Packers Calendar: RB James Starks Visits Pittsburgh Steelers

Also on Monday, defensive lineman Johnny Jolly is honored as the team's Ed Block Courage Award winner at a ceremony in Baltimore.

The Green Bay Packers already lost center Evan Dietrich-Smith and safety M.D. Jennings in free agency, and they could lose a third as running back James Starks visits the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday.

According to Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A source told the Journal Sentinel that Starks, 28, will visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday. Last season, the 6-foot-2, 218-pounder rushed for 493 yards on 89 attempts (5.5 avg.) with three touchdowns in the same backfield as rookie of the year Eddie Lacy.

While the Packers may very well welcome Starks back to Green Bay, they're probably not willing to pay a premium. For one, Eddie Lacy is firmly entrenched is the starter in the backfield in Green Bay. And two, the value of running backs league wide has taken a downward turn.

For what it's worth, the Steelers probably aren't willing to pay a ton either with Le'Veon Bell viewed as the running back of the present and future in Pittsburgh. Such a situation could possibly lead Starks back to Green Bay. If he's going to be a backup either way, maybe he'll want to play in a system he's at least familiar with.

But perhaps Starks also wants to get away from a crowded backfield with the Packers that also includes Johnathan Franklin, DuJuan Harris and Michael Hill.

Also on Monday, defensive lineman Johnny Jolly represents the Green Bay Packers as the organization's 2013 Ed Block Courage Award winner, to be honored at a ceremony in Baltimore.

Last season Jolly came back from a period of drug abuse, a stint in prision and a three-year suspension by the NFL to become a starter on the team's defense.

The Ed Block Courage Award is described on its official website as follows:

Each year, the Ed Block Courage Awards honors those National Football League players who exemplify commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. This award is unique in that the recipients are selected solely by a vote of their teammates. Every fall all thirty two teams conduct a vote which results in each team selecting their Ed Block Courage Award recipient for the year.

The Ed Block Courage Award recipient symbolizes professionalism, great strength and dedication. He is also a community role model. With this honor, he enters into an association which contrasts his fierce profession by becoming a major component of the Courage House National Support Network for Kids. He becomes an Ambassador of Courage for victims of abuse, violence and neglect.

Recent Packers that have won the award include Tramon Williams in 2012, T.J. Lang in 2011 and Charles Woodson in 2010.

Finally, the pro day circuit resumes on Monday after a weekend off. Universities hosting NFL scouts, including the those of the Packers, are Louisville, Florida, Virginia, Boise State, Wake Forest, Houston, Rice, Memphis and Valdosta State.

0 points
 

Comments (2)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
HankScorpio's picture

March 17, 2014 at 08:29 am

The market for RBs and WRs has been absolutely dead. I wouldn't be surprised to see Starks sign for a very modest SB and the vet min.

Personally, I'd rather have Kuhn for that kind of deal if the choice is one or the other. I'm not sure that is the choice but Kuhn brings something to the table that is unique and valuable. He would the best Rodgers protector in the backfield. Starks is a much better runner but he'd be just another face in the crowd with Lacy, Harris and Franklin already signed.

0 points
0
0
Jordan's picture

March 17, 2014 at 01:37 pm

It would be better to replace both Starks and Kuhn with one guy.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1664213/tyler-gaffney

0 points
0
0