Before the season began, we did our annual best and worst case scenarios for the entire Packer training camp roster. It's fun to take a look back and see how we did. First we'll take a look back at what we wrote before the season, and then give our take after the season. It's kind of our version of post-season assessment.
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Donald Driver -- Driver is now a three time Pro Bowl player and one of the more highly respected wide receivers in the NFL. But he is getting older. So far thus preseason, he's shown no signs of slowing down. He continues to be one of the toughest receivers in the NFL at going over the middle and toughing it out. Best case, Driver has one last Pro Bowl season before he starts to give way to the younger guys in the receivings corps. Worst case, Driver relinquishes his hold on the No. 1 receiver spot this season with a new quarterback throwing the ball, in which he's a starter, but has less receptions or yards than either Greg Jennings or James Jones.
Driver: Worst case. Although he didn't have less yards or receptions than Jones, Driver's worst case scenario basically came true. And that's not to say he had a poor season. At least Jennings emerged as the team's number one receiver rather than have no number one guy at all. Driver played a valuable role as the no. 2 receiver showing the same toughness he's always displayed. He proved he'll be back next season and there's no reason to think he'll be any less effective than he was this year.
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Greg Jennings -- Jennings emerged as one of the top rookie receivers in his first year in the NFL to one of the top receivers overally by his second year. Can he take an additional step and become an elite receiver? Or will he always play Reggie Wayne to Driver's Marvin Harrison? Best case, Jennings goes from Pro Bowl alternate to Pro Bowl starter in one short year. And his good season comes from being healthy for all 16 games. Worst case, Jennings plays second fiddle once again. Maybe even third fiddle if James Jones emerges.
Jennings: Somewhere inbetween. He didn't show he's a Pro Bowl starter just yet. Those guys from the Cardinals are hard to nudge from that pedestal. He still had a great season, though. He was healthy for all 16 games, which was a bonus. If Jennings improves his number of dropped passes, he could be on his way to Pro Bowl starter next year.
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James Jones -- Jones made the Green Bay Packers look good when they were just about the only people on the planet who thought Jones justified a third round draft choice. Jones burst out of the gates by having a good start to his rookie year. But he hit a bit of a rookie wall down the stretch in part due to Brett Favre targeting Koren Robinson more in the offense. Best case, Jones outplays either Driver or Jennings to prove he's one of the two best receivers to put into the team's starting lineup. Worst case, rookie and second round draft choice Jordy Nelson takes away Jones' job as the No. 3 receiver in the team's pecking order.
Jones: Worst case. Because of injuries and ineffectiveness, Jones was generally behind Nelson as the team's No. 3 receiver for most of the season. When Jones finally got healthy by the end of the regular season, he started to show the talent he displayed as a rookie, but it was too late. We'll start to learn Jones's true character this upcoming offseason and season by how he handles himself on a team loaded with wide receiver talent. Will he pout? Or will his talent rise like those around him?
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Jordy Nelson -- The Packers didn't necessarily need another wideout with their top draft choice this year. But they obviously thought he was too good a talent to pass up. The question will be, is he good enough to break into a talent corps ahead of him? Best case, the Packers have one of the best rookie wide receivers for the third year in a row. He's a regular in the wide receiver rotation, and he makes an impact in the kick return game too. Worst case, Nelson plays primarily special teams all season long when he just isn't good enough to unseat any of the top four players ahead of him in his rookie year.
Nelson: Best case. The Packers didn't exactly need a wide receiver in last year's draft, but they got a good one. He showed to be a valuable posession receiver with maybe the most reliable hands on the team. The bad news is that he didn't show even an inkling of being a deep threat, and he didn't do anything as a kick returner. But he still has a role on the team.
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Ruvell Martin -- Martin is the eptiome of last year's best case scenario.
Here's what was written a year ago as his best case, "Ruvell Martin excels in a fourth wide receiver role and becomes a weapon around the endzone where he utilizes his size." Four touchdowns as the No. 4 or No. 5 guy last year was absolutely maximizing his opportunities. Best case, Martin does the same this year. He has about four touchdowns as he nails down the No. 4 spot ahead of Nelson. Worst case, Martin loses playing time to the rookie while seeing the field in only "The Big Five" sets.
Martin: Worst case. Although there were some games when he played as the No. 4 wide receiver due to injuries, Martin was mostly No. 5 on the depth chart and there some games when he was even inactive. He had a couple receptions here and there, and he's as good as most team's No. 5 receiver, but you would have liked to have seen either more touchdowns or catches that go for first downs. He's a restricted free agent, but he's definitely worth bringing back.
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Brett Swain -- If the Packers didn't necessarily need to draft a receiver in the second round, they really, really didn't need to draft another in the seventh. The team must have saw some potential in him. Best case, Swain wows the coaches as training camp winds down, and they team decides they don't want to lose him to another team. He's kept on the 53 man roster as a sixth wide receiver but doesn't see much action in a very similar role to the one held by Shaun Bodiford last year. Worst case, he isn't even asked to be on the practice squad after final cuts.
Swain: Somewhere inbetween. He was on the practice squad all year long, which should have been a good learning experience. It will be a crucial offseason for Swain. He has an uphill battle ahead of him, and he must take advantage of every opportunity whether it's extra practice reps, stepping in for an injured player, or working on special teams situations.
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Taj Smith -- Of all the long shots, Smith (pictured) may have showed the most potential. The undrafted rookie has done a nice job during training camp practices and in limited opportunites in game situations in both the team's first preseason game and the annual scrimmage. Best case, the Packers hide him on the 53 man roster when he shows he has some value in the return game. Worst case, he either ends on somebody's practice squad. He's too good to be entirely out of football this year.
Smith: Worst case. He wasn't on the Packers' practice squad, but he ended the season on the Colts' practice squad.
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Jake Allen --
After getting off to a good start in minicamp and offseason OTAs, Allen has been slowed in training camp by an injury. He's finally back after missing both the scrimmage and the first preseason game. If he has any shot of impressing the coaches, he had better do so pronto. Best case, Allen proves he's worth keeping around on this year's practice squad and deserves to get another shot at training camp again next year. Worst case, Allen's first and only stint in the NFL ends with a brief audition in August of 2008 with the Packers.
Allen: Best case. He spent all season on the practice squad, and he should get another shot during training camp this summer.
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Johnny Quinn -- At least one journalist thinks Quinn might be practice squad worthy. Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently wrote, "The scrappy Quinn, a 'street' free agent from North Texas, might be more deserving of practice-squad consideration." Best case, Quinn gets that practice squad spot. Worst case, Quinn gets a pink slip by the first NFL mandated roster cut down date.
Quinn: Worst case. Haven't heard his name since he's been released.