OTAs Underway...Favre and Rodgers Full Speed Ahead

The non-mandatory OTAs (optional team activities...or something like that) began on Wednesday of this last week. And the best news for Packer fans was that QB Brett Favre was cleared by the team docs to fully participate. The second best news was that backup QB and heir apparent Aaron Rodgers was also cleared to do the same. As you may recall, Brett had ankle surgery in the offseason to take care of a lingering problem, and Rodgers broke his foot late in the season.

There will be a total of 12 OTAs, and Brett will participate in 9 of them. According to Packers.com, Coach Mike McCarthy says Brett is already throwing the ball well. Which means that his receivers better be up to speed in terms of looking for the ball as soon as they come out of their break. Brett's presence, although not required, is certainly a key factor in getting in sync with an assortment of young receivers.

By the end of these OTAs, McCarthy says, the entire offense for the season will be installed. That means he and Brett working closely together to help determine what's working and what can be eliminated from the offensive scheme.

Jackson Happy to Be in Camp

Because he was unable to attend the May minicamp -- the first after the draft -- because of a league-required orientation in Los Angeles, rookie RB Brandon Jackson is really making a determined effort not to let that missed opportunity prevent him from competing for the starting spot. He basically has been in Green Bay ever since, working out and studying the playbook. He understands that, for now, Vernand Morency is slotted in the starting role. But he also understands that the Packers are not necessarily sold on that idea just yet. A bit of a surprise pick for filling the RB need, Jackson has his work cut out for him. But apparently, he is showing the kind of cuts and burst that the Packers are looking for in the post-Ahman Green era. You can read a good article about Jackson here.