Packer Links: A Day Off, First Cuts Coming Soon, and Injuries to Bulaga and Matthews
by Brandon on Aug 28, 2010 7:00 AM CDT
in Green Bay Packers Training Camp
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PrintApparently Mike McCarthy was so happy with the 59-24 drubbing of the Colts that he gave them Friday off. They'll be back to work on Saturday, but no there's no practice scheduled, so nothing for us to see. Only three more practices are open to the public, on Sunday through Tuesday, leading up the final preseason game at Kansas City on Thursday, September 2nd.
The rosters have to be cut down to 75 by Tuesday, August 31st. So there will be some releases made soon. They might cut a veteran like OL Allen Barbre, if they know he won't make the 53-man roster, and they want to give him a chance to catch on with another team before training camp ends. They might give all the rookies and undrafted free agents that are on the bubble another chance in the last preseason game.
One key injury is the hip flexor injury to LT Bryan Bulaga. According to the Press-Gazette, it's not known when he'll return to practice or whether he'll play in the final preseason game. Since LG Daryn Colledge has played well this preseason there might be no need to rush Bulaga back into the left guard competition.
It's not official, but according to the Press-Gazette, it looks like LB Clay Matthews in on track to return to practice next week and play in the final preseason game. That would mean he's following the same schedule as last year (miss nearly the entire preseason with a bad hamstring, but play in the final preseason game). Obviously there's nothing wrong with that if it means he'll play in 2010 like he did in 2009.
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I hope they cut Barbre.
Seems he gets burned for sacks all the time.
I didn't believe it last August, but it turns out that love survives.
Mount Washington conquered July 5, 2010! State high point count: 3/50
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Aug 28, 2010 8:31 AM CDT reply actions
As on OT yes, not as an OG
He gets a lot of crap for his inability to play OT, rightfully so. He has performed alright as an OG though. If we look at him as just an OG, he’s just fine. I hate it when they put him at OT though. He literally is a revolving door at that position.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
Yeah,
And I haven’t had much chance to see him at OG, to be honest.
I didn't believe it last August, but it turns out that love survives.
Mount Washington conquered July 5, 2010! State high point count: 3/50
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Aug 28, 2010 11:02 AM CDT up reply actions
Barbre was never very good at LG either… He never mounted a challenge ot Colledge for a starting job and Colledge is our worst starting OL. They might as well cut him in the 1st cut downs. He’s been here for 4 years and never came close to EARNING a starting job. He was basically given the RT job last year. Giacomini was injured all offseason and got no reps in OTA’s.
Barbre this season
I’m speaking on his performance this year, although I know in 2007 or whatever year it was that he played LG he underperformed. It wouldn’t surprise me if he is cut, I won’t make a fuss out of it. However, he has performed alright this Preseason. That’s the only point.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
Players to keep
Shields, Zombo and all the TEs unless they trade Lee because I don’t think any of them makes it to the practice squad.
Cut Havner
Hes not the recieving threat of Finley, Quarless or Lee. He’s not as good a blocker as Crabtree or Lee. He just has some flexibility and is a good ST player. But I wouldn’t want to have to see Havner on the field regularly as a TE or LB!!! Lee and Crabtree can more than make up his ST loss!
I doubt the cut him, because he can save a roster spot. But keeping 5 TE’s isn’t exaclty saving a roster spot either!
Quarless or Crabtree
Which one are we trying to sneak onto the practice squad?
by Archibaldcrane on Aug 28, 2010 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions
Quarless won’t make practice squad. He is the type of athletic TE that all teams are now looking for. We would lose him in a heartbeat if he’s released. Crabtree would be far more likely to make it too the PS.
I’ve pretty much resigned myself to the fact we’ll probably keep 4 TE on the 53. Don’t really like it but it seems inevitable. Of the 5 Havner and Crabtree are the least valuable. My preference is to cut Havner, but thats just my opinion!
I agree. I’m tired of keeping guys just for STs. We’ve done that the last two years, and what’s it gotten us? We wind up having to keep a bunch of bad position players on the game-day 45, and our STs sucked anyway.
by Curly Lambeau on Aug 28, 2010 2:07 PM CDT up reply actions
That's not the way TT thinks
TT wants football players, I feel Havner is more of a recieving threat than Lee. Watch the man he’ll catch anything, Lee is 30 years old he’s already past his prime and it wasn’t much of one. I’ve seen quite a bit of training camp in my wanderings around Green Bay and Havner is honestly the only one I can think of who I haven’t seen drop a pass.
All I know
Is that last year Havner NEVER had to beat coverage on any of his receptions! He was given too much room or not paid any attention when he was on the field. That won’t be the case this year. Teams will pay closer attention and he’ll have to beat coverage to get the ball. I don’t think he can…
That's fine though
If teams decide to play closer attention to Havner it will mean one less man to cover Jennings Driver Finley who are preferable options to Havner on most any play. At least I can say this for Havner I’ve never seen him drop a TD pass like D Lee
That was my last point
I’ve never seen Havner drop crucial TDs like I have Lee. Therefore I think he’s the more viable receiver. Or do you need everything spelled out for you?!!!!!!!! F’ing pud. Now come back with some know-it-all condecending b.s.
Also since you lack any insight
Havner, Lee or any other TE we have with the exception of 88 will likely not be the first or even second option on any given play. So it’s ok if Havner occupies a defender because that will give the better receivers that will invaribly be out there a better chance to get open. And if the ball is thrown to Havner I have more confidence of him catching it than Lee. 4th and Goal in Min last year. Case closed. Get it now?
Lee is the only TE with a chance of being cut. Havner is too useful where he can do many things at a high level. crabtree has proven to be the blocker that works for this team and quarless and finley are super athletic. that leaves lee who is average blocker and below average reciever that gets cut
by Charles Heath on Aug 29, 2010 10:18 AM CDT up reply actions
I agree
Havner is the one guy on our team that is a true football player, as in he can play multiple positions. He may not be the best at any of those positions, but he gives us depth in case of an emergency and he does excel in Special Teams. Although Havner doesn’t blow people away with his routes, at least he has not dissapointed to this date. Lee has already done that. Lee is the savy veteran, but he has no more potential to grow. We know what we get out of him, and I absolutely do not trust him to catch the ball anymore. Nor do I trust Quarless at this point either….
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
true football player?
Your not suggesting that other Harris isn’t a true football player are you, just cuz he doesn’t play 2 positions? Sure havner is a player. He can do a LITTLE of everything but can’t really do ANYTHING good, except play ST. He’s a fail LB, and a TE who can catch the ball, but can’t get open on his own.
Somehow that doesn’t equate to True Football Player to me…
He can't get open on his own?
You know this for a fact of course. Looked to me like he beat coverage for a td vs. dallas last year. A safety was singled up on him.
I know
that last year, I never once saw him actually being covered closely and beat the coverage! Every pass I saw him catch was when he wasn’t covered or the defender was 5-10 yds off and not treating him like a threat as a reciever…
look at the game highlights on youtube
very easy solution there. Just sayin
Like I said before
they had a safety singled up on him. He was split wide. That isn’t a lack of coverage
seen it
ran a 2 yd stop, at the 2, w/ 43 about 5 yds off. Rodgers made the play, havner stopped and caught it. Is that beating coverage. IMO, Yes by Rodgers by throwing to the back shoulder.. not by Havner.
I'll Agree
that the play was made by 12 if you agree 43 was only playing 3 yds off Havner LOL.
Minn 2nd game
Havner from the 10ish, runs into end zone catches a pass after rodgers rolls left for a TD. Can’t see what the safety is doing before rodgers rolls out though. Only one that Havner Might have beaten coverage. Safety looked to been looked off to the right before the pass though.
Lee
Is also the ONLY TE other than Finley that is capable of keeping the offense running smoothly. IF Finley is injured who you gonna start? Havner? I don’t think so… Crabtree, Quarless and Havner are too inexperienced to start for a team w/ SB aspirations! You can find guys like Havner and Crabtree on waivers almost any day of the week everyday!
Wow
Any day of the week everyday huh? That’s frequently frequent. Again how do you know? Because they haven’t done it before doesn’t mean they can’t.
They're ST players
Who will never, IMO, be a starting calibre TE… That makes them easily replacable w/ any other TE on the FA market…
Now if you say Havner is irreplacable cuz he can play 2 positions… Then I’ll say he failed at LB, was switched to TE cuz he was valuable as a ST guy.
So really what is Havner? A failed LB, turned TE who can catch and block a lttile, but hasn’t shown he can beat coverage. Yeah, I would say you can find that just about everyday on the FA market!
Yeah good point there but
I think Lee could be replaced just as easily if not more easily. In fact Football Outsiders has Lee ranked as the second worst TE with more than 25 rec in 2009 with a negative Value Over Replacement rating.
And BTW
Havner was #1 in those rankings for TE with 10-24 rec last year.
If Lee didn’t perform so poorly last season I would be with Stroh on this one but he did. He’s pretty much useless as a receiver, and he’s nothing more then average as a blocker. He’s even struggled on special teams this preseason.
I wouldn’t mind seeing him cut, though I think I’d still take him over Crabtree, who I think could make it to our practice squad.
by packallday555 on Aug 29, 2010 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions
I agree that's the best course of action.
Keeping Lee and putting Crabtree on the practice squad is the move if they keep 4 TE and I think that’s what will happen. Crabtree’s blocking ability would be a nice asset but I agree that he has a good chance to make the practice squad so it’s a win-win there.
And Lee on ST
is another failed preseason special teams experiment
So since Lee had admittedly a bad year last year your writing him off as rebounding? Lee is a very good blocker. Look how he has caught the ball this preseason, every thing says he’s caught everything in sight.
You know you can run the offense w/ Lee starting. Can you say the same of that w/ Havner or Crabtree?
If I had to bet
I would say Lee won’t rebound this year. He’ll be 30 on opening day. Sometimes, though admittedly not usually in TE, that’s the begining of the end. And yes I’m pretty sure that the offense would still run with Havner or Crabtree. Probably just as well. But enough of this let’s not jinx JMike. TGIF is all the TE we need!!!!!
I think we could with Havner but that’s just my opinion. He’s a decent blocker, and a better receiver then I think you give him credit for.
I’d definitely be more comfortable with Lee.
by packallday555 on Aug 29, 2010 3:35 PM CDT up reply actions
Occupy a defender. Wow, I Never thought of that...
Ohhh Wait, I thought of that LAST YEAR!!! So your OK w/ sending a reciever out to run a route even though he can’t beat coverage? I’m NOT!!! I want every player running a route to have the abiltiy to beat coverage so he IS A VIABLE reciever.
I don’t care if he is the 1st option or the 15th… IF he’s running a route he has to be able to beat his coverage. Not everytime but at least SOME of the time!
Guess what? I got a fever and the only perscription
is more of your assumptions.
LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
with the explanation marks!!!!!!!!!!!!
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
Lee dropped one TD pass and you'll never let it go?
I know he dropped too many passes last year overall, but you lord let it go! Lee’s having a really good camp. Hasn’t gotten alot of playing time, cuz the coaches know him and so they can look at the youngsters. You F’ing pud!!!!
Did you
read somewhere that that’s why Lee hasn’t gotten a lot of reps in camp?(serious question) Or are you tapping into your immense psychic abilities again?(sarcastic question)
Actually YES
I did read that… And Lee is a vet and very much a KNOWN commodity! So do they need to get him alot of reps to know what he is? No… As opposed to the young TE who they don’t know… DO they know Havner can beat coverage? No… Do they know Crabtree can become more than a backup TE? No… Do they know Quarless is going to become a recieving threat as a TE, similar to FInley? No…
Cool man I'm glad that ya did
good info Strohman!!!!!!!!!!!
sidtheelf…lets chill on the names, especially dumb ones like pud.
My opinion? Lee is a much better receiver and blocker than Havner. Havner caught passes because he was the guy who was covered by the worst defender or not covered at all. He only got a chance cause we had NO other options. Now we are loaded with TE talent so he’ll be out the door. Havner doesn’t hold a dime to Lee as an overall TE.
I’d like to see Havner cut as well but I think it’s going to end up being Crabtree. I’m sure Thompson likes the fact that Havner is a do it all kind of player.
by packallday555 on Aug 28, 2010 2:47 PM CDT up reply actions
Elephant in the Room
I think all of you are ignoring the big fat elephant in the room and that is Justin Harrell! We paid this dude I don’t know how much money over the last 2 years and I think I’ve seen him play maybe one series in one regular season game. The dude was a first round draft pick for cryin’ out loud and he can’t get his fat ass out of the training room and onto the field where it belongs!
Tired
Very, very tired and OLD!!! We’ll see if he makes the team, my guess is he will cuz he is clearly the 4th or 5th best DL we have. His back seems to be doing good other than the one day he missed which was very minor.
Go cry yourself to sleep now… Harrell makes the team this year and contributes!
Yeah, I know he struggled against the Seahawks but against the Browns he actually looked good. Didn’t really pay attention to him against the Colts though. At least he’s staying healthy.
by packallday555 on Aug 28, 2010 10:23 PM CDT up reply actions
Nothing flashy against Indy
He’s just part of the DL rotation at this point. At least he has a little more push than what Jolly had, but Jolly at least batted down passes.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
Most of his salary was already paid
Cutting him at this point doesn’t really save us money. Besides, even with all the injuries he had, he still does have a lot of potential given his athletic ability. He makes the team, but not as a starter. He will provide depth for us on the DL, which we do NEED.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
4 cuts automatic
Barbre ,Giamonini,Bush and Harrell!!! the first three get burned at their positions all the time and Harrell gets hurt walking to the trainers room! nuff said! They better keep Spitz,he was the starter last year till he got hurt !
The only ones of those 4 that get cut are barbre and bush. Giamonini has shown to be a great run blocker he is still working on the pass and when your 6’7’’ at tackle they will let you take your time. Harrel has been healthy for this preseason and has been one of the few d linemen to get constant push on pass plays. he had a rough game against seattle (he was coming off like no sleep as his wife gave birth than he flew to seattle) but responded well against the colts. so before you start saying who should be automaticly cut maybe you should watch a preseason game and look at players to see what they are actually doing.
by Charles Heath on Aug 29, 2010 10:16 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I have been watching the preseaon and havent heard Harrel`s name but once! I think the ONLY reason hes still on the team is hes TT`S golden child .TT drafted him and hes letting him ride it out in hopes of him not being a flop ,Giamonini names been called when he got burned!!! Just because hes 6’7" doesnt make him a NFL football player! When hes in the game and gets burned and ROGERS get sacked maybe even hurt what you gonna say then OH hes still learning the position?
+1
All the hate on Harrell this preseason is unwarranted. Like you mention, he’s played well in all our games aside from the Seattle one.
by packallday555 on Aug 29, 2010 2:26 PM CDT up reply actions
Agree about Harrell
He got great penetration on the Zombo sack/fumble and in fact after barely getting a hand on the qb forced Peyton out to Zombo. I can’t hate on a guy because he’s been injured. I know it’s been way too long since he’s been on the field but he’s looked very solid this preseason and in camp from what I’ve heard/read. Let’s at least let the guy get on the field and fail before we say he’s a lost cause. I think we will have that chance because if he’s healthy as of final cutdowns, he will be on the final 53 IMO.
2 of the 4 are good possibilities
Barbre and Bush are good possibilities, but Harrell and Giacomini make the team.
Justin Harrell’s salary is mostly paid for and he still has a lot of potential. In addition, he does provide depth, which we do need since Jolly isn’t contributing this year. If he goes down, we can bring up CJ Wilson from the Practice Squad.
Giacomini is the only player other than Tauscher to play RT. The team has a lot of faith in him, although he has been rather inconsistent. TJ Lang has played strictly RG, at least that’s my understanding from watching games. Therefore, he is the backup to Tauscher at this point. He is a good run blocker, but his inconsistency falls into the pass blocking area.
Bush is a given. We brought in Shields to compete with him, and Shields is clearly a LOT better. I like Barbre at LG, but trying to get this roster trimmed down to 53 men make it more difficult for him to make it with both Bulaga and Colledge being capable of playing LG.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
BRETT FAVRE
Why is it every PACKER sight starts off with news about Brett? Favre going where few QBs have gone before.Things like that !!! Hes a Viking, now LET IT GO! Thats for all the Favre over the Packers fans and the reporters .Im sick of seeing Brett news on PACKER SIGHTS!
Bush and Barbre
must be cut. Bush got fined $5,000 for an illegal hit, and he has shown no signs of improvement, and Sam Shields can easily replace him on ST. Barbre will never even start at guard so why keep him? I’m willing to give Justin Harrell one more chance like TT is. He seems to be doing better now that he’s healthy. Sure he won’t be a star but he could be a quality backup. Giacomini deserves another chance to prove whether he can be a reliable backup RT before the rosters get cut down to 53. I’m not liking Bulaga being experimented at LG. He should move back to being the backup LT. That’s what he was drafted for. Not to be another Robert Gallery. Glad that Colledge won the LG job. He’s doing a great job.
Barbre and Lee
I like Lee but he’s seen better days. Barbre is probably done period! Havner should stay based on just being a player and doing what they ask him to do!! How many TD’s does Mike Vrabel have and whose to say they even cover him again this year. Did they even give him a shoy at linebacker? thought they coverted him right away in Training camp last year. Wouldn’t be that easy to replace like some people are thinking. Sometimes you need guys who do what they are asked to do and are just football players, see Patriots!!!!
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