Railbird Central : Carson Butler

Down the depth chart thoughts

Brian Carriveau — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:55:11 GMT

Some thoughts surfaced during last night's blogcast extravaganza.

It's possible that undrafted rookie tight end Carson Butler is seriously injured.

This thinking is based upon two moves the Packers have made since Butler's injury roughly two weeks ago. First of all, the Packers have signed fellow undrafted rookie free agent tight end Devin Fieschknecht from Washington State.

And second, the Packers have moved linebacker Spencer Havner to tight end to become a hybrid type of player.

Butler sat out of the entire week of the recently completed mini-camp practices. It's possible the Packers are just being cautious with the young Michigan product seeing as training camp over a month away, but he could be more seriously injured.

Again, this is just speculation. The Packers have been mum on his injury, but in their defense, the media hasn't asked them about it to my knowledge.

Seeing as the Packers seemingly have an opening for the no. 3 tight end job, it was thought that Butler might be the undrafted rookie with the best chance of making the 53-man roster. He also had good reviews coming out of the team's post-draft rookie orientation camp.

And while Spencer Havner is in the discussion, it appears the Packers have put a lot of stock into Havner and fellow special teams maven Jarrett Bush.

Havner has been working with several no. 1 special teams units throughout the off-season program showing how much the Packers value his kamikaze like play.

They also are trying to prepare him to become a backup at both linebacker and tight end positions making him as versatile as possible. It seems like the Packers are doing everything in their power to create a job for Havner.

Same thing with Jarrett Bush. He's at his best in special teams play as he still has a tendency to give up big plays on the defensive side of the ball.

But Bush offers some of the most versatility in the defensive backfield as he can play both cornerback and safety.

So the question is, can the Packers afford to keep two players like Havner and Bush on the 53-man roster who offer key special teams play but can't offer as much in the core offensive and defensive schemes?

Packers Daily Links 5.23.09

Brian Carriveau — Sun, 24 May 2009 00:07:28 GMT

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Tom Pelissero of the Green Bay Press-Gazette previews the offensive line in his position by position outlook on the team in the run up to OTAs. Noteworthy is Pelissero's prediction that Breno Giacomini will win the starting right tackle job. "Giacomini (6-7, 311), a nasty fifth-round pick in 2008 who made big strides with the scout team as a rookie, would be the clear favorite if he weren’t coming off ankle surgery that has sidelined him for much of the offseason program," writes Pelissero. I really have no idea who will win the starting right tackle job. Giacomini has as good a chance as anyone, but...

Mike Spofford of the Packers official website profiles Allen Barbre who is in a battle with Giacomini among others for the starting nod at right tackle. At the very least, Barbre is saying all the right things. "I think I play nasty," Barbre said in the article. "I think I have a little bit of a chip on my shoulder when I play, and I think that's very vital to an offensive line. The offensive line leads the team and kind of sets the tone for the team, and I like to set that kind of tone." I'd like to think Barbre also has a fair shot, but both rookies T.J. Lang and Jamon Meredith figure in the mix, and don't count out Mark Tauscher either.

Spofford is also taking a three part look at OTAs, which are set to being next week. He begins by taking a look at the offense and talked to offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. One thing that stuck out was that Philbin says the Packers will spend more time practicing two-minute situations citing that was one of the team's weaknesses last season. "We're going to practice that more often, devote more time to it," Philbin said. "Obviously you believe as a coach if you place a certain emphasis on something, your hope is and your anticipation is it's going to improve and it's going to get better. That's one part of our game we looked at that we really think we have to improve on and we're taking some steps we think to become more productive." When you lose seven games by four points or less, yeah, that's a good idea.

Pelissero gives us a peek into what the schedule for OTAs looks like this week. "Tuesday is an administrative day (physicals, equipment checks, etc.)," according to Pelissero. "The first practice is on Wednesday, marking the first time all position groups will have been on the field together since late December, and the first time for the veterans to take the field with the new crop of rookies and the remodeled coaching staff."

The position by position analysis continues for Pelissero (busy guy lately) with the tight ends. The interesting prediction here this time is undrafted rookie Carson Butler will become the team's third tight end. "Butler (6-4, 255) received a $6,000 signing bonus, tops among the Packers’ undrafted rookie signings on offense, and has an intriguing combination of size (7-foot-plus wingspan), speed (4.6 40) and hands," writes Pelissero. "But he never lived up to his potential at the University of Michigan while repeatedly landing in the doghouse with two coaches, then leaving school a year early." I agree. I can't imagine Tory Humphrey sticking around another season. He was healthy and was given every chance to make an impact last season and didn't.

Finally, Pelissero takes a look at the defensive line and thinks Ryan Pickett will be a starting defensive end for the Packers with B.J. Raji manning the nose. "Coach Mike McCarthy has said Pickett (6-2, 330) has a chance to win the starting nose tackle job," writes Pelissero, "but the ninth overall draft pick Raji (6-2, 337) is the long-term plan at the position. With Pickett about to hit age 30 and entering a contract year, the torch could be passed sooner than later. Either way, Pickett and Raji both figure to play some left end and nose tackle in the base defense, and Raji’s pass-rushing acumen makes him a good bet to play inside in nickel, too." I will add that Pickett has more hustle in him than most people think.

The NFL has allowed teams to broker deals with state lotteries as another source of income, and you can bet the Packers will agreeing to a deal sometime in the future. The New England Patriots have already done so, and it didn't take them long. “We think there is potential in this new area and we’ll be taking a look at the opportunity,” Laura Sankey, Packers senior vice president of marketing and sales told the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “As we do with all our potential partners, we’ll want to strive to build and enhance both our businesses.”

Newly signed rookie tight end Travis Dekker is being used an example by Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun why the Department of Defense needs to change the rule regarding service academy graduates two year service commitment. "Calhoun argues that by leaving slightly ajar the door to an immediate pro opportunity (or other job with public relations benefit to an academy) academies would be more attractive to potential recruits," writes Colorado Spings Gazette reporter Jake Schaller. "Thus the pool of applicants would become even stronger."

Cheesehead TV critiques PackerChatters, and PackerChatters issues their response.

Wide receiver Donald Driver visited Slinger Elementary School earlier this week issuing words of inspiration to the young ones. "Driver's visit was prompted after Slinger students, faculty and their families banded together to collect an area-best total of 27,965 items in Goodwill Industries' Pack'er Up Donation Challenge," reports gmtoday.com.

Stay tuned for big news coming after the Memorial Day weekend regarding a Railbird Central event. We're covering OTAs in a whole new way. I'll leave it at that.

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Packers Daily Links 5.20.09

Brian Carriveau — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:47:48 GMT

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The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. announced yesterday that cornerback Charles Woodson and wide receiver Jordy Nelson will receive the Hall's awards for 'Most Valuable Player' and 'Rookie of the Year,' respectively, at the 39th Packers Hall of Fame Induction Banquet, to be held the evening of July 18, 2009, in the Lambeau Field Atrium. I cannot thing of any players more deserving of that honor.

While we're on the topic of Charles Woodson, the team MVP made a large contribution to a children's hospital during a charity golf event near his alma mater of Ann Arbor, Michigan. "After raising an event-record $660,000 last weekend, including a huge financial boost from U-M's former Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson, it will now be called the Griese/Hutchinson/Woodson golf outing," reports the Detroit News.

It looks like quarterback Aaron Rodgers is going to given the reigns of the offense moreso than last year. "Rodgers says that QB Coach Tom Clements is giving him a bigger voice with play calling and command of the team this year," according to Lance Allen of Milwaukee NBC affiliate WTMJ (hat tip: the Daily Drink). Rodgers has been a good soldier for a couple years now. He's earned that role.

The Packers official website has a nice story on undrafted rookies Carson Butler and Ronald Talley who attended the same high school. "Both players acknowledged the adjustment to life in the NFL is a little easier with a familiar face around," writes Mike Spofford. "During rookie orientation, the two caught up on some old times and partnered up for the nightly card games of spades at the local hotel, ruling the table their fair share."

Tom Pelissero takes a look at the running backs in his position by position analysis in the run up to OTAs. Tyrell Sutton has been getting a lot of good publicity as one of the Packers' best signings of the undrafted players, but Pelissero points out some key factors, "Sutton, the undrafted rookie from Northwestern, is undersized (5-foot-8, 211 pounds), hasn’t been durable, doesn’t have great speed and needs to have a fantastic preseason to make the team." I get the feeling that some people have already penciled in Sutton as beating out guys like DeShawn Wynn and Kregg Lumpkin while Sutton still has a lot to prove, not to mention that he won't even be eligible to participate in OTAs.

Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more information on the Packers' decision not to opt out of the league's pension plan for assistant coaches.

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Rookies who impressed at camp

Brian Carriveau — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:09:58 GMT

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.