Packers Fantasy News

Thursday, February 2, 2012, 12:45pm

Packers RB Ryan Grant will test free agency, and he is unlikely to return unless there's little interest on the open market.

Sunday, January 29, 2012, 12:58pm

Cornerback Charles Woodson didn't hesitate when asked what the Green Bay Packers need to improve on.

"Personnel," said Woodson, one of five Packers players in tonight's Pro Bowl in Honolulu.

"I think the last game, our entire organization saw the same thing out on the field," Woodson said earlier this week. "There were some things we just weren't able to do, so hopefully we'll bring some guys in to accomplish the same goal we achieved last year."

Thursday, January 26, 2012, 10:30am

A Dolphins team source e-mailed me this afternoon that the priority is Peyton Manning. This coincides with news out of Mobile, Ala., where the Senior Bowl is going to be played Saturday. A league source there tells The Herald's Barry Jackson that the Dolphins have shown no interest in Flynn as of yet -- not even informal interest.

Now, teams are not allowed to show formal interest in soon-to-be free agents at this time. But at those Senior Bowl practices, where agents and team personnel departments mingle on the sideline, it's common for preliminary signs of future interest to be displayed. In fact, it's almost expected.

The Dolphins have shown no such interest in Matt Flynn.

That combined with the e-mail tells me the Dolphins will wait until there is a clear course of action on Manning -- when they know if he's going to be in Indy or on the market, when they know his health - before they decide what other direction to take.

The Dolphins hire Packers OC Joe Philbin as new head coach
Friday, January 20, 2012, 7:09pm

Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin will become the 10th head coach in Miami Dolphins history, sources told The Miami Herald.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross decided Philbin, who has no head coaching experience, will be hired after he impressed the owner during two interviews, including a second one Wednesday in New York.

Denver offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and Dolphins interim coach Todd Bowles were the other finalists for the job.

The Dolphins would like to keep Bowles as defensive coordinator, and Philbin was reportedly receptive, according to the NFL Network. But source close to Bowles says he has not been approached by the Dolphins about that.

The Packers’ offensive coordinator since 2007, Philbin didn’t call the plays — coach Mike McCarthy handles that — but he crafted the game plan.

“He does a ton,” Packers receiver Greg Jennings said. “He runs all the walk-throughs, the meetings. He’s comfortable being in front of the team. He’s definitely fully capable of being a head coach.”

Friday, January 20, 2012, 1:16pm

Packers GM Ted Thompson has several tough personnel decisions to make. Veteran LT Chad Clifton and WR Donald Driver both have a year left on their contracts, but capable -- and perhaps more effective -- youngsters are already waiting in the wings. FS Nick Collins suffered an early season neck injury, and his loss was a major blow to the defense. He plans to tell the team prior to the draft if he'll be able to continue his career. TE Jermichael Finley and C Scott Wells can both be free agents and would seem like top priorities for retention, though backup QB Matt Flynn is likely headed for a lucrative career as a starter in another city.

The running game ranked 27th (97.4 ypg) and rarely provided explosive plays. RB Ryan Grant is another of the team's free agents, however Alex Green could get a longer look in 2012 after a torn ACL scuttled his rookie year. The free agent market at the position could be bountiful, but Thompson rarely wades into those waters. Still, the record-setting Saints offense provides a prime example of what a more-balanced approach might do for QB Aaron Rodgers and Co.

Friday, January 20, 2012, 12:43pm

Jermichael Finley isn’t going anywhere. A very wise person reminded me today that if the Packers are considering a future minus Donald Driver, one of the teams most tried and true offensive weapons, they sure as heck aren’t going to take a gamble by kicking Finley to the curb and hope something better floats their way. There is a lot of untapped potential in Jermichael Finley. He has shown some flashes of brilliance. But, as Mike McCarthy pointed out, he still needs to be developed. He is still very much a work in progress–more focus on holding on to the ball, more commitment to running the proper routes, more filter before opening mouth and saying whatever comes to mind first.

Friday, January 20, 2012, 12:29pm

I know this for sure -- on the night home from Philadelphia a little over two weeks ago - Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan and his father, Mike, had a detailed conversation over Matt Flynn's performance against the Lions.

They were very impressed and pleased to see the results, despite not being able to witness the work. I am told that they have had other conversations about Flynn, and it would appear based on a few sources inside the organization that the Redskins are 'very interested' as one source described to me.

Of course, we shall see when 'rubber meets the road' and it comes down to contract time. I think the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and a few other teams could be in the mix.

Our ESPN 980 Front Office NFL Insider, J.I. Halsell expects a very modest contract for a potential NFL starter, because simply -- teams do not know how good Flynn will be as a starter, with limited experience.

Friday, January 20, 2012, 12:22pm

The Green Bay Packers are interested in signing Jermichael Finley to a long-term deal and would rather not use the franchise tag on the tight end, Finley’s agent said Thursday.

“We’ve been speaking and they’ve made it clear they would like him to be back there and Jermichael’s made it clear he would like to be back there,” Blake Baratz said. “Now that the season’s over there’s a little more time to time to focus on the particulars.”

The two sides had several discussions throughout the season, though there is no immediate time frame from either side on getting a deal done. The primary issue seems to be finding a number acceptable for a young player (Finley will be 25 on March 26) who has yet to reach his potential and has an impact on the offense that isn’t measurable by stats. Finley (6-5, 247) along with Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski and the Saints’ Jimmy Graham are this new breed of tight end that are nightmare matchups and play more like giant receivers than traditional tight ends.

Finley put up career highs with 55 receptions, 767 yards, 8 touchdowns, 14 catches of 20-plus yards. He also had 11 drops, according to STATS.

Sunday, January 15, 2012, 3:28pm

Packers Inactives
Rob Francois ILB
Howard Green DE
Graham Harrell QB
Davon House DB
Vic So'oto LB
Herb Taylor OT
D.J. Williams TE

Friday, January 13, 2012, 1:01pm

Aaron Rodgers doesn't trace his distaste for turnovers back to that frigid NFC championship game against the Giants — "That game, I was just trying to stay warm most of the time," he joked — or any other moment he spent behind Brett Favre.

Instead, Rodgers said it goes back to his days at Pleasant Valley High School in Chico, Calif..

"I mean, that's No. 1, it really is — really going back to my freshman year of high school, when I actually threw more interceptions than touchdowns," Rodgers said. "Just making a conscious decision to be smart with the football. Since then, I haven't had any of those years."

Greg Jennings "running and cutting without problems"
Friday, January 13, 2012, 12:49pm

The Packers are planning on having a sharp, effective Greg Jennings back in their receiving corps this week.

Jennings missed the final three regular-season games because of a sprained MCL but has been back practicing the past two weeks, including taking part as a full participant this week. He appears to be running and cutting without problems, and during his layoff worked on catching skills so he wouldn’t have much if any rust.

“He was doing a lot of (catching) when he was rehabbing, but last week and this week he’s obviously done more as we get closer to the game,” said Edgar Bennett, the Packers’ receivers coach. “He’s shown everything to prove he’s ready to roll.”

Jermichael Finley "pissed" about his regular season performance
Thursday, January 12, 2012, 12:19pm

When Jermichael Finley looks back on the 2011 regular season, he doesn’t like what he sees.

“A guy like me, I’m pretty pissed off about the season I had,” the Green Bay Packers fourth-year tight end said matter-of-factly Wednesday. “I view it as mediocre. An average season – just because of the level of play I know I can play at. I don’t think I played well this year.”

That’s what makes Sunday’s NFC Divisional Playoff game against the New York Giants at Lambeau Field so important to Finley. While he caught 55 passes for 767 yards and eight touchdowns in the regular season – more than solid numbers in the Packers’ spread-the-wealth passing game – Finley would like nothing more than to atone for what he considers a subpar season by taking his game to a dominant level in the postseason.

“I’m viewing the playoffs like wiping the slate clean,” said Finley, who caught six passes for a season-high 87 yards and a touchdown in the Packers’ first meeting with the Giants, a 38-35 victory at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 4. “The (Denver) Broncos were 8-8, but when you get to the playoffs, you’re 0-0. That’s the thing right now.”