2016 NFL Week 17: Packers vs. Lions Preview and Prediction

Happy New Year, Packers fans and those who wish they were! (And, yes, even though the headline says 2016, hopefully you woke up realizing that we are now in the year 2017. Just for a point of reference for those of you who perhaps aren't quite sure right now.) Oh, and in case you were wondering, the Pack beat Minnesota last weekend to set up tonight's division battle. Now that we have that bit of housekeeping taken care of, let's move along, shall we?

The NFL schedule makers really pulled one out of their ying-yangs when they set the final weekend schedule with the Green Bay Packers facing the Detroit Lions, didn't they? Yes, division games have been going on for the last few weeks, but they could have scheduled the lemming-like Minnesota ViQueens or that semi-pro team from Illinois. Instead, the league rolled the dice and set a match between the Pack and the Lions.

Packers and Lions head coaches, Mike McCarthy and Jim Caldwell,
prepare to dance, at least metaphorically, tonight.
Photo by Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A Refresher of Sorts
You'll remember at the start of the season that the Packers were one of the odds-on favorites to go to and, in some quarters, win the Super Bowl. They were favored in virtually every game of the season...before the season began, that is. Detroit was projected to be a playoff team by some, perhaps even a division championship contender and maybe even a Super Bowl contender (a stretch, c'mon). But then teams have to play. The Packers, due to a rash of injuries at key positions, the inability of the offense to find an identity by mid-season and that of the defense to stop big plays particularly late in games, found themselves sitting at 4-6 at their low point after four consecutive losses.

As for the Lions, they were one of the early surprises of the season. Behind in seemingly most of their games, they somehow managed eight fourth-quarter comebacks in their nine wins, an NFL record. With the Pack stuck in the mud, the 'Queens fading after key injuries of their own and Da Bearz still sucking as usual, Detroit jumped out to a two-game division lead for a few games. But coupled with their own two-game road losing streak in Weeks 15 and 16 along with the Packers' resurrection and five-game winning streak down the stretch, the Lions now find themselves tied at 9-6 with the Pack going into this final regular season game...although technically, the Packers have the tie-breaker at this point because of their 34-27 September win at Lambeau Field.

Tonight's Game
Contrary to what some surmise, this is not a "winner-take-all" game, although the build-up to it certainly makes one view it that way. And, perhaps, that's the way the teams and fans should look at it. Winning, for either the Packers or Lions (eeeeewwwww!) gives that team the NFC North Division Championship and a guaranteed home playoff game. But even with a loss, it's possible that that team could still grab a wildcard spot depending upon whether Washington wins or loses today. With a Washington loss, both the Packers and Lions can grab a spot in the playoffs regardless of whether they win or lose. But a win is just so much better, don't you think? Especially if it is the sixth win in a row, led by an offense that is really clicking and a defense that, while suspect, can do just enough to keep an opponent from outscoring the offense. We are, of course, talking about the Packers taking this game for the NFC North Division Championship.

The Packers have gotten healthier over the last several games, especially QB Aaron Rodgers, TE Jared Cook and LB Clay Matthews. Yay. WR Randall Cobb is expected to be in uniform tonight but he may not play much or at all as he's still nursing his injury from a few weeks ago. If the Packers do make a playoff run, a healthy Cobb would be an asset. In his stead, the receiving corp may see more play from rookie Geronimo Allison, who is a big target and caught several passes in last week's win against the ViQueens. It appears as if he and Rodgers are starting build a chemistry and that bodes well short and long-term.

The biggest absence for the Packers this game, as it has been all season, is CB Sam Shields. The secondary has really not had anyone step up to come close to replacing him in terms of consistent pass coverage and closing speed ability. Plays have been made in the recent wins, particularly by Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. But neither of the second-year players, Damarious Randall or Quinten Rollins, has lived up to year-two expectations. Randall, by the way, is questionable for tonight's game. If there has been one constant in the secondary, and generally an overlooked one at that, it has been the play of LaDarius Gunter.

The question mark for the Packers tonight and into the playoffs is their secondary. They have made fourth quarters a Pepto Bismol time for Packer fans everywhere most of the season, playing soft and giving up big plays particularly over the middle. Lions QB Matthew Stafford, despite his recently dislocated middle finger on his passing hand, and the Lions generally proving to themselves and others that they can come from behind late to win games, can take this game down to the wire; he's done it before against the Packers and others.

If the Packers don't put up points early -- and throughout the game -- the defensive question mark as the game goes into the fourth quarter becomes more of a concern. You don't want to keep the Lions hanging around, as the saying goes. The Packers should be able to force Stafford into making at least one turnover somewhere during the game and that may be the difference. Getting a turnover or two in games has been key during the Packers' winning streak, and it may be so again tonight.

Conversely, Detroit can also put up points with Stafford and his receiving corp. The running game doesn't count for much at this point, but the Packers will need a consistent pass rush to pressure Stafford into a bad throw or two. If you give him time, he has the arm to make you pay for bad coverage or an ineffective pass rush. The Packers' front seven needs to really bring it tonight.

Defensively, however, the Lions should be able to be exploited by the Packers offense, particularly if Detroit's top defensive back, Darius Slay, is slowed by his hamstring injury. He'll probably try to go and, if so, look for the Packers to test his coverage ability early. Without Slay, Rodgers should be able to take advantage of that secondary. The Lions linebackers are nicked up, too, so that should open up the middle if the Pack decides to spread things around. Based upon recent history, that's a reasonable expectation today.

Also look for RBs Ty Montgomery and Christine Michael to keep the Lions off balance with a solid rushing game. During the Packers stretch run, the balance between the number of rushing plays and pass plays called by McCarthy has been part of the formula. On a fast track of indoor turf, it would be great to see what Christine Michael might be able to do if he gets loose. We think even the Packers coaches are interested in seeing what might transpire in that regard.

The Prediction
We view this as a high-scoring game. The Packers are favored by 3 points at the time of this writing. We see the Pack going up in the first half and then holding on in the fourth quarter for the win. These are the recent trends for both teams. We'll go with that.

We're calling it 38-34 Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

NFL Week 7: Packers vs. Bears Preview and Prediction

Just a few days following a demoralizing 30-16 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers (3-2) will host the archrival Chicago Bears (1-5) this evening. The Pack will tonight be without seven players, including running backs Eddie Lacy and James Starks, as well as defensive backs Sam Shields, Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins. Shields -- who is still in the league's concussion protocol -- was actually placed on injured reserve to open up a roster spot; he could return in Week 14. Wide receiver Jared Abbrederis, TE Jared Cook, and S Chris Banjo are also out. Wide receiver Davante Adams is listed as questionable.

As bad as it is for the Packers, Da Bearz' injury report is even longer. We wish we could feel bad about that, but given the current state of affairs in Green Bay, we don't. We'll take all the help we can get even if it's a banged-up opponent. Although, we did so hope Bears QB Jay Cutler could have played. That's always a factor in the Pack's favor.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and the offense
must be in sync to beat Da Bearz tonight.
Photo by Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Given the condition of both teams, it's likely this game could be mediocre at best. Despite how out-of-sync the Packers seemed on Sunday, they need to somehow find the will -- and the ways and plays -- to beat what is arguably one of the worst teams in the league at this stage of the season.

It used to be the case that after a poor personal performance, QB Aaron Rodgers would light up the following week's opponent. But given the 17-game slump that Rodgers seems to be in in terms of personal performance, we're not sure what to count on any longer. Without a sure-fire running attack to take the pressure off him, play at the level we've seen recently would not be unexpected.

The Packers did finally decide to provide some help in this regard with the acquisition via trade Monday (a trade!!!) of Kansas City running back, Knile Davis. While Davis became expendable for the Chiefs, he might at least fill a temporary need for the Packers. Don't expect much tonight, other than perhaps a few basic plays. But the other option was to keep running wide receivers Ty Montgomery and Randall Cobb out of the backfield...which, let's just say it...is no solution and, well, a bit nuts, right? The Packers did have one other option, activating practice squad RB Don Jackson to the active roster. For this game, at least, the Pack will try to make it with Davis, et al. (By the way, Milwaukee Journal Packers beat writer extraordinaire, Bob McGinn, has a great article today about Davis; it's highly suggested reading.)

Prediction
Depending upon your source, the Packers are currently favored by 7-1/2 to 9-1/2 points. We'd like to think that's how things will roll tonight. But are we confident based upon what we've seen so far this season? Not really.

Still, we need to make a prediction. We're calling it 24-13 Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers vs. Panthers Game Preview: Will the Pack get back on track?

While no one is saying this is a "must-win" game for the Green Bay Packers, fans -- including yours truly -- want to see how well the team bounces back from its first defeat of the season. Let's also not forget that the Minnesota ViQueens are now only a game behind the Packers in the NFC North. But the question for today is: Will we continue to see sluggish play out of the once-vaunted offense -- now ranked 28th in the league -- and sieve-like defense from what had been a very good unit until giving up more than 500 yards to opposing offenses in the last two games? Or, will the loss have served as a wakeup call to the players and coaching staff that things are just not where they should be at the roughly halfway mark of the season?

We'll get an answer in just a few hours' time.

Granted, there's still a long way to go in the season. And the Packers have certainly been dinged up. Today, Ty Montgomery, Sam Shields and Quinten Rollins look as if they will be held out of the game. Clay Matthews says he'll be ready to go but how will last weekend's ankle/leg injury affect him today? The rushing game has been moribund without a healthy Eddie Lacy and James Starks; one or the other is needed to take pressure off Aaron Rodgers and the passing game. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Packers reporter, Bob McGinn, asserts in his most recent article that the Panthers coaching staff has been compensating for their team's injuries better than the Packers have with their injuries. Matter of opinion, I guess, but one team is still undefeated and looks well positioned while the other has been pretty flat overall for a while now, despite only one loss so far.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers hopes to bounce back against the Panthers today from his worst passing performance as a pro last weekend.
Photo by Evan Siegle/Press-Gazette Media
It's been far too easy for opposing defenses over the last month or so to play tight coverages on the Packers wide receivers who are not getting open, thus allowing the front seven defenders to just come after Rodgers play after play. Without a deep threat to loosen things up, or a running game that keeps defensive linemen and linebackers honest, well, it hasn't been pretty. Seventy-seven passing yards vs. Denver...from Rodgers? Admittedly and arguably the best defense in the NFL. But...c'mon.

Today, Rodgers will have a chance against a Panthers secondary...if receivers can get open, the running game is effective, etc. etc. You know the drill as well as I.

But...and it's a big but...the Packers defense will have to keep one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the league, in the person of QB Cam Newton, in check. They did so in a dominating win against the Panthers at Lambeau Field last season. But that was then, this is now. The Packers defense is starting to remind at least some fans of Forrest Gump's proverbial box of chocolates: we just don't know what we're going to get. Will it be that great and essentially win-preserving "D" we saw on display in the first four or five games of the season, or the sieve we've seen the last two weeks? If the latter, the Packers are in trouble today.

There's at least one factor in the Pack's favor today, despite playing a second consecutive game on the road against an unbeaten opponent: Rodgers rarely has two bad games in a row. Still, Green Bay Press-Gazette's Packers reporter, Wes Hodkiewicz, puts it like this: "Only twice in NFL history has a team faced a pair of teams with 6-0 records or better in consecutive weeks. The Packers are only 6-6 since the start of the 2014 season on the road, but Rodgers tends to have some of his best games after disappointing losses. The Panthers will put that theory to the test with the NFL’s top-ranked rushing offense and a potent defense coming off an emotional overtime win on Monday night."

The Prediction
While the Packers are favored by 2-1/2 points as of the time of this writing, it really seems to be more of a toss-up to this writer. We rarely pick against the Packers. And when we do, we sincerely hope we are very wrong.

But today, even though Rodgers and the Packers often seem to bounce back after a poor performance, it seems as if what ails the Pack -- whatever it is, apart from injuries -- is still not remedied. Until we see some evidence to the contrary -- which we hope happens today -- we'll have to go with the following prediction:

Panthers 31 - Packers 24.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers are 5-0 after win over Rams. Begin preparations for Chargers.

For the second week in a row, the Green Bay Packers defense was the difference in a team win versus a possible loss, as the offense continues to struggle...at least by recent Packers' standards, that is. The Pack dispatched the Rams, 24-10. We had the winning margin -- 14 points -- as part of our prediction, but seems as if we were once again a bit optimistic about the overall scoring power of both teams.

Nevertheless, the Pack came away with an important win at home against a team that had taken down two of the supposed early season juggernauts in the league, the Seattle Seahawks (who may be more pretender than contender this season) and the Arizona Cardinals. The win did come at a price, however: more injuries. RG T. J. Lang went down with a knee injury, although it is not believed to be serious...at least if you believe the Tweets he sent out afterward. NT B. J. Raji left the game with a groin injury, also not believed to be serious. OLB Nick Perry sustained a shoulder injury, and was seen with his arm in a sling after the game. Packer fans had been waiting for the former first-round draft pick to make an impact, which he had been doing so far this season: he had accounted for multiple tackles in the first four games and was tied for third on the team with 3-1/2 sacks, trailing only Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews, who both have 4-1/2 sacks.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix gives fellow safety Micah Hyde a congratulatory pat to the head after Hyde's interception against the Rams.
Photo by Associated Press
As noted, the Packers defense has been something to behold so far this season. Believe it or not, they rank seventh in the league in overall defense. Quite a change from what we've seen in recent years, isn't it? Yay. Oh, yay.

Despite injuries in all areas of the defense, including starting safety Morgan Burnett who has missed the last three games, the Packers "D" is stepping up big time. The pressure they are getting on opposing quarterbacks is coming from everywhere on the field. And even rookies are getting in on the act as evidenced by 2015 second-round pick Quinten Rollins who grabbed two of the four interceptions against the Rams, including a pick-six for a touchdown.

Conversely, and as even admitted by QB Aaron Rodgers and other members of the squad, the offense seems to be sputtering. While having generated the third-best rushing stats in the league going into the game against the Rams, the leading rusher for the Packers on Sunday was Rodgers with 39 yards...that's not what you want to see. Yes, the offensive line was playing against arguably the best front four in the NFL, but...c'mon.

The biggest shocker of the day, perhaps, as regards the offense was the play of Rodgers and his receivers. They just didn't seem to be on the same page. Rodgers offered some soft criticism of both himself and his receivers in his post-game comments, saying that he needed to do a better job throwing the ball than he did while his receivers have to run better routes. The result of this confusion Sunday were two interceptions of Rodgers (one tipped and another trapped, which should have been overturned) and a fumble on a stripped ball. These were the first interceptions of Rodgers at Lambeau Field since 2012. The odds finally caught up with him.

Overall, the Rams never really threatened. The Packers defense did give up 159 yards rushing to RB Todd Gurley, with about a third of those yards coming on one run. But overall, Rams QB Nick Foles was under pressure all day. If the Packers defense keeps playing with this level of intensity throughout the rest of the season, it's championship-worthy. We also know that the offense will get things straightened out. The emergence of a downfield threat to stretch the field -- something missing and obviously so since WR Jordy Nelson's injury -- will help a great deal.

Next up at Lambeau: the Chargers
We'll do a game preview a bit closer to the event, but the 2-3 Chargers will be coming to Green Bay for a late afternoon game this Sunday. They are coming off a last-second loss at home against the Steelers. They'll be looking to get back to .500 and perhaps hope to find a Packers team looking past them to their bye in week 7. They shouldn't count on that, though. Whether all (or most) hands are on deck for the Pack or not, we can expect the offense to get back on track and the defense to continue its stellar play.

Go Pack Go!!!

Insights from Preseason Game #1: Packers vs Patriots

Now that the dust has settled a bit from Thursday evening's first Packers preseason game against the New England Deflators, er, sorry...Patriots (a-hem)...what did we see?

A few observations of note...or not...you decide:

• Undrafted DB LaDarius Gunter displayed the kind of performance we heard about early in training camp: he seems to make plays...of the interception kind, to be exact. Supposedly not a speedster, but rather with long arms, Gunter may be the next Sam Shields and go from an undrafted unknown to grabbing a spot on the final roster. There's a long way to go yet, but the young man shows promise.

Rookie CB LaDarius Gunter grabs an INT vs. the Pats.
Photo by Associated Press
• Another undrafted free agent rookie, RB Alonzo Harris, went from a "Who?" type player to a "Who the heck is that?!" type player, as he carried seven times for 41 yards, including a great 25-yard touchdown run. With Eddie Lacy and James Starks ensconced as the number one and two running backs respectively, Harris is likely in a battle with Rajion Neal and rookie UDFA John Crockett for the number three spot.
• The number one offense moved the ball up and down the field seemingly at will...except for that troublesome redzone area...reminiscent of last season. They have to get that sorted out.
• The linebacking corps still needs work. With Clay Matthews on the sidelines, there often seemed to be a bit too much "give" in that area of the line up.
• In addition to LaDarius Gunter's performance, rookie CB Quinten Rollins makes us feel confident about the defensive backfield. There is a lot of young talent there...and the emphasis is on talent.
• We see why head coach Mike McCarthy has been raving (in a good way) all spring and summer about back up QB, Scott Tolzein. The former Badgers standout (Go Badgers!) put improved presence and performance on display in relief of Aaron Rodgers. He had a great fade route TD pass to Jeff Janis that the uninformed might have sworn was a Rodgers' pass to Jordy Nelson if you didn't pay attention to the jersey numbers. Great to see.

So, Packer fans, those are just a few observations from the game. Will be interested to see the progress from last week to this in the upcoming game versus the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Sunday. Who'll get playing time and who won't? Who will see more opportunities and who will see fewer? It's a fun time of the year for fans...probably not so much for players trying to make an already deep squad primed for another Super Bowl run.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers 2015 NFL Draft Wrap-up

It's taken a few days for fans of the Green Bay Packers to take in the events of the 2015 NFL Draft, as well as the signings of the undrafted free agents (UFAs) that occurred following the completion of the draft. What do we make of it all? What, if any, surprises were there? How would you grade it? Take our poll in the upper righthand column (below our Welcome message).

To begin, let's review the Packers' picks.

Packers 2015 NFL Draft Selections

• DB Damarious Randall, Arizona State
• DB Quinten Rollins, Miami-Ohio
• WR Ty Montgomery, Stanford
• LB Jake Ryan, Michigan
• QB Brett Hundley, UCLA
• RB Aaron Ripkowski, Oklahoma
• DL Christian Ringo, Louisiana-Lafayette
• TE Kennard Backman, Ala.-Birmingham

Packers fifth-round draft pick, UCLA QB Brett Hundley
Photo via Packers.com

Pundits who grade such things seem to have given the Packers a B- to C grade on this draft. Certainly, there were no big names among the selections, other than QB Brett Hundley who some had pegged as second or third round talent. But he was the only player that the Packers moved up in the draft to take. So clearly they saw something there -- in addition to the value of getting a talented QB in the fifth round -- that they liked. Clearly, also, he can be groomed for trade bait in two or three years if that's the way things shake out behind Aaron Rodgers.

Stanford WR Ty Montgomery, with some reportedly questioning his hands as a receiver, apparently drew the Pack's attention as a returner. He could add a big dimension to that part of the Packers special teams game...a dimension which has been seriously lacking the last few years.

While Michigan LB Jake Ryan may not have been a household name in college, he could become one with the Packers. It would seem that if anyone was ever made to play linebacker, it's this guy. He could make an immediate impact in the linebacking corps. And that would be something that everyone would be glad to see...at least if you're a Packers fan, that is.

With the top two picks being defensive backs, Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins, obviously the Packers were taking care of the glaring needs in that area of the defense. Yay.

The selection of Oklahoma fullback Aaron Ripkowski raised eyebrows...not because it was a bad pick but because if he pans out he could be the successor -- or perhaps even replacement -- to current FB and fan fave, John Kuhn. While it's unlikely the Pack would keep two fullbacks on the roster, they have done it before. Whether this year is one of those years or not remains to be seen.

Let's not forget the UFAs
The Packers in recent years have done more with undrafted free agents than any other team in the league. There have been more UFA players on the roster and more snaps played by UFAs. Somehow, some way, GM Ted Thompson and his scouting staff find those proverbial diamonds in the rough. Here's what things look like in that regard so far:

• John Crockett, RB, North Dakota State
• Raymond Maples, RB, Army
• Alonzo Harris, RB, Louisiana Lafayette
• Malcolm Agnew, RB, Southern Illinois
• Adrian Coxson, WR, Stony Brook
• Larry Pinkard, WR, Old Dominion
  
• Ricky Collins, WR, Texas A&M-Commerce


• Jimmie Hunt, WR, Missouri


• Javess Blue, WR, Kentucky


• Mitchell Henry, TE, Western Kentucky


• Fabbians Ebbele, OL, Arizona


• Matt Rotheram, OL, Pittsburgh


• Marcus Reed, OL, Fayetteville State


• James Castleman, OL, Oklahoma State


• Lavon Hooks, DT, Mississippi


• James Vaughters, OLB, Stanford


• Jermauria Rasco, OLB, LSU


• Tavarus Dantzler, ILB, Bethune-Cookman


• Bernard Blake, CB, Colorado State


• Ladarius Gunter, DB, Miami (FL)


• Anthony Wooding, S, Wake Forest

Minicamp Tryout Invites

• Blake Sims, QB, Alabama
• Chris Mallott, WR, Southeastern Louisiana
• Jake Silas, OT, Buffalo
• Josh Bredl, OT, Colorado State-Pueblo
• Andy Phillips, OG, Central Michigan
• Mitch King, TE, Penn
• Uona Kaveinga, ILB, BYU
• Skye Povey, DB, BYU
• JD Rousell, DB, Sacred Heart

The names among the reported UFAs and tryout invitees that seem to garner a mention as strong candidates to potentially make the squad (regular season or practice) are RB John Crockett, WR Jimmie Hunt, OL Matt Rotheram, QB Bernard Blake, and QB Blake Sims. But given oppportunities, who really knows who will make the most of their opportunity to make the Packers? As both Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy have both said in their post-draft interviews, the expectations for the draftees are that they come in and play behind the veterans. The Packers are a deep team where it counts, but they definitely had needs. Whether those needs were met or not in a way which can help elevate the Packers, particularly on defense, we'll have to wait to see. Regarding how we'd grade this draft, we'd give it a "B+" taking all the players noted above into account. How would you grade it? Take our poll in the upper righthand column (right below our Welcome message).

Packers Add Another Cornerback and Receiver in NFL 2015 Draft Rounds 2 and 3

A bit to the surprise of at least some Green Bay Packers fans (including this one), GM Ted Thompson didn't make a move up in the second round to take one of the better linebackers available in the top-half of the second round of Friday's edition of the 2015 NFL Draft. Instead, Thompson stayed put at number 62 and selected cornerback Quinten Rollins out of Miami of Ohio.

Perhaps more intriguing as regards this pick is that Rollins only has one year of college football experience. Make no mistake: Rollins appears to be an outstanding athlete, although he spent most of his college career playing basketball. In his lone year playing football, he was named 2014 MAC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-MAC. Not bad. But given his lack of experience, Rollins' immediate impact for the Packers might best be on special teams while he learns the ropes. We have to figure Thompson isn't counting on Rollins much as a defender this year but is rather betting on the Packers' ability to "coach him up," as the saying goes for a more prominent role down the road. Here's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sports reporter Tyler Dunne's take on this pick, and the Packers' draft through Day 2.

In the third round, the Packers also made a bit of surprise pick. Again, instead of addressing what seems to many to be obvious needs at linebacker, Thompson selected WR Ty Montgomery from Stanford. With all the receiving talent already on the Packers roster, why would Thompson make this pick? According to reports, the Packers -- and others -- view Montgomery as a top-notch return threat...something the Packers have been lacking for a while. But even more so, they see him being another Randall Cobb, only bigger, someone they can line up anywhere on the field.

Ty Montgomery opened Packers' eyes as a returner.
(Photo copyright Associated Press)
What will Packers do on Day 3?
GM Ted Thompson insists that the Packers' need for inside linebacker help will be addressed. But he also was clear about how he felt about his current situation. According to a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "When asked how he felt about a position he cleared of veterans A.J. Hawk, Brad Jones and Jamari Lattimore during the off-season, leaving Sam Barrington, Clay Matthews and Carl Bradford to hold the fort, Thompson said 'it's fine.'"

So, there you have it, Packer fans. R-E-L-A-X from the main man himself. "We're going to address that just like we address all other positions and try to make it as strong as we can," Thompson said in the same report noted above.

It should be an interesting final day of the draft. Thompson is a wizard at finding later-round gems. Also, let's not forget the undrafted free agents which will be signed following the completion of the draft. Seems as if Thompson always finds two or three keepers there each season, as well.

We will be live Tweeting during the rounds today, so be sure to follow us at @packfansunited for all those verbal gems. And we will of course be doing a wrap up of the draft following its completion, along with undrafted free agent signing updates. You can also follow Packers coverage from all over via our Amazing 2nd Page.

Go Pack Go!!!