see him improve in 2012.

Z: Last year, virtually any Green Bay WR was worth owning just because he was on the same field with Aaron Rodgers? Jordy Nelson made the leap to a top 20 WR. Do you see Randall Cobb or any other receiver emerging this year as a every-week go-to guy?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Many, including myself, see this as a breakout year for Randall Cobb. I believe the league has only seen a scratching of the surface with this receiver. His work on special teams is known, but he will bring much more to the field this year. You will see him on the field more often this season and his touches rise significantly. If the Packers can’t get the ball into his hands at least 5-10 time per game, it will be disappointing. And depending on how much Donald Driver contributes, you might see either Diondre Borel or Tori Gurley make the 53-man roster and make contributions. They are young guys with huge upsides. I would also like to say that tight end Jermichael Finley will work to improve his play this year and will continue to stretch the field for a
Packers offense that will be difficult to stop.

Z: While we’re on receivers, was Jordy Nelson’s breakout a fluke or do you think he’ll match or exceed those numbers this year?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Jordy Nelson is no fluke. His teammates like to joke that he’s the white guy on the team who actually has speed and jumping ability. Nelson gets open and his ability to accelerate past defensive backs is fast becoming his biggest strength. Simply put – he’s a stud who can beat anyone matched up against him.

Couple that with the fact that he can catch the ball over the middle when needed and you’ve got the complete package. His only knock is that he drops too many passes. However, his success overshadows that. If you have a chance to take Jordy Nelson in your fantasy draft, don’t pass him up. He will score lots of points for you.

Z: What about the running game? Do you see one back emerging as a feature-back or will it continue to be a time-share? If you think it’sa time-share, what Packer running back would you draft to be on your fantasy team?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: The Packers running game is the wild card for any fantasy team. The Packers are a pass-first team, that’s not a secret. However, the Packers have not been totally incompetent on the ground either. Ryan Grant is gone, and the Packers will have two backs, James Starks and Alex Green, coming back from significant knee injuries. That is a concern. However, Starks is being looked to as the featured back heading into his third year. Green had a huge upside before his injury, so how he comes back is a huge question mark. He could be one of those players who comes out of nowhere to make a big mark, but I wouldn’t count on it.

Z: Is there a player on the Packers offense you think will have a breakout year?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Randall Cobb, hands down. I feel the Packers will call his number more this year and give him the opportunity to show his skills. He was limited last year on offense because of the team’s depth, but with an aging Donald Driver still on the team I see Cobb being more of a factor.

Z: Green Bay’s focus this offseason appears to have been on rebuilding and strengthening their defense, specifically pass defense. Do you think they did enough? And who do you think makes the biggest impact among the new additions?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Defense was the focus in both free agency and the draft – and rightly so. Ted Thompson did a great job in bringing in players who should contribute immediately – namely Nick Perry, Jerel Worthy, and Casey Hayward. I see all three of these players fitting in immediately with the defense, but I see Worthy as the player who will bring the most to the team in the early going. The Packers’ biggest hole last season was their defensive front. They couldn’t stop teams because they couldn’t pressure the QB.

The loss of Cullen Jenkins was bigger than most thought. With the addition of Worthy, the Packers will add to a line that already includes BJ Raji and Ryan Pickett. Though suspended for eight games, Anthony Hargrove will also help the team the second half of the season – if he makes the roster.

Z: Last one, give me your realistic expectation for the Packers this season, and then your perfect scenario. What is the one key for them taking home the Lombardi Trophy again this year?

Ray Rivard, Lombardi Ave.: Realistically the team wins at least 12 games -they will need that many wins to take the division. Ideally, they win 14 or 15 again this year and destroy the competition in the Playoffs
en route to another Super Bowl championship.

However, to do that, the team has got to make large improvements on the defensive side of the football. I think management has put the pieces in place for that to happen. Now it’s up to the coaching staff to put these players in the right schemes to make it happen. It’s funny talking about defense being the difference for a team like the
Packers. While the offense will continue to do what it does best, it will be the defense that will be the difference in the fight for a championship. If the defense doesn’t come through, the team will be left watching like they did last year.

Focusing specifically on the Packers, it comes as no surprise that their main focus point will be to determine which 11 guys on defense will give the Packers the best chance to win. If we are just focusing on winning, then the Packers’ defense brought in a record of 15-1.

Unfortunately, this was because the offense carried the defense to victories last season and is how, ultimately, the Packers would fall in the first round of the playoffs against the New York Giants.

So as training camp approaches, nearly every position on defense will have a battle of some sort. Considering how the Packers, this offseason, drafted mainly defensive players and even dipped into free agency for defensive players, there will be a lot of competitors fighting for a job. With that said, let’s break down the key battles Packer fans should keep an eye on for this training camp.

Packers defensive lineman Ryan Picket does a good job at stopping the run, but is limited in the pass rush. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Defensive End: Ever since the Packers lost Cullen Jenkins in free agency last year, the Packers have been struggling to find a replacement. Ryan Pickett on the other side has been doing an adequate job stopping the run but he cannot generate pressure on the quarterback which was severely lacking last season.

Raji in the middle, after the Super Bowl season, was thought to have a breakout year with the Packers but never quite reached the level that most thought he could. Then we had the right defensive end which was a huge question mark all of last season. Players from Mike Neal, C.J.Wilson, and Jarius Wynn all took turns at the position last year but none really stood out from the rest of the pack. Some brought Packers fans a spark of hope for a little while but none of the three had complete consistency. This forced the Packers to make moves by drafting Jerel Worthy in the second round, bringing in Anthony Hargrove from free agency, and bringing in Phillip Merling also from free agency. These are three players who seem to be right in the mix to contend for the starting position in training camp. Players from last year like C.J.Wilson and Mike Neal also have been working hard and should get a fair shot to fight for the position.

Who will take over the outside linebacking position opposite Clay Matthews for linebackers coach Kevin Greene. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Outside Linebacker: Similar to the defensive end position of last season, players on the opposite side of Clay Matthews generated nearly no production and the Packers had to flop starters from week to week in order to find someone who could separate from the rest of the pack. Unfortunately, nobody ever truly stepped from the pack and the Packers’ defense suffered tremendously.

Players who took turns starting last season included Eric Walden, Frank Zombo, and Brad Jones. Also, we must keep in mind that injuries at this position plagued the Packers all season with all three having injuries at different points during the season. The Packers’ management responded by drafting Nick Perry from USC in the first round of this year’s draft. \ Perry has major athleticism and the Packers hope that he could be the missing piece to the defense.

Other players to have a shot in training camp include another rookie in Terrell Manning, second-year veteran in Jarmari Lattimore, and another second year veteran in Vic So’oto who had his moments in his short playing time last year. This will be arguably the most intriguing position battle this camp.

Safety: It’s a lock that Morgan Burnett will hold his starting position this season but losing Nick Collins on the other side threw up another question mark in the Packers’ defense. I have to say that many, including me, believed that Nick Collins was a big part of the defense but never really thought of him as being the leader on defense. Once he went down with his injury, I and many others were stunned at how important Collins truly was for the Packer defense.

With perennial Pro-Bowler Nick Collins no longer with the team, the question about who will replace him is one of the biggest heading into training camp. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

With Collins once being the player who made sure everyone was lined up right on defense being gone, the Packers’ defense seemed lost at times. Many big plays occurred and could have been avoided if everyone was lined up correctly. The player who took over for Collins was Charlie Peprah, who played very well, but the lack of communication hurt the Packers severely last season.

With that said, training camp is approaching and so is a successor to Nick Collins.

But who will it be?

Names that come to mind will be Charlie Peprah, second-year player M.D. Jennings, practice squad standout Anthony Levine, and maybe even rookie Jerron McMillian. Regardless of who it is, it is going to be a very difficult task to replace Nick Collins.

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Yesterday I had the opportunity to sit down with Keith Myers over at The 12th Man Rising, the Seattle Seahawks’ Fansided.com site to answer a few questions about the Green Bay Packers’ offseason and the outlook heading into the 2012 season.

I’ve posted the exchange below, but if you want to see a great site, take a trip over to the 12th Man Rising and see, among other things, what they’re saying about their upcoming season, as well as what they think about former Packers’ quarterback Matt Flynn.

Enjoy.

Home » Seahawks » 2012 NFL Preview: Green Bay Pack

Aaron Rodgers winds up for the Packers. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Another day, and another team previewed. (I’m not sure I can keep this up for 32 straight days, but I will certainly try.) This time we venture to Wisconsin to take a look at the Green Bay Packers. The Seahawks and Packers have a fun history, first with the Holmgren era, and now with John Schneider coming to Seattle from Green Bay. And who can forget the “We want the ball and we’re gonna score” playoff game.

Helping me out with the preview is Ray Rivard from Lombardi Ave.

Biggest Team Need Heading Into Offseason: Defense, defense, and more defense

Key Free Agents Retained: Donald Driver, Jared Bush

Key Player Additions: Jeff Saturday, Anthony Hargrove (despite suspension)

Key Players Leaving: Chad Clifton, Nick Collins

Quick Thoughts on Draft: It was an awesome draft for the Packers. Picking up Nick Perry to complement Clay Matthews was brilliant, but the fact that GM Ted Thompson traded up so much to get defensive players from front to back was a stroke of genius and is going to help the team immensely.

Quick Thoughts on 2012 schedule: The start of the season is brutal with tough competition and a quirky schedule for the first month. Starting on national television with a 3 p.m. game opening weekend at home against the 49ers will be tough. But then the team has to turn around and play the Bears on Thursday night. That’s simply brutal. Overall, however, the Packers’ schedule does settle down later in the year when the games really start to count. While the division schedule is always tough, playing teams from the AFC South should play to their advantage.

Most Interesting Roster Battle: The defensive line, wide receiver and inside linebacker. Thompson went out and picked up some tough players to help improve the defensive line. The competition at those positions will be heated and the cuts that come from there will be interesting. As for inside linebacker, most would say that A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop are locks. I don’t thing so – especially for Hawk who had a so-so 2011. He will really have to battle D.J. Smith for that position, as well as others to be deemed the starter. Though most will see the first four positions at wide receiver as locks for Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb, the fifth position will be up for grabs between Donald Driver and second-year players Diondre Borel and Tori Gurley. The young guys are up and coming and could result in an interesting cut or even the possibility of a trade. Many feel that Jones is potential trade bait.

Biggest Strength Heading Into 2012: Clearly, the offense should again be the team’s biggest strength. Aaron Rodgers should lead the well-oiled machine to an even higher level in 2012. Is there any defense out there that can slow them down or even stop them? Maybe on a good day. The only way the offense was slowed last year was when the Packers shot themselves in the foot (versus Kansas City and in the playoffs against the Giants).

Biggest Weakness Heading Into 2012: The defense. Finishing dead last in defense last year was an embarrassment.

Biggest Question Still To Be Answered: See above … the defense will have the infusion of many new and young players. How they perform will be crucial to an improved defense. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers has got to come up with more creative schemes to allow the Packers the flexibility to surprise offenses. Will the defense show enough improvement to put this team back into contention for another title? That’s the question.

2012 Prediction: Packers record: 13-3; NFC North Division Title; Super Bowl championship.

The Packers defense was exposed last season. The needed players at all 3 levels of the defense, and I’m not sure they did enough in the offseason to make drastic improvement on the stat sheets this year. They’ll be young in some key areas, but should improve as the year goes on. Luckily for the Pack, it wont matter that much. Aaron Rogers and the offense are good enough win their division even without much of a defense.

Expect the Packers to be pre-season favorites to win the Super Bowl.

May 22, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Ryan Pickett (79) waits his turn during drills at the Green Bay Packers organized team activities at Ray Nitschke Field. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-US PRESSWIRE

Offseason workouts are well under way now as teams try to figure out who will start and who will make the team. Some will be cut, some will lose starting spots, and some will become starters.

So, what position battles do the Packers have?

Defensive End

Both defensive end spots on the line are filled with competitors such as as veterans Ryan Pickett, Mike Neal, Anthony Hargrove, and rookie Jerel Worth. They are all looking to claim a starting spot. Hargrove is a candidate to be cut due to his suspension but he could also be a rested lineman for later in the season. Rookie Jerel Worthy has tons of skills that can make him a starter as he and Mike Neal are the two favorites. Ryan Pickett could be in danger of being cut if he doesn’t win a spot in the starting line. Rookie Mike Daniels can force him to be cut if he performs well over the summer and if Pickett does not win a starting spot. This will be a very interesting battle.

May 22, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews (52) talks to fellow linebacker Nick Perry (53) during organized team activities at Ray Nitschke Field. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-US PRESSWIRE

Outside Linebacker opposite Clay Matthews

Erik Walden and rookie Nick Perry will definitely be the two players battling for this starting spot as the Packers will have to decide who can make more of an impact as a playmaker. Walden has proven an ability to get into the offensive backfield and has shown he’s a sure tackler. The Packers must have thought this, too, as they decided to bring him back for this season thinking he could be a starter. Nick Perry was very good at sacking the opposing quarterbacks at USC. I think this will be Perry’s job to lose as Perry has a track record in college of being a dominant pass rusher. Perry should make a great partnership with Clay Matthews. The one thing that could help Walden is that Perry is moving from a 4-3 defensive end to a 3-4 outside linebacker, but that transition should not cause any problems.

Jan 1, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers cornerback Jarrett Bush (24) during the game against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Lions 45-41. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Nickel Cornerback

With a move to safety imminent for Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams and Sam Shields will become the two starting cornerbacks. This means that Jarrett Bush and rookie Casey Hayward will battle to be the nickel cornerback as Bush’s experience gives him the early lead in this race. However, Hayward has some very good ball hawking skills and definitely will get a shot to beat out Bush. However, Bush seems like the favorite and will probably at least start the season as the nickel cornerback though Hayward could take his job during the season.

Defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove is now a member of the Green Bay Packers. After his suspension of eight games was announced, the question is whether the Packers will keep him. Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

With the announcement yesterday that Anthony Hargrove, the Packers’ newly-acquired defensive lineman, would be suspended for half of the season because of his involvement in “bountygate” as a member of the New Orleans Saints, the question about whether Green Bay will keep him around begs to be answered.

The knee-jerk reaction, one that many feel will be completed by Packers’ general manager Ted Thompson, is to cut ties immediately.

But I don’t think that’s the answer.

First of all, the Packers picked up the experienced player for a song. Second of all, the guy will still be able to work out and provide some competitive depth at the position as the team continues to develop their younger players. Just because he’s been suspended for half the season doesn’t mean the Packers can’t still benefit.

If they keep him, the Packers could utilize him for the stretch run starting in November. Inevitably, there will also be injuries along the line by that time in the season and he will certainly be some fresh legs who could provide quality minutes.

In my mind, the more important question is whether the Packers will keep Mike Neal. Yes, he’s also been suspended for four games and has spent the past two seasons injured. Though he came back from a knee injury last season, he was like a ghost player. He literally had no statistics and simply filled a roster spot.

Though Hargrove’s checkered past may scare some, at least he’s a player who made an impact on the field. My hope is that he’s learned his lesson, has moved on and could give the Packers a couple of quality seasons at a position that is crucial for a team’s overall success.

So, the bottom line for me is the team’s success. Though he’s gone for half the year, Hargrove still has significant value for the Packers. Let Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy worry about the character issue. Had they been worried about it before, they wouldn’t have signed him. Surely, they were aware of the baggage and possible suspension before they signed on the dotted line.

It’s time to move on, concentrate on building team chemistry, develop the young players and bring Hargrove back into the fold when the suspension is lifted.

Dec 21, 2008; Foxboro, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Junior Seau (55) warms up before the start of the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-US PRESSWIRE

What a day in the National Football League.

One of its biggest stars becomes the eighth member of the 1994 San Diego Chargers Super Bowl team to die. Junior Seau, who spent 13 seasons with the Chargers, died in what is being called a suicide gunshot wound to the chest. The shooting is much like that of Dave Duerson who also committed suicide.

Also on this momentous day, National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell announced the suspension of four New Orleans Saints players for their role in bountygate. While linebacker Jonathan Vilma was suspended for the 2012 season, the Packers newest defensive lineman, Anthony Hargrove, was suspended for eight games next season for his role when he was a member of the Saints.

While the Saints’ players punishments are big news around the league, it pales in comparison to the loss of Seau.

For years, his energy, power and personality was the face of the San Diego Chargers, something he later took to the New England Patriots.

Up until this week, those closest to him didn’t see any signs that Seau was emotionally distraught and no indications that he would be ending his life.

The 43-year-old, if indeed his situation was so dire, could be added to the list of many players who have suffered from the loss of the game … but more importantly from the rigors of the game that may have led to this day.

There are no indications that Seau was depressed or suffered from any symptoms of head injury … though the way he died was eerily similar to Duerson’s death. The former Bears player shot himself in the chest so that his brain could be used for research into head injuries.

Seau left no suicide notes and was found by his girlfriend.

But in the end, the suspensions of the Saints players for their role in the bounties look pretty weak when compared to Seau.

Life in the NFL will continue on beyond today.

Unfortunately, we can’t say that about Junior Seau. He will be missed.

Apr 28, 2011; New York, NY, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell introduces the 32nd overall pick of the Green Bay Packers during the 2011 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

What a crazy offseason it has been … Peyton Manning being released from the Colts, Tim Tebow being traded to the Jets, and the Saints bounty scandal are the big headliners.

As an average Packer fan, you may think the Packers did the usual thing this offseason which was … nothing at all.

Though they may not be headline news, the Packers did make some key acquisitions and have somewhat lessened the importance for the upcoming draft for the Packers. GM Ted Thompson lives and dies by the draft which means his presence in free agency is hardly ever felt. Heck, before this year, he had not signed an unrestricted free agent since 2009.

So what makes this season so different for Thompson?

Maybe having the worst-ranked defense had something to do with it. Also, losing All Pro center Scott Wells left a large hole to fill. One that a rookie just could not fill.

So Thompson went out of his comfort zone and signed former Colts center Jeff Saturday, who played with Peyton Manning his entire career. With Saturday getting way up there in age, his value in free agency was slightly diminished. His age has not caught up with him yet, so adding Saturday to the Packers O-line fills a large hole.

After Saturday, the Packers picked up defensive tackle, Daniel Muir, who also played with the Colts. Muir has not played in a year, but when he did play he was a very effective tackle on every team he was with and could add some needed depth to the Packers’ defensive line.

The final transaction for the Packers was with former Seattle Seahawks defensive end Anthony Hargrove. With his size being around 270, he could play as a defensive end in the Packers 3-4 scheme or at outside linebacker. I do believe, however, the Packers picked up Hargrove in hopes of him being able to fill the shoes of a position once held by Cullen Jenkins, who is now playing for the Philadelphia Eagles.

So with the offseason winding down, what’s next for the Packers?

It’s what Ted Thompson lives for. The NFL Draft.

The Packers have 12 picks with which to work this year which ties for the most picks Thompson has had since 2006, his second year on the job. With the very nice compensatory picks the Packers received, the team have a very nice selection of picks capable of making some moves in the draft. This could mean trading down in the draft for even more picks or trading up and getting a certain player the organization have had their eyes on. This means the Packers have some leverage in this draft which is where Ted Thompson shines as a general manager.

Who the Packers should look to draft in the early rounds would be either be a pass rusher who can play outside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme or draft another young offensive lineman, because center Jeff Saturday is only a short-term solution.

Players who would seem logical include Clemson defensive end Andre Branch, USC defensive end Nick Perry, or Wisconsin center Peter Konz. If Konz is available, this would seem to be a logical pick and would fill a need for the future.

With another crazy offseason coming to an end in the NFL, all that is left before players begin practicing again is the NFL Draft. An event where teams gain more depth and players begin living the dream which they have had ever since being a kid. So, though free agency is basically over, there is still something to look forward to very soon.

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Defensive end Anthony Hargrove is being named as a defensive end the Packers are considering. Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

An interesting post and tweet at CheeseheadTV.com about the Packers entertaining a visit from defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove (as first reported by NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora), has me as confused as Brian Carriveau, the article’s author.

While the Packers are indeed now in a defensive mindset mode after the signing of center Jeff Saturday, it’s still sort of mind-boggling that the Packers would even entertain the thought of bringing Hargrove to Green Bay. His checkered past is not unlike that of a Brandon Marshall or even a Randy Moss. Many run-ins with the law sprinkle his career, including being a member of the New Orleans Saints during its bounty-filled days.

Considering a player with this type of history goes against the Packers’ way of doing things, unless Hargrove has had a significant turnaround in his personal life, I can’t see the team signing him.

And it’s not only his personal issues that are of concern, as Carriveau points out. He’s on the small side as a defensive lineman at about 275 pounds. Unless the Packers would experiment by placing him at an outside linebacker position, he doesn’t really fit the mold as a down lineman.

Check out Carriveau’s piece on this rather bizarre consideration by the Packers.

Given what I’ve read about this guy, the Packers should probably stay as far away as possible … but maybe Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy know more than we do.

Remember: In Ted We Trust. Right?

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