Super Bowl XLV Champions
Green Bay Packers
Owner: Green Bay Packers, Inc. (112,158 stockholders)
Founded: 1919
Stadium: Lambeau Field
2010 record: 10-6
Last playoff appearance: 2010, 10-6, W21-16 PHI, W48-21 ATL, W21-14 CHI, W31-25 PIT SB XLV
General Manager: Ted Thompson (2005 – current)
Head Coach: Mike McCarthy (2006 – current, 48-32 record as head coach)
Offensive Coordinator: Joe “Regis” Philbin
Defensive Coordinator: Dom Capers
Defensive alignment: 3-4
2010 NFL Rankings:
OFF: 24.2 PTS (10th) 358.1 YDS (9th) 257.8 PASS (5th) 100.4 RUSH (24th)
DEF: 15.0 PTS (2nd) 309.1 YDS (5th) 194.2 PASS (5th) 114.9 RUSH (18th)
Pro Bowlers: Greg Jennings WR, Chad Clifton OT, Clay Matthews OLB, Charles Woodson CB, Tramon Williams CB, Nick Collins FS
2011 schedule:
1 Sep 08 vs. Saints 8:30 PM Tickets
2 Sep 18 at Panthers 1:00 PM Tickets
3 Sep 25 at Bears 4:15 PM Tickets
4 Oct 02 vs. Broncos 4:15 PM Tickets
5 Oct 09 at Falcons 8:20 PM Tickets
6 Oct 16 vs. Rams 1:00 PM Tickets
7 Oct 23 at Vikings 4:15 PM Tickets
8 Bye
9 Nov 06 at Chargers 4:15 PM Tickets
10 Nov 14 vs. Vikings 8:30 PM Tickets
11 Nov 20 vs. Buccaneers 1:00 PM Tickets
12 Nov 24 at Lions 12:30 PM Tickets
13 Dec 04 at Giants 4:15 PM Tickets
14 Dec 11 vs. Raiders 1:00 PM Tickets
15 Dec 18 at Chiefs 1:00 PM Tickets
16 Dec 25 vs. Bears 8:20 PM Tickets
17 Jan 01 vs. Lions 1:00 PM Tickets
TEAM NEEDS: OG, DE, OLB
Potential Free Agents:
John Kuhn RB/FB – re-signed –
Korey Hall FB
James Jones WR – re-signed – 3 yrs,
Matt Wilhelm MLB
Anthony Smith FS
Charlie Peprah SS - re-signed – 2 yrs
Atari Bigby SS
Mason Crosby K – re-signed -5 yrs
Free agent acquisitions:
AJ Hawk OLB – re-signed
Free agent losses:
Brandon Jackson RB – signed with Browns
Donald Lee TE – signed with Eagles
Mark Tauscher OT
Jason Spitz OG/C – Signed by Jaguars
Daryn Colledge OT/OG – signed with Cardinals
Justin Harrell DE
Cullen Jenkins DE – Signed by Eagles
Brady Poppinga LB – signed with Rams
Brandon Chillar LB
Nick Barnett LB – signed by Bills
Al Harris CB – Signed by Rams
Derrick Martin DB
Picks in 2011 NFL Draft: (overall draft grade: A-): Every time I saw the Packers come on the clock, I told myself to “watch this.” Ted Thompson was beginning to gain recognition for his drafting and now that the Packers have won the Super Bowl, he’s one of the top GMs in the NFL. I loved the value that Thompson got out of this year’s draft. Sherrod, Cobb, House, Williams, Elmore, Guy were all given A grades.
(! Indicates draft pick who was interviewed, had a private workout, etc. prior to the draft according to my compiled list):
Rd 1, Pick 32 (32) Derek Sherrod OL, Mississippi State – Jeez, there are so many good values from my board in the first round, I feel like I’m being slutty with my A grades. But good value is good value.
Grade: A Rated: 26
Rd 2, Pick 32 (64) Randall Cobb WR, Kentucky – the rich get richer. Will be great for the short, quick throws on slants. Very good athleticism.
Grade: A Rated: 46
Rd 3, Pick 32 (96) Alex Green RB, Hawaii – Green was very successful for a running back in the pass happy offense at Hawaii. Last year GM Ted Thompson had a great find in Buffalo RB James Starks and this could be another, just a bit early in my opinion.
Grade: C+ Rated: 149
Rd 4, Pick 34 (131) Davon House DB, New Mexico State – Ted Thompson does it for the third time out of his first four picks. Huge value coming off my board here at 131. House is at his best in man coverage.
Grade: A+ Rated: 55
Rd 5, Pick 10 (141) D.J. Williams TE, Arkansas – DJ Williams TE, Arkansas – H-back type of receiver with good elusiveness.
Grade: A Rated: 71
Rd 6, Pick 14 (179) Caleb Schlauderaff OL, Utah – Caleb Schlauderaff OL, Utah – his strength is his run blocking.
Grade: C Rated: NR
Rd 6, Pick 21 (186) D.J. Smith LB, Appalachian State – DJ Smith LB, Appalachian State – small linebacker, Ted Thompson must have seen something in this small school prospect.
Grade: C Rated: NR
Rd 6, Pick 32 (197) Ricky Elmore OLB, Arizona – Didn’t look like he had the potential to switch to OLB in a 3-4 defense, but maybe he has room to grow into a defensive end. It’s good value, but I can’t see him doing well in a 3-4.
Grade: A- Rated: 174
Rd 7, Pick 15 (218) Ryan Taylor TE, North Carolina – Ryan Taylor TE, North Carolina! – Taylor was gaining interest just before the draft and was brought in for some private workouts. The Packers were one of those teams.
Grade: C+ Rated: NR
Rd 7, Pick 30 (233) Lawrence Guy DT, Arizona State – another great value pick for GM Ted Thompson. Best available player drafting is how you win the Super Bowl.
Grade: A+ Rated: 110
2010 Packers Draft review:
General Manager Ted Thompson drafts by the best available player philosophy. “If you get caught up in reaching for need at all, that’s where you make mistakes.” He said he isn’t oblivious to need, but you can’t ignore value either. The scouting department met with the coaches briefly a couple of times in April prior to the draft to show them the board and tried to work through differences in reports on players that scouting department had and the coaching staff had. Leading up to the draft, Thompson described that they’ll work on a certain position for a day, lining up the players vertically. Then they’ll rank the players at all positions horizontally (I assume for each round). The media really was concerned about the offensive line, but Thompson was confident in them, but obviously, they drafted one with their first pick.
They were surprised that Bulaga was still available when he fell to them. First three picks have versatility which is very important according to Thompson. Burnett was also a player who dropped and he was a player who apparently fell quite a bit in the draft from where the Packers had him rated. Head Coach Mike McCarthy said that every player they took was at the top of their board when they picked. As I mentioned in the Chicago Bears’ Offseason post, their GM, Jerry Angelo, overruled the pick of James Starks in favor of quarterback Dan LeFevour (who didn’t stay on the Bears’ roster). Lucky for the Packers, the Bears didn’t pick Starks and he ended up with them and contributed in a huge way. Andrew Quarless had character concerns coming out, but they had someone on their staff that was from Penn State and had plenty of contacts there. Thompson said that Quarless was forthright with what had happened and they felt confident there wouldn’t be an issue. He was “by far” the highest rated player on their board at 154 overall.
Rd 1, Pick 23 (23) Bryan Bulaga OT, Iowa – 16 games, 12 starts
Rd 2, Pick 24 (56) Mike Neal DT, Purdue – 2 games, 3 TCK, 1 SCK, 1 FF, IR
Rd 3, Pick 7 (71) Morgan Burnett SS, Georgia Tech – 4 games, 4 starts, 14 TCK, 1 PD, 1 INT, IR
Rd 5, Pick 23 (154) Andrew Quarless TE, Penn State – 13 games, 3 starts, 21 REC, 238 YDS, 1 TD, 1 FMBL LOST
Rd 5, Pick 38 (169) Marshall Newhouse OT, TCU – no games, IR
Rd 6, Pick 24 (193) James Starks RB, Buffalo – 3 games, 29 ATT, 101 YDS, 3.5 AVG, 2 REC, 15 YDS, 2 KR, 25 YDS
Rd 7, Pick 23 (230) C.J. Wilson DE, East Carolina – 15 games, 2 starts, 18 TCK, 1 SCK
Looking back at my grades for the 2010 Packers draft class: After the 2010 NFL draft, I gave the Packers an overall grade of A-. I had Bulaga rated as the tenth best player in the draft. I’m a huge fan of best available player and lucky for Ted Thompson, taking him also filled a huge need for them. Five of the Packers’ seven picks received A grades. Quarless (B-) started some games (including the Super Bowl) and Mike Neal (C+, who I felt was a big reach) was perhaps there in order to replace Cullen Jenkins if he isn’t re-signed. The Packers got a lot out of this class because their team had so many injuries this year. If Mike Neal proves to be an adequate player, this draft could end up being an A+. I still can’t believe the Falcons’ Thomas Dimitroff received Executive of the Year over Thompson.
First Rounders From Last Five Years: Bryan Bulaga OT, BJ Raji NT, Clay Matthews LB, Justin Harrell DT, AJ Hawk OLB
2010 Stat Leaders
Aaron Rodgers 312-475 65.7% 3922 YDS 8.3 YPA 28 TD 11 INT 101.2 RTG
Brandon Jackson 190 ATT 703 YDS 3.7 AVG 71 LNG 3 TD
Greg Jennings 76 REC 1265 YDS 16.6 AVG 86 LNG 12 TD
Mason Crosby 22-28 78.6% 56 LNG
AJ Hawk 111 TCK
Clay Matthews 13.5 SCK
Tramon Williams 6 INT
Out of Season Storylines (Because there is no offseason)
Packers Super Bowl Champs
GM Ted Thompson Gets Contract Extension
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