Cheese Curds, 3/16: On Packers' nose tackle prospects; a big trade shocks the NFL

The Green Bay Packers finally made some waves in free agency on Tuesday, thanks to the reports that they brought street free agent Jared Cook in for a visit this week. We know the knock on Cook - he has a propensity to drop the football. Joke about it how you will ("frying-pan hands," for example), but the fact is that Cook would bring an athletic dimension to the Packers' tight end group that they haven't had in years.

Meanwhile, the Packers also need to find a way to help replace B.J. Raji's snaps on the nose this season. That issue is compounded by Mike Pennel's early-season suspension, which will leave Green Bay very thin on the defensive line unless they bolster it with draftees who can play right away.

Finally, Tuesday's big NFL news revolved around a trade between the two teams who lost the conference championship games in January. The Patriots and Cardinals made a big swap, with Arizona picking up a desperately-needed pass rusher.

Bonus: college Pro Days continue today, as big names like Hunter Henry (Arkansas), Shilique Calhoun and Jack Conklin (Michigan State), Leonard Floyd and Jordan Jenkins (Georgia), and Tyler Matakevich (Temple) take to the field for their workouts. Check out the full Pro Day schedule here.

It's all here in today's curds.

Five potential Raji replacements | Packersnews.com
These five draft prospects are likely first- or second-round picks and could be options to help replace B.J. Raji's production on the nose. However, if you're looking for a longer-term option, look to the later rounds for players like Clemson's D.J. Reader or Nebraska's Vincent Valentine.

Green and Bold: The Splash Is Still Possible | Cheesehead TV
Michelle Bruton discusses the possibility of adding Jared Cook to the Packers' tight end group as the team's "splash" signing this offseason.

Former Green Bay Packers guard Marco Rivera finds his happy place - ESPN
Rivera's story of struggle, drinking, and depression has been told before, but he is now a stay-at-home dad and is loving life. However, he and his old teammates like to keep an eye on each other for mental issues, despite not showing any significant signs of "losing their marbles."

J'Marcus Webb agrees to deal with Seahawks - NFL.com
The former Bears and Vikings tackle is now in Seattle and could be in line for a starting job depending on the Seahawks' offensive line depth.

Patriots trade Chandler Jones to Cardinals for Jonathan Cooper, 2nd-round pick - SBNation.com
This is one of the bigger trades in recent memory, with the Pats giving up a pass-rusher a year before he cashes in on a big payday and getting an embattled offensive lineman and draft pick in return. Meanwhile, one Patriots blogger reports that the Packers had some interest in adding Jones to their roster, though we have heard no further confirmation of this.

Jon Gruden taught Carson Wentz about NFL quarterbacking by beating him with a pool noodle - SBNation.com
Now that John Madden is off the air, Gruden might be the most ridiculous NFL analyst on television.