And the cuts start rolling in...

Dan Haddinger — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 04:01:46 GMT

According to ESPN, here are the Packers cuts so far:

Wide receivers Jake Allen, Johnny Quinn, Taj Smith and Brett Swain, cornerbacks Scorpio Babers and Joe Porter, defensive tackles Conrad Bolston, Alfred Malone and Daniel Muir, center Brennen Carvalho, safety Tyrone Culver, linebackers Spencer Havner and Danny Lansanah, tight end Joey Haynos, running backs Noah Herron and Vernand Morency, guard Ryan Keenan, tackle Orrin Thompson and fullback Corey White.

They also placed defensive tackle Rodney Allen, center Junius Coston and long snapper J.J. Jansen on injured reserve.

Some of the cuts are a little surpising, in my opinion. Getting rid of both Herron and Morency? That gives us a VERY young backfield. Combine that with the age of all of our QB's and we've got a group of kids who have no idea who the ThunderCats are.

We'll just see if Ted is looking to pick anyone up from wire. Looks like there's been a few bigger names let go.

My choice (and yes I know I sound like a homer) but let's bring in Nick Hayden. Panthers cut him today too and we could use someone with a good motor on the D line.

Best/worst case scenarios for Packer wide receivers

Brian Carriveau — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:56:32 GMT

In a continuing series, we take a look at the Green Bay Packer wide receivers and the best case/worst case scenarios each player may play to in the 2008 season:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Photo credit: Associated Press

Packers' Driver doesn't succumb to age

Green Bay Railbird Central — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:37:56 GMT

Any worries that Donald Driver might be slowing down due to age were quelled when Driver was among the wide receivers getting the most separation in one-on-one wide receiver vs. defensive back drills. Undrafted rookie receiver Taj Smith wasn’t able to get the separation Driver got, but somehow found a way to catch balls thrown to him. In the same drill, rookie cornerback Pat Lee batted away a pass at the last second. Welcome to the Railbird feed . Eat up....(read more)

Can Packers swing trade for defensive tackle?

Green Bay Railbird Central — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:56:51 GMT

With Justin Harrell on the physicall unable to perform list, Ryan Pickett not practicing, Corey Williams gone via trade, Johnny Jolly having legal issues, and Colin Cole and Daniel Muir missing time during OTAs because of injuries, the Green Bay Packers are a little thin at defensive tackle. You may remember a little known trade back in 2006 when the Packers traded training camp body and cornerback Therrian Fontenot for another training camp body and wide receiver in Carlton Brewster. Neither player contributed much, but the Packers knew that Fontenot was expendable and wasn't going to make...(read more)

Railbird Central : Taj Smith

And the cuts start rolling in...

Best/worst case scenarios for Packer wide receivers

Packers' Driver doesn't succumb to age

Can Packers swing trade for defensive tackle?