Surviving Sunday: Packers news, notes and links for the football deprived

The best Green Bay Packers links and other stuff from the week.

Ross Uglem at PackersTalk.com has been running a series of posts highlighting five Green Bay Packers who “have to be good” this season. Uglem's list consists of B.J. Raji, Jared Abbrederis, and J.C. Tretter, so far.

I can’t argue with any of those selections -- especially Raji's, but if I were making a similar list, I’d include Sam Shields. The Packers are relying on some new faces at cornerback this season. They’ll also be relying on Casey Hayward, who isn’t a new face but has yet to prove himself in a full-time role.

If Shields plays poorly, things could go south in the secondary. And in today’s NFL, especially when you play in a division with Calvin Johnson, Alshon Jeffry and a couple of big-armed quarterbacks, you don’t want things to go south in the secondary.

Shields received a new contract last offseason and proceeded to have a pretty good campaign in 2014. Nothing spectacular, he didn’t remind us of Charles Woodson in his prime or Tramon Williams in 2010, but he was pretty good.

Shields duplicating how he played in 2014 this season would be acceptable. Shields taking the next step and playing even better would be a cause for celebration. Shields regressing could be a domino that causes several others to fall in the wrong direction on the Packers’ defense.

Packers news, notes and links

  • It looks like the Packers will be without DL Letroy Guion for the first three games of the season. Sounds like Guion will appeal the punishment, but he was carrying around a lot of weed and a gun. I wouldn't hold my breath that he's going to win an appeal.
  • TE Jermaine Gresham did not sign with the Packers and ended up inking a one-year deal with Arizona instead. Oh well. Gresham was a below average tight end, in my opinion, that probably could have been bumped up to average with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback.
  • Bart Starr hopes to the make the Thanksgiving Night game featuring a halftime ceremony to retire Favre's number. If I can find a pair of tickets that don't cost me more than two house payments, I plan to be there as well.
  • As usual, my colleagues here at CHTV wrote some really good pieces this week. Thomas Hobbes takes an in-depth look at how much the Packers should spend at each position and Jay Hodgson takes a unique look at the imperfect legacy of Favre. Worried about the Packers depth early this season given all the suspensions? Jason Perone covers how the team will try and deal with it.
  • I Tweeted a smart-ass comment bout Brett Favre coming out of the tunnel during his Packers Hall of Fame event to "Jock Jams" the other day and follower Robert Hammen reminded me that that's the song Favre always exited the tunnel to. I had totally forgotten about that. Getting old stinks...
  • In another set of offseason top 100 player rankings, Aaron Rodgers finished on top of a list compiled by Grantland's Bill Barnwell. Randall Cobb checked in at No. 84, Clay Matthews No. 65, Jordy Nelson No. 34 and Josh Sitton 32nd. Sitton is an outstanding player, but would you really take him over Cobb, Matthews or Nelson?
  • Sitton made another list: No. 4 on Robert Mays' 10 best offensive linemen.

Non-Packers links and other nonsense

  • Say it ain't so, Hulk Hogan! You always said to say your prayers and take your vitamins. Not say your prayers, take your vitamins, and say  bunch of racist stuff on a sex tape.
  • Book recommendation: "Ghettoside" by Jill Leovy. If you like HBO's "The Wire," you'll love this book. Outstanding reporting and insight into the high rate of murder among young black men and the detectives and police officers who work in the communities hit the hardest.
  • Bill Simmons is heading to HBO. This is probalby a smart move by Simmons. I'm guessing he'll get paid a whole lot and have a fraction of the workload he had at ESPN. I've always enjoyed Simmons' podcasts, but could take or leave his writing and televsion work. Sounds like he'll be doing some "video podcasts" at HBO. To me, a video podcast sounds like a cheap imitation of a traditional talk show. I'm hoping Simmons still puts out regular, good 'ol fashioned, audio-only podcasts at his new gig.
  • Ever wondered what ex-cons do on their first day out of prison? If you do, check out this story from the New York Times Magazine.
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Comments (7)

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

July 26, 2015 at 07:56 am

I liked the articles by Uglem. Raji needs to be at least above average, though need is perhaps a little strong. Abby doesn't need to be good., but the role envisioned for him as the 2nd slot receiver and being matched up against the 4th CB sounds great. I continue to think that Abby is the type of receiver that Rodgers will love. I have big hopes for Janis, but I'd bet on Abby if healthy over Janis. Monty might drop more passes than he catches (okay, a little hyberbole there - say 22 catches, 5 drops). I couldn't find the article on Tretter. I can't conceive of any reason barring injury that GB needs him to be good, though of course it would be nice. I am guessing that Uglem will list Hayward and Neal as the last two players GB needs to be good.

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NickPerry's picture

July 26, 2015 at 09:56 am

I'm anxious to see what happens with Guions appeal. If he loses then I become more concerned with weeks 2 and 3 against Seattle and KC. Both teams have All Pro RB and feature a power running game. Personally I'd like to see the Packers look at Red Bryant. Maybe a 1 year "Prove It" deal could be made for him. Jones will be back by week 2 but he hasn't been good against the run. Signing Bryant not only gives them someone who plays the run well in weeks 1-3, but also gives them some depth if they have a injury or Raji isn't even close to the 2010 Raji.

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WKUPackFan's picture

July 26, 2015 at 10:29 am

Great information and links as always Adam, thanks! Too bad about the Hulkster, unfortunately this is not the first time he's been in hot water, if I recall correctly. Terry is a marketing machine, but his personal life has been up and down.

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BELIEVER's picture

July 26, 2015 at 04:51 pm

uggg I am ready for the season!!

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Oppy's picture

July 26, 2015 at 05:31 pm

Aberderis might not even make the roster this season.

I expect the Packers to give him every chance to do so, but he's a guy who can't afford to lose so much as a quarter of a step. It will depend on how complete a recovery he made.

I like abberderis and think he is far and away a more NFL ready WR than, say, Janis- but I don't think with the cupboards stocked so deeply at the position there would be any reason to think he HAS to have a good year for the Packers to be successful. I also think Tretter falls into this category. In my eyes, tretter is no different than Spitz- a player they intended to play Center, but kept on missing the opportunity to do so.

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Allan Murphy's picture

July 26, 2015 at 06:39 pm

Chilax !

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BRinMilwaukee's picture

July 27, 2015 at 10:27 pm

Really enjoyed the ex-con article. Another great find, thanks.

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