Railbird Central : Best/worst case scenarios

Best & worst case scenarios for Packers cornerbacks

Brian Carriveau — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:48:47 GMT

We continue our third annual best and worst case scenarios for every player on the Green Bay Packers roster. Today we take a look at the cornerbacks. Make sure to come back tomorrow when analyze the inside linebackers.

Charles Woodson

Best case scenario: Woodson shows no signs of aging. He's been one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL ever since he came to the Packers, and he continues that trend in 2009. Woodson has more than five interceptions, and just like every year, he creates at least one turnover that seems to swing the entire momentum of the game over to the Packers. He is a first team All-Pro, which is even more impressive than the Pro Bowl.
Worst case scenario: Woodson begins his downhill slide. He'll start every game he's healthy enough to play, but his performance has the Packers wondering if it's time for change of the guard next season. His decline in play also makes Mike McCarthy consider playing him at safety once again.

Al Harris

Best case scenario: Harris picks up where he left off last season when he seemed to play better without his spleen. He also erases any doubts that he'll struggle in Dom Capers' 3-4 zone coverage schemes. Never known for a high amount of interceptions, Harris gets more INTs than expected when he's able to read quarterbacks more with his eyes now facing the backfield.
Worst case scenario: The combination of advancing age and struggles in zone coverage creep up on Harris like the Grim Reaper. He starts all season long, but he is out of the Packers' plans for 2010 in favor of Tramon Williams.

Tramon Williams

Best case scenario: Williams takes the title of most improved player of the off-season and runs with it. Even as the team's nickel cornerback, he plays a pivotal role in the success of the new 3-4 defense. He racks up just as many interceptions as last season and cements himself as a starter in the NFL next season, he simply won't be denied no matter who's in front of him.
Worst case scenario: Williams is continually picked on by opposing quarterbacks as the lesser of three evils. He allows too many completions to the players he's covering. And even though it's not entirely his fault, fans are clamoring to audition new nickel back by the end of the season.

Will Blackmon

Best case scenario: Blackmon hold off Pat Lee as fourth cornerback in the pecking order. He's still more valuable as a kick returner, but at least when he's forced to play on the defensive side of the football, he's not a disappointment.
Worst case scenario: Being a halfway decent return man is the only thing keeping Blackmon as a part of the team. He's fallen behind Pat Lee and Jarrett Bush and just flat out gets beaten more often than not on defense. He rarely sees the field on defense during the regular season as a result.

Pat Lee

Best case scenario: The second year pro is light years ahead of where he was as a rookie. He still finds playing time tough to come by in a crowded defensive backfield, but his play in the pre-season screams, "I deserve to be on the field." He makes one play during the regular season that all of a sudden makes Cheesehead Nation take notice.
Worst case scenario: The Packers made a mistake. They never should have drafted him. Rookie Brandon Underwood plays his butt off, and Lee rides the pine all year long. He's lucky if he ever is part of the 45-man gameday active roster.

Brandon Underwood

Best case scenario: The sixth round draft choice out of Cincinnati makes the team and even plays a little bit of special teams. He has a hard time seeing playing time outside of the pre-season, but just making the roster was an achievement. Underwood makes it known that he could be a potential starting-caliber cornerback in the NFL.
Worst case scenario: His back strain from lifting weights lingers. He struggles to even find the playing field let alone play well. He's put on either the practice squad or injured reserve, getting another chance to prove himself next year.

Joe Porter

Best case scenario: Porter got off to a good start in training camp with a couple of eye-catching plays and he continues it with a couple more interceptions while covering the team's best wide receivers. Somehow, someway, Porter is the 53rd man kept on the team forcing a guy like Underwood to practice squad status.
Worst case scenario: Porter is cut in a numbers game. He performs well for a player without expectations, but he just can't surpass the players ahead of him on the depth chart. He still has practice squad eligibility and that could be an option.

Trevor Ford

Best case scenario: The undrafted rookie from Troy makes it past the first round of cuts. The most he can hope for is getting a little extra time in an NFL training camp in hopes of catching the eye of maybe another team and gaining a little more experience.
Worst case scenario: Trevor, meet the UFL. UFL, meet Trevor.

Jarrett Bush

Best case scenario: Even though Bush is now considered more of a safety, he shows he can still play cornerback in a pinch. He makes the team by providing depth in the defensive backfield and playing much better special teams than he did a year ago.
Worst case scenario: The Packers decided to match Bush's contract offered to him by the Titans as a restricted free agent, but maybe they shouldn't have. They end up cutting him anyway.

Best/worst case scenarios for Packer quarterbacks

Brian Carriveau — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 13:41:53 GMT

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.

Aaron Rodgers – A good performance in the preseason opener was followed by a subpar performance in the second exhibition game, so it’s hard to know what to expect. A lot of fans are expecting Rodgers to go through quite a learning experience in his first season as a starter. But think back just a couple seasons ago when Ben Roethlisberger showed that rookie quarterbacks can succeed in the NFL when the Steelers won a Super Bowl. It’s Rodgers’ first year as a starter, but it’s his fourth year as a pro – three more years experience more than Roethlisberger had when the Steelers won it all. Best case, Rodgers shows why some considered him as the top overall pick in the ’05 draft. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Rodgers makes the NFC Pro Bowl squad. Maybe not likely, but possible. Worst case, Rodgers’ play lets the Packers know they made the wrong choice for letting go of Brett Favre. Even if he plays poorly, Rodgers is the starter almost all year long, although his play could have the Packers thinking it’ll be time to go with Brian Brohm in ’09.

Rodgers: Somewhere inbetween. Rodgers did very well this season. He finished among the top 10 in most statistical categories for all NFL quarterbacks. And a big part of that was because he stayed healthy all season long. People were worried about his durability coming into the season, but Rodgers showed a resolve that few people knew. Rodgers most telling statistic this season? ZERO come from behind victories. He didn't show the drive or leadership that can will a team to victory in the fourth quarter, maybe in a two minute drill type situation. However, Rodgers was not the reason the Packers struggled this season as most people know. If he can improve as much in his second season as a full-time starter as he did in his first, the Packers should be in better shape.

Brian Brohm – Brohm’s spotty play thus far through training camp has many people calling for Matt Flynn to become the No. 2 quarterback on the Packers’ roster. Upon closer examination, there are reasons for Brohm’s struggles. Brohm has been under unusually heavy pressure. Being the exhibition season, teams are blitzing more than they usually do for experimentation sake. For example, against San Francisco Brohm was blitzed on over 30% of all the snaps he played. Matt Flynn? Zero percent. Do you think that makes a difference? Flynn has also played against third string defenses. Brohm has by no means played well, but criticizing him may be overrated. Best case, Brohm holds onto the No. 2 spot and only sees the playing field when the Packers are blowing out opponents. And in a best case scenario, that will hopefully be more often than not. Worst case, Brohm becomes a wasted second round draft choice when a seventh rounder proves for valuable as a developmental project.

Brohm: Worst case. After one season, Brohm looks like a wasted second round pick when Matt Flynn became the top backup to Rodgers all season long. Brohm will get a pass because he's only a rookie, but he has to show marked improvement in the '09 season. The only way he'll do that is to play well in the exhibition season and overtake the top backup job to Rodgers for the entire '09 season.

Matt Flynn – All the rhetoric above that called the Brohm-bashing overrated shouldn’t discount the fact that Flynn has been a pleasant surprise for being a seventh round choice. He’s played well and he may even be able to flourish in an offense that doesn’t ask a ton from its quarterback. Of course, maybe that’s why he played well at LSU and why maybe he won’t in the NFL. Best case, Flynn’s steady play sees him being promoted to the top backup position, and he just doesn’t relinquish his hold on it. Worst case, Flynn becomes the next Ingle Martin when the Packers decide that there must be better players out there worth developing.

Flynn: Best case. For a seventh round choice, the Packers got a heck of a deal. Flynn is better than most people believe. Check out his collegiate post-season achievements. In addition to being named the offensive MVP of the 2008 National Championship game against Ohio State he was also named the offensive MVP of the 2005 Chick-fil-A Bowl when he led LSU to a 40-3 rout over Miami after being the backup quarterback all season long. Is he an NFL starting caliber quarterback? I doubt it. But the Packers did get good value in their seventh round draft pick.

Best & worst case scenarios for Packer running backs

Brian Carriveau — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:19:08 GMT

Ryan Grant -- After a holdout early in training camp, Grant is in the fold. But now he's nursing an injury that may or may not set him back. Whether being in training camp would have given Grant better conditioning and decreased his susceptibility is up for debate. It appears he'll be ready to go for the season opener on Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings, though. Best case, Grant has the same type of season he did last year, but it begins week one. He rushes for at least 1200 yards and takes a lot of pressure of Aaron Rodgers. Worst case, Grant doesn't live up to the hype and is a middle of the road NFL running back. He starts but doesn't strike fear in anyone.

Grant: Somewhere inbetween. While Grant had a good season, it just didn't start in week one. I really, really like Grant, although like most people, I think his delay in getting to training camp set him back. He's a downhill runner with enough wiggle to get to the second level. And once he gets to the second level, he has more than adequate speed to be a threat to get to the endzone almost any time. Expect even better numbers next year if he can stay healthy.

Brandon Jackson -- It's time to see whether the hype given to Jackson from head coach Mike McCarthy is warranted or not. After a rookie year in which he slowly but steadily improved, Jackson stands to play a significant role in the offense even if he doesn't start. Best case, Jackson shows that the Packers have 1 and 1A running back with him and Grant much like the New York Giants duo of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Worst case, Jackson eventually loses his grip on the top backup job and finishes the season somewhere in the realm of 200 rushing yards.

Jackson: Somewhere inbetween. I guess I expected more out of Jackson this year. I think most people did. Head coach Mike McCarthy did an awful good job of hyping him up this past offseason saying he was one of the most improved players on the team. It's not like Jackson played poorly. But he had trouble staying healthy near the end of the year. He's a willing blocker and can catch the ball out of the backfield as good or better than any other running back on the team. He can be the top backup, but this is the NFL. A rookie could easily take his place next year. On a related note, the Packers should definitely draft Iowa's Shonn Greene if he's still available in the second round like many people predict. I think Greene is a top 10 NFL talent. The Packers don't exactly "need" a running back, but if he's around, get him!

Vernand Morency -- Remember when rushed for over 100 yards in a game in the 2006 season after the Packers traded for him? And when he rushed for 99 in another? Remember the high expectations? It wasn't all that long ago, and I doubt he's lost that much. Best case, Morency's solid play both running the ball and in his pass protection have him pushing for Jackson's hold on the No. 2 halfback spot. Worst case, I can envision a scenario where the Packers either cut or trade Morency when they decide either Noah Herron or Kregg Lumpkin is a better choice. Not a likely scenario but possible.

Morency: Worst case. The Packers must have made the right decision in releasing him. Not a single other team in the NFL was interested either.

Noah Herron -- The book on Herron has always been that he's a solid but not spectacular performer. The type of guy you can rely to play mistake free football, but not the type who's going to break off a 50 yard touchdown run. Best case, Herron's continued solid play has him becoming the third down specialist because he can catch the ball out of the backfield as well as take on blitzing linebackers. Worst case, the Packers keep a potential game breaker like Lumpkin instead of going the safe route with Herron.

Herron: Worst case. Herron is bouncing around the NFL while trying to keep the dream alive. He was signed by the Buccaneers late in the '08, and has already signed a future contract with the New York Jets for '09.

Kregg Lumpkin -- The Packers are doing more than just kicking the tires with Lumpkin through their first two preseason games. They're taking him for a very, very long test drive. With the exception of his one costly fumble, he's played pretty well too. Best case, the Packers think that if they cut Lumpkin, someone's going to gobble him up before they can stash him on their practice squad. Therefore, he actually makes the roster. Worst case, he's on somebody else's practice squad. Someone in the NFL is going to give him a shot if it isn't the Packers.

Lumpkin: Best case. Lumpkin showed some preseason and early regular season potential. It's too bad he got hurt, but that's been the story of his life. With the re-emergence of DeShawn Wynn, it'll likely be a two man battle for the third running back spot on the roster. They should hype it up like a boxing match. Have them pose for a photo nose to nose. That's what it's going to be like in training camp.

DeShawn Wynn -- It's hard to envision the Packers giving Wynn another chance. With Grant and Jackson being locks, it looks like either Morency, Herron, and Lumpkin would all be more reliable options than the up and down Wynn. Best case, the Packers brass disagrees with me and Wynn somehow, someway finds his way onto the roster. Worst case, he's looking through the newspaper classifieds.

Wynn: Best case. Wow, I'm prophetic. After being released by the team before the final round of roster cuts then later added to the practice squad, Wynn somehow, someway found himself on the 53-man roster. Best of all, he really showed something the last two games of the season highlighted by a 100-yard rushing day in the season finale against the Lions. Now it's time for Wynn to train like he's never trained before in preparation of the fight for his roster life in training camp.

Korey Hall -- The Packers got a pleasant surprise when last year's sixth round draft choice became a starter for them. He didn't wow anyone, but he made a lot of NFL All-Rookie teams at fullback. That being said, there weren't a ton of rookie fullbacks. Best case, Hall learns and grows and takes a big step up in his second year, which includes a couple touchdowns on the receiving end of passes. Worst case, the Packers phase the fullback out of the offense like a lot of other teams in the NFL. Hall becomes primarily a special teams player.

Hall: Somewhere inbetween. Hall was injury prone, which limited his effectiveness. Pound for pound, he's a pretty good blocker. But is he really what the Packers want? John Kuhn is the better blocker of the two. However, Hall has shown he's an improved receiver. They'll probably end up splitting time again next season, but Hall has to become a better special teams player. He should be playing on nearly every unit and be near the team leader in special teams tackles.

John Kuhn -- There's a segment of fans out there who attribute last year's successes in the running game to Kuhn whose blocking paved the way for some long touchdowns for Grant. If he can continue to do that along with being a consistent special teams contributor, he should find himself a spot again. Best case, Kuhn unseats Hall in the starting lineup at fullback. He also contributes a touchdown or two. Worst case, the Packers decide they're only going with one fullback and Hall is it.

Kuhn: Somewhere inbetween. The Packers didn't break those long runs like they did the previous season, which was a disappointment. But showed improvement as both a runner and a receiver. It was nice to see them hand off to the fullback once in a while. Like Hall, Kuhn needs to become a better special teams player. Seeing as neither of them play a ton on offense, they need to become special teams demons.

Ryan Powdrell -- Powdrell's biggest asset is that he's a big, bruising fullback. Whether that works in his favor or not, I'm not sure. Best case, Powdrell is asked to be on the practice squad, which would actually be a step up for him seeing as he spent all last season on injured reserve. Worst case, the Packers go with Kuhn and the only big, bruiser they need.

Powdrell: Worst case. He spent all of one week on the Buccanneers' practice squad in mid-October. That was it.

Corey White -- White's biggest asset is that he's versatile. He's a fullback but can play halfback in a pinch like he did during the 2007 preseason. Best case, White is back for his second stint on the practice squad and even that is looking like a long shot. Worst case, pink slip.

White: Worst case. Haven't heard of him since he left the Packers.

Best & worst case scenarios for Packers offensive line

Brian Carriveau — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:24:31 GMT

Chad Clifton -- The left tackle finally got a Pro Bowl nod last season, but he's getting up there in age. As is my opinion, NFL players (especially offensive linemen) get Pro Bowl nods long after they're due. But once they go to the Pro Bowl once, they're likely to keep going if they play at a halfway decent level. The coaching staff gives Clifton plenty of time off, and Clifton himself has done a nice job of staying injury free ever since his serious hip injury at the hands of Warren Sapp. He's getting up there in age, and there's no better time for Clifton to get a Super Bowl ring than now before his play begins to decline. Best case, Clifton maintains his high level of play this season, has a career low in penalties, and gives up few sacks while protecting Aaron Rodger's backside. Worst case, Clifton's play has the Packers drafting the left tackle of the future in the first round of next year's draft.

Clifton: Worst case. It's possible the Packers will be looking to draft a left tackle of the future with their first round draft choice, especially if they address the defensive line through free agency. Clifton had a poor season. There's no ifs, ands or buts about it. He went from Pro Bowl to not deserving to start in the span of one year. He's had a great career for the Packers, but it's time for the team to move on. Thanks for what you've done Chad.

Mark Tauscher -- The bookend tackle on the right side is just about in the same boat as Clifton. Can he play at a high level for yet another year before his performance starts to fade. As one of the most underrated players in the NFL, it's about time Tauscher is recognized for some post-season honors. Remember how he manhandled Patrick Kerney in the playoffs last year? Best case, Tauscher stops premiere pass rushers cold in their tracks while he finally gets that elusive Pro Bowl berth. Worst case, Tauscher has the same solid season he's always had and fails to get recognized for his play once again.

Tauscher: Worst case. While not faring as poorly as Clifton, Tauscher didn't exactly wow anyone either. His season ending knee injury was an unfortunate way to stop his season. Although the injury may actually have helped the Packers sign Tauscher this offseason. As an unrestricted free agent, he certainly would have seen more money while not being injured. It would be tough for the Packers to groom two tackles in one season, so expect at least either Tauscher or Clifton back.

Scott Wells -- Being undersized, you always wonder if the Packers wouldn't be better off with another center if they could find a good one. But Wells is an overachiever and continues to put together solid seasons and making finding another center through free agency too expensive to be cost effective. Best case, Wells gets over his current injury problems and starts all 16 games. Worst case, Wells' play makes the Packer think about moving Spitz over to center fulltime.

Wells: Somewhere inbetween. Even though Wells has recovered from his preseason injuries, he didn't go on to start all 16 games. He's always been known as a guy that maximizes his potential. The problem is that the ceiling is pretty low for Wells. You're probably not going to see any better play from him, but you're probably also not going to see any worse.

Jason Spitz -- In each of Spitz's first three years as a pro, there's always talk of competition at the starting guard spots along the offensive line. But every year, Spitz seems to grab ahold of a spot and makes any sort of competition null very early on in the going. In a week's time, he's got a starting job all wrapped up. Best case, Spitz elevates his play to a new level, which has people calling Green Bay possible one of the NFL's best offensive lines. Worst case, Spitz's play declines when the team constantly juggles him between both guard spots and center.

Spitz: Somewhere inbetween. I wouldn't say Spitz's play declined this season, but it certainly didn't get any better. The Packers are getting the same thing from Spitz they got in the '07 season and the '06 season for that matter as well. Only a three year NFL veteran, he seems to have stagnated. His versatility to bounce around all the interior line spots helps his cause, it's hard to tell if he'd be any better than Josh Sitton by next season.

Josh Sitton -- Sitton's play has been one of the most pleasant surprises during training camp. Even if he doesn't end up becoming a starter, at least the Packers have a promising player that might develop into a starter in the coming years. Best case, Sitton improves upon his up-and-down play in the first preseason game to lock down the starting job all season long at right guard. Worst case, Sitton is the team's No. 6 offensive linemen, which makes him first off the bench.

Sitton: Somewhere inbetween. Sitton got a starting job near the end of the season thanks to Tauscher's knee injury. There are a lot of people out there who think Sitton is the future of the offensive line. He more of a bruiser, drive blocker than nearly anyone else along the line. And that's a good thing for those people that detest the zone blocking scheme. It would benefit the Packers to run behind Sitton in third-and-one situations in the upcoming years.

Daryn Colledge -- Colledge is one ball of confusion. He always seems like he's one bad performance from riding the pine. But he keeps ending up in the starting lineup. One moment he's not good enough to start at left guard, but the next moment the team is grooming him to be the left tackle of the future. Best case, Colledge finds a way to get a starting spot whether it's at left guard, right guard, or even left tackle in an injury situation. He has his best NFL season so far. Worst case, Colledge rarely gets off the bench but is still on each gameday's 45 man active roster.

Colledge: Best case. He met his best case scenario, but the bar wasn't set very high. Colledge was able to beat out Allen Barbre for a starting spot, but that may say more about Barbre than it does about Colledge. He had a good season, but he did nothing to show that he's a future All-Pro. We're still looking for a real break-out season from this second round draft pick.

Allen Barbre -- Things were looking good for Barbre when he only had to compete with Colledge for a starting spot. Now that Sitton has emerged, he now has to compete with College and Spitz for a job. Just a side note, there's no reason Barbre can't become an integral member of several special teams squads considering he was a gunner on his college's punt team. Best case, Barbre gets the starting job at left guard when the Packers realize they're better off with Spitz instead of Sitton at right guard. Worst case, he rides the pine.

Barbre: Worst case. Fans, and I'm assuming the Packers organization, was disappointed by the progress made by Barbre. Everyone was hoping he'd take a big step in his sophomore season, but it didn't happen. Barbre played sparingly on offense a handful of times, mostly because of injury. And there were even times when he was made a gameday inactive. This upcoming season is already at a make or break point for Barbre.

Junius Coston -- Even though Coston is technically the backup center, the coaches have realized they're much better off with Spitz if something ever happens to Wells. That doesn't bode well for Coston who could end up being cut if he's no better than a third string player. Best case, Coston grabs the final roster spot for an offensive lineman giving him job security for at least another season. Worst case, Coston finds himself on the NFL waiver wire.

Coston: Worst case. Coston was cut, and I haven't heard about him since.

Breno Giacomini -- It's hard to believe Giacomini will see any playing time this year unless a slew of injuries come upon the team. But he just might be good enough to keep around and groom as a potential starter down the line. Best case, Giacomini makes the 53 man roster but ends up being a gameday inactive a majority of the time. Worst case, the Packers lose the mammoth right tackle entirely when they try to stash him on the practice squad but another team picks him up off waivers.

Giacomini: Best case. His best case scenario was exactly what happened to the big guy. If memory serves me correctly, Giacomini played in one game this past season, all on special teams. With Tauscher recovering from injury, he'll get every chance to capture the starting spot at right tackle next season.

Tony Moll -- Moll has had an inconsistent training camp at best. For a guy that was a starter at times during his rookie year despite being mainly a college tight end, you'd think that he would have had a bright NFL future ahead of him. Best case, Moll is the 53rd of 53 players the Packers decide to keep. He's on the fence more than perhaps any player on the team. Worst case, the Packers cut ties with the once promising player.

Moll: Somewhere inbetween. Moll had his chance to prove his worth when Tauscher went down, but he dropped the ball. The plays with a lot of effort and intensity, but sometimes that works against him. He had way too many penalties for the amount of time that he played. And it just seems like he doesn't have as much talent as the player he lines up across from.

Orrin Thompson -- The good news for Thompson is that the Packers decided Moll wasn't good enough to play left tackle. The bad news, Thompson is still the third string left tackle at best. Best case, the Packers for some reason decide to keep 10 offensive linemen among their 53 and Thompson is one of them. Worst case, the next time you hear Orrin's name will be because some announcer will mention that he one time played on the same team as his brother Jeremy.

Thompson: Worst case. Unfortunately, Orrin will probably only be known as Jeremy's older brother from here on out.

Brennen Carvalho -- No player on the team has taken advantage of his situation more than Carvalho who's seen plenty of playing time with both Wells and Coston sitting out with injuries at one time or another. Best case, the Packers decide they better have a pure center on the practice squad in case of emergency when they cut Coston. Worst case, the 2008 training camp is the one and only chance Carvalho would get to play in the NFL.

Carvalho: Best case. The Packers kept him as an insurance policy on the practice squad. Expect Carvalho to be back in training camp next season, especially since they're thing at center.

Ryan Considine -- There was a time when the Packers had Considine playing ahead of Giacomini at right tackle. That experiment has since ended, but he must have flashed something. Best case, the Packers ask him to be on the practice squad. Worst case, his name won't register with Packer fans a month from now.

Considine: Worst case. His name doesn't register with anyone now.

Ryan Keenan -- A practice squad body. He's there for depth and to keep starters from overworking themselves. Best case, he escapes the first round of cuts. Worst case, he puts his college education to use (it's sad when that's a worst case scenario, huh?).

Keenan: Worst case. We can only hope he's putting his college education to use.

Best & worst case scenarios for Packers wide receivers

Brian Carriveau — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:15:20 GMT

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.