A handful of rookies impressed at this past weekend's orientation camp.
Among the beat reporters for both the Green Bay Press-Gazette and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, tight end Carson Butler from Michigan flashed some ability.
"Count TE Carson Butler as an early sleeper favorite among the undrafted
free-agent signings," writes Tom Pelissero of the Press-Gazette. "The big (6-foot-4) tight end from Michigan weighed
in at 263 pounds, but he is surprisingly fast and adjusts well to the
ball in the air, too. He caught one ball thrown way behind him during
team drills, then later got one deep down the seam and outran CB Joshua
Abrams after the catch."
Butler caught Journal Sentinel reporter Greg Bedard's eye as well.
As far as the undrafted free agents go, Butler as good a chance as
anyone to make the Packers' 53-man roster come September. Tory Humphrey
hasn't exactly nailed down the third tight end spot. The team refused
to offer him a restricted free agent tender, although they did re-sign
him.
Butler, or any of the undrafted tight ends for that matter,
could steal away a roster spot from Humphrey. At the very least, one of
them figures to stick around until the final roster cuts.
On the defensive side of the ball, it was a player named "Pig" that impressed.
"Among the tryout players, S Pig Brown is one guy who jumped out," writes Pelissero. "He was
listed at 5-11 and 205 as a senior at Missouri -- sort of a Bob Sanders
body type, and he looks quick on his feet. He was second-team all-Big
12 in 2007, before an Achilles' injury ended his season, and he wasn't
at full speed when the Kansas City Chiefs worked him out a year ago."
Fans should know as early as today which tryout players the Packers decided to sign to a contract.