Who else is the Pack checking out?

Much of the hubbub surrounding the draft, of course, concerns first round picks...top 10 picks especially. But let's face it: most of the players in the league aren't first-rounders. Most starters, let alone backups, come farther down the line. Let's see, what examples might we think of quickly? How 'bout Bart Starr, Brett Favre, Donald Driver, Ray Nitschke, Mark Tauscher, and Greg Jennings, to name just a few. Guess those guys turned out OK.

So, while we discuss who the Packers might take with their #9 pick -- or whether they will trade down -- it might also be helpful to take a look at some of those other players whom the Packers have checked out. Some of these players may be post-draft free agents. Heck, the Packers still have two of those on the roster from last season, WR Brett Swain and LB Danny Lansanah. So, you never know where a gem may arise.

With that in mind, sports writer Tom Silverstein with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, takes a look at some of those players whom the Packers might pull the trigger on during or after the draft.

Among some of the more intriguing possibilities listed:

• OT SEBASTIAN VOLLMER, 6-8, 312, Houston


• TE/H-back ZACH MILLER, 6-3½, 233, Nebraska-Omaha


• OLB JASON WILLIAMS , 6-1, 241, Western Illinois


• DT VAUGHN MARTIN, 6-3, 331, Western Ontario


• S MIKE MITCHELL, 6-0, 220, Ohio

While you can get the draft scout details via the above individual links, be sure to also check out Silverstein's article about all the prospects the Packers are keeping tabs on. It's a good read. You can find it here.

Thompson's hits and misses
No doubt each Packer fan has his or her own list of Packer GM Ted Thompson's good picks and those that really were...hmmm...not so good shall we say (this is a family blog, after all!).

But if you need some help refreshing your memory, or perhaps adding to either of your lists, the Green Bay Press-Gazette ran an article over the weekend headlined, "The studs and duds of Ted Thompson's Packers drafts". Guess that pretty well says it all, doesn't it?

The article points out that Thompson has selected 43 players in his drafts as Packers GM. Of those, only one -- Nick Collins -- has made the Pro Bowl. Hmmm. And, specifically, the article notes, "Judging each pick by taking into account what the player has contributed, his potential for further growth and where in the draft he was selected, 13 of Thompson’s 43 players should be deemed good picks, while 24 should be called bad picks and for six others (all from last year’s draft), it’s too soon to tell."

For a player-by-player analysis, check out the article here. Whether this gives you hope for this weekend's affair (draft, that is...hey, this is a family blog!) or whether it will once again make you want to throw a shoe at the sight of Ted on draft day (oops...did I say, "once again"?), only you will know.

But in a draft that is seemingly being perceived more and more by pundits as somewhat of a so-so talent pool overall, Thompson's upside and/or downside this time around might not be as steep as in some other drafts. Still, on a team that needs depth particularly across the offensive and defensive lines, you have to hope -- OK, pray too, please! -- that Thompson and his scouts are able to find a few more studs than duds this time around.

Rodgers OK, White cut

The news out of Green Bay this morning was that Packers QB Aaron Rodgers' injured shoulder was better this week versus the same time last week. Coaches are again, however, limiting Rodgers' activity. They may allow him to throw a bit tomorrow just to see where he is, but based upon last week's performance it seems as if Rodgers could again play without many if any reps. In fact, the early word from Coach McCarthy to the media is that he fully expects Rodgers to start Sunday in Seattle. Thank goodness. Rodgers and the passing game have been about the only thing that has been keeping the Packers alive, despite the now thee-game losing streak. The offense ranks fifth overall in the league with 133 points and 11th with an average of 337.4 yards per game. That should translate to a record better than 2-3.

The Packers' problems were especially on display this last game: penalties, lack of running game, lack of a pass rush, lack of ability to stop the run, lousy punter...pick an area -- other than QB and receivers -- and you can find problems. And if the coaching staff somehow isn't able to scheme differently or get more out of the players they have, it's going to be...not so good.

LB White cut
The Packers cut LB Abdul Hodge this summer because supposedly they felt LB Tracy White would be a better back up, especially because he was also the best performer on special teams. Hodge was signed by the Bengals. And now, the Packers cut White and replaced him with Danny Lansanah who was signed from the practice squad. Lansanah was an undrafted free agent out of UConn. White had been with the Packers for three years after previously playing for Seattle and Jacksonville. He was a free agent this past off-season and turned down offers from Pittsburgh and Denver to re-sign with Green Bay. So much for that idea, eh? Not surprisingly, Lansanah will play on most if not all the Packers' special teams.

Here's what GM Ted Thompson had to say about Lansanah, according to media reports: "We just felt like Danny is a guy that we believe, based on the way he played in pre-season and the like, that he can add a little bit more juice to us. He's a guy that we want to have on our team." Thompson added, "We're kind of excited about Danny. We think he's ready to play. We thought he had a good summer and he's done well so far. I think he's one of those guys that can play in a lot of different spots. He has the athleticism to run and do some things in coverage and he's also a big guy that can hold his ground. Looking forward to seeing what he can do." Thompson also noted that this move had nothing to do with current starting linebacker A. J. Hawk's ongoing groin injury.