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In case you were living under a rock, the NFL announced the schedule for the 2017 regular season last night. The Green Bay Packers have a tough start to the season, but the team got a break with a week 8 bye after having it in week four last season.
As we look ahead to September and beyond, we also find a look back at the past week and how the NFL developed and calculated its schedule, plus some more items related to the schedule.
The other topic in today’s Cheese Curds covers the offensive line, an area where the Packers will probably invest a draft pick or two. It’s likely that any picks will be later on in the draft though, so let’s take a look at players who project as guards to see who might be a good fit.
Big-time games begin Packers' 2017 schedule | Packers.com
The Packers open up Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta during week two on Sunday Night Football. That's very similar to last year, when they opened the Vikings' new stadium also in week two and also on SNF.
How the 2017 NFL Schedule Was Made | The MMQB with Peter King
The schedule was finally set on Wednesday morning, when the league found a combination it liked and that accounted for all the wacky requests from teams, including specific home and road games and other issues.
Poll: Which is the toughest game on Packers’ 2017 schedule? | Packers Wire
I'm definitely going with that Atlanta game. After all, the Falcons will be pumped up in their new building and should be motivated after their Super Bowl collapse.
5 weird quirks about the 2017 NFL schedule that you might care about in the fall - SBNation.com
No byes in week four this year? The Packers would have surely been happy with their bye being later in 2016.
Ranking the NFL draft prospects: offensive linemen | Packersnews.com
Next up in the “anonymous scout quotes galore” series is the OL, which makes Temple’s Dion Dawkins look like an intriguing option as a tackle-to-guard convert.
Packers could use Day 3 to draft their next O-line gem | PFF
PFF looks at three day-three prospects who might be good fits for the Packers' offense.
Alabama LB Reuben Foster had positive drug test at combine - NFL.com
Oops. The test from the Combine was actually dilute rather than technically testing positive, but the two things are treated the same by the league's substance abuse policy.
Bills' Kouandjio found by deputies in field, gets first aid - NFL.com
The strangest story of the offseason definitely goes to Cyrus Kouandjio, who according to some reports was naked and asked police to shoot him.