SB Nation - David Bakhtiari

2013 NFL Power Rankings Countdown: #2 Green Bay Packers

Tim Lynch — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:00:04 -0000

We're finally winding down to the end and for obvious reasons, only one team remains. Truth be told, I almost put the Baltimore Ravens number one, but that would have been too cliche..putting the defending Super Bowl champions at the top of the list during an offseason poll. Besides, I've already taken heat for making obtuse statements about the Ravens and where they should be ranked.

So here we are. I am predicting a Super Bowl XXXII rematch between the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos, with predictably similar results. Hey, what can I say, I see orange and blue through and through. The Packers and Broncos are once again the pinnacle of their respective conferences and there won't be any 14 point favorites in this years Super Bowl.

2. Green Bay Packers (2012 Record: 11-5)

Aaron Rodgers is probably the most dangerous quarterback in the league today, especially with the weapons at his disposal on offense. My only knock on him is they he can be inconsistent at times, which makes this team vulnerable. However, by picking up two running backs it he draft, the Packers addressed their biggest area of need and now have a way to take the load off of Aaron Rodgers a bit.

Both those running backs were highly thought of by the MHR community and there were many groans when both Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin went off the board. The Pack also took Datone Jones a few picks before the Broncos, which should add another dimension to the Packers defensive front.

In the NFC, I think the race to the Super Bowl is between three teams. The Packers, Falcons and 49ers. I would throw the Seattle Seahawks out there, but I'm not as big of a believer in that team as many in the mainstream media are.

Previous: 3. San Francisco 49ers Next: 1. Denver Broncos

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The Packers got a big bump from me, but is it too high?

Packers' Rookie Class Not Highly Regarded by Dallas Cowboys

Evan "Tex" Western — Thu, 30 May 2013 19:48:09 -0000

SBNation's Dallas Cowboys blog, Blogging the Boys, put together a remarkable piece today. If you have not seen it yet, go check it out now -- they were able to generate Jerry Jones' entire 2013 draft board, both by position and in overall order, and in doing so have given everyone a look into the mindset of one NFL front office.

Are you done reading? Good. This is where it gets interesting for Green Bay Packers fans.

Using the Cowboys' board, we plotted how they would have judged the Packers' 2013 draft class. Let me tell you - Ted Thompson and Jerry Jones are not seeing eye to eye on a number of players. One reason is likely scheme, as Dallas is switching back to a 4-3 defense from the 3-4 they have run over the past few years. That's certainly not the only philosophical difference between the two GMs, but it's arguably the biggest one.

That said, let's see where each of the Packers draft picks fit in (or didn't fit, in many cases) on the Cowboys' board. For purposes of comparison, the actual or graded draft round is shown first, followed by the actual overall draft selection or projected overall board ranking.

Player	Position	Actual Draft Pick	Cowboys' Board
Datone Jones	DE	1, 26	3, 59
Eddie Lacy	RB	2, 61	2, 38
David Bakhtiari	OL	4, 109	4, 87
JC Tretter	OL	4, 122	N/A
Johnathan Franklin	RB	4, 125	5, 96
Micah Hyde	CB	5, 159	N/A
Josh Boyd	DT	5, 167	5, 116
Nate Palmer	OLB	6, 193	N/A
Charles Johnson	WR	7, 216	N/A
Kevin Dorsey	WR	7, 224	N/A
Sam Barrington	ILB	7, 232	5, 106

Note that the Cowboys' board does not have the full number of players to complete the entire crop of picks in each round, so the overall numbers don't necessarily match up. Still, I find this fascinating. I was very surprised to see Jones, who was extremely versatile in college, ranked so low on the Cowboys' board. He's big enough to play end for the Packers' 3-4, but plenty athletic enough to make a transition for a 4-3 team. Lacy and Bakhtiari appear to be right on, as Dallas had them projected in the same rounds they were selected in. Bakhtiari was projected at the end of round 4 instead of early, but that's splitting hairs a bit. The same goes for Boyd in the 5th.

Franklin was a high 5th rounder on the Cowboys' board, so that wasn't much of a reach. However, as I expected, many of the Packers' later draft selections were not even targeted by Dallas as possible picks. Palmer was hardly on any other teams' radar screens, and the Cowboys didn't appear to scout much past the big name players, as few small-school prospects appear anywhere on their board.

The only player that the Packers got good value on (at least according to Jerry) was ILB Sam Barrington, who clocked in with a 5th-round grade.

Take this for what it is: a comparison of one team's draft board to the actions of another. It probably does not mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things, but it's still fascinating to see different schools of thought colliding.

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Packers Training Camp Position Battles: Right Tackle, Take Two

Jason Hirschhorn — Wed, 29 May 2013 20:00:10 -0000

EDITOR'S NOTE: I gave my take on the right tackle situation over the weekend; Jason looks at some of the same players with a slightly different take on the situation.

After giving up 92 sacks the past two seasons, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy made the unprecedented decision to invert his offensive line. The move is largely predicated on the team's preference for having Bryan Bulaga and Josh Sitton, the team's best tackle and guard respectively, protecting Aaron Rodgers' blindside.

By all accounts, Bulaga has recovered from the hip injury that ended his 2012 season. Sitton, a former college tackle, is athletic and talented enough to handle any position the team places him. Accordingly, the left side of the line shouldn't have many issues going forward. However, the transition doesn't come without glaring concerns. Namely, who will start at right tackle?

At the time of the decision, the Packers' list of options included two tackles with starting experience, a former first round pick, and a slew of late round and UDFAs from previous offseasons. The 2013 NFL Draft brought in two more suitors, further clouding the picture.

If there is a frontrunner for the job, it's likely Marshall Newhouse. Since Chad Clifton went down with a partially torn hamstring in October 2011, Newhouse has been Green Bay's starting left tackle. While he's compiled 29 starts in that time, it's also been an up and down experience. Newhouse largely struggled his first year of starting, yielding 9 sacks and 7 penalties. He improved significantly in 2012 as a pass blocker, going from a -16.5 pass block rating to 5.3 according to Pro Football Focus. However, his run blocking woes continued as did his penchant for giving up untimely sacks. The good news is Newhouse may be better suited for the right side where he's less likely to face elite pass rushers. With Bulaga back in the fold, the Packers can more frequently help Newhouse on the right side. If Newhouse can make another big stride this offseason, he should be able to nail down the right tackle spot.

Don Barclay will be Newhouse's chief competitor. Bulaga's injury last year began a chain reaction that caused instability and poor performance across the offensive line. It wasn't until Don Barclay was inserted into the lineup that line's performance finally steadied. Barclay wasn't great in 2012, as his -7.5 accumulative 7 game rating from PFF indicates. But like Newhouse, Barclay could take a significant step this offseason. Barclay has the size and tenacity the team favors at right tackle. If Barclay can reduce mistakes and improve in pass protection, he could be McCarthy's choice come August.

Lost in the shuffle is Derek Sherrod. The Packers made Sherrod their first round selection in 2011 only to lose him to a gruesome leg break week 14 in Kansas City. The injury, and the multitude of setbacks during his recovery, has made Sherrod a ghost on the Packers' roster. Last week, McCarthy said Sherrod was "the farthest away" from playing of the Packers returning from IR. While that doesn't necessarily mean Sherrod won't be ready to compete come training camp, there may be too many hurdles to clear in time for this season.

The dark horse in this competition is rookie David Bakhtiari. Evaluated by many as a second day prospect, Bakhtiari fell into the Packers' hands in round four. The former Second Team All Pac-12 tackle has ideal height and athleticism for either tackle spot. However, Bakhtiari will have to overcome a bit of a weight deficiency. While the Packers list him at 300 pounds, Bakhtiari probably weighs closer to 290-295. It's rare in the modern NFL for a tackle to play consistently that much below 310. Thus, Bakhtiari may "redshirt" his rookie season.

Jason Hirschhorn covers the Green Bay Packers for Acme Packing Co. He has previously written for Lombardi Ave, College Hoops Net, LiveBall Sports, and the List Universe. He is also currently a senior writer for Beats Per Minute, an indie-music webzine. Follow him on Twitter: @JBHirschhorn

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Packers OTA Notebook: News from Practice on May 28, 2013

Evan "Tex" Western — Tue, 28 May 2013 19:00:08 -0000

The Packers took the field again today in a practice that was originally to be open to the public, but was moved indoors due to weather conditions. However, the media was present and kept us apprised of the big news of the day. Included we have news on the players who sat out, the offensive line competitions, and the Mike Neal linebacker experiment, among other things.

In attendance but not participating in practice: Kevin Dorsey, Charles Johnson, DuJuan Harris, Sean Richardson, Davon House, Dezman Moses, Desmond Bishop, J.C. Tretter, Derek Sherrod, and Jerel Worthy (WH). As we noted earlier, Johnny Jolly and Sam Shields were not in the building.
Marshall Newhouse again lined up at right tackle with the first string offensive line (MV). David Bakhtiari was working with the second string at left tackle (RD).
Mike Neal took snaps at both defensive end and outside linebacker, and worked in position drills with players from both units (TD, WH). Wes has a quick video of him working on a fumble drill with the linebackers.
Alex Green fumbled on the first snap of team drills (TD). Great start.
Wes noted that Andrew Quarless looks explosive and confident on the field, which is a great sign after his knee injury.
Randall Cobb, Jeremy Ross, Johnathan Franklin, Jordy Nelson, and Tramon Williams all returned punts today, in that order (PD, RD).
The secondary started with Williams and Casey Hayward on the outside and Jarrett Bush in the slot. However, House and Shields were not in attendance, so those were the only veteran corners available (PD). In the dime package, rookie Micah Hyde and safety Jerron McMillian manned the slot positions (PD).
Don Barclay took a few reps at center today, though it was with the third team (JW). This was the first time he had played there as a Packer, after taking reps at the other four offensive line spots last year (WH). He also got some reps at right tackle with the starters, however (WH).
The final play of practice was a deep bomb from Aaron Rodgers to James Jones for a 35-yard touchdown (JW).

As always, we extend a big thanks to the media members who were reporting from practice today.
MV - Mike Vandermause, Green Bay Press-Gazette
WH - Wes Hodkiewicz, GBPG
PD - Pete Dougherty, GBPG
RD - Rob Demovsky, GBPG
TD - Tyler Dunne, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
TS - Tom Silverstein, MJS
JW - Jason Wilde, ESPN Wisconsin
ZH - Zach Heilprin, ESPN Wisconsin

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Packers Training Camp Battles: Who Will Start at Right Tackle?

Evan "Tex" Western — Sun, 26 May 2013 21:00:06 -0000

It's a slow weekend for news on the Green Bay Packers, as you can tell. There's one thing that never stops, though: speculation about training camp and who will win the starting jobs at the various positions that are up for grabs this off-season. The first one that we will take a look at is the battle for the starting right tackle spot now that the line has been flipped over the center.

The Contenders

Marshall Newhouse

The starter at left tackle over the past few years, Newhouse will look to adjust to the right side and earn his starting job once again. He was not a great tackle last season by any stretch of the imagination, but he did make great strides from the 2011 season. One illustration of this is his improvement from a Pro Football Focus grade of -32.0 in 2011 to -4.3 in 2012. That upgrade was almost entirely due to an improved pass blocking grade however; his run blocking grade stayed relatively consistent at -14.6 and -12.3.

One of the biggest issues with Newhouse in 2012 was his inconsistency; he would show signs of improved play for a few games only to erase the progress he had made with a few bad games. He was at his worst, however, when battling teams with multiple effective pass-rushers. St. Louis, the New York Giants, and Detroit each gave Newhouse fits. He will need to prove that he can be a consistent pass-blocker and significantly improve his run blocking if he wants to earn the starting job.

Don Barclay

Barclay is very much the opposite of Newhouse in that he struggled mightily in pass blocking last season but was reasonably effective in the running game. The undrafted rookie from West Virginia took over for an injured Bryan Bulaga and an ineffective T.J. Lang last season and at least brought some stability to that side of the line. One question with Barclay is whether he has the skill set to stick at tackle; he also worked at guard last season and could be looked at as a better candidate at that position.

Derek Sherrod

The biggest question mark on the entire team is Sherrod, who played a few games in 2011 at both tackle spots before breaking his leg and missing the entire 2012 season. The natural talent is there, but the big question is whether he will ever be able to recover completely and trust his rebuilt leg enough to be effective.

David Bakhtiari

The highest-drafted rookie lineman for the Packers this year is Colorado's Bakhtiari, who played left tackle in college. Though a little smaller than the ideal NFL tackle, he plays with good leverage and is solid as a run blocker. You can see our film review of him here, but he will be taking his best shot at the starting job and should be a key backup if he does not claim it.

Dark Horse

Andrew Datko

This is a name that I still can't shake in the back of my head. Datko was a seventh-round pick last season and spent the year on the practice squad, but he appears to have fully recovered from any residual issues from his shoulder injuries in college and will be ready to compete for jobs across the Packers' line. In OTAs, he worked primarily at guard, but he played right tackle in college and should at least see a few snaps at the position in training camp. If he impresses early on, he should earn additional opportunities to play and get a legitimate chance to take the job.

Now the question goes to you: who do you think will win the right tackle job and start there in week one against the San Francisco 49ers? Let us know in the poll below and in the comments.

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Poll

Who will earn the starting right tackle job after training camp?

Marshall Newhouse

274 votes

Don Barclay

407 votes

Derek Sherrod

365 votes

David Bakhtiari

199 votes

Andrew Datko

219 votes

1464 votes | Poll has closed

Buff Bites: Is Anyone Going to Pick the Buffs Higher Than Last? It's Possible!

Jon Woods — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:27:21 -0000

Buffs Football!

Pac-12 football: Projections for the 2013 division races | College Hotline

6. Colorado (6): Mike MacIntyre’s first year rebuilding San Jose State was a rough one, and I expect the same to be true in Boulder. The Buffs will be better than they were last year in numerous areas (conditioning and preparation, to name two), but that might not translate to more wins.

Bye week analysis: South Division - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN

Colorado: Sept. 21 (before visit to Oregon State) and Oct. 19 (before visit from Arizona) Skinny: The first off week comes after the nonconference schedule, at which point the Buffaloes will be hoping for at least a 2-1 start heading into the Pac-12 slate -- a brutal three-game stretch of a visit to Oregon State, Oregon and a trip to Arizona State. This feels like good timing, but the odds seem long that an extra week of practice will produce a performance that can win in Corvallis. The second bye comes after that aforementioned stretch and precedes six consecutive weekends of play. An extra week before a visit from Arizona passes the smell test as an upset opportunity. Grade: A-. The perfect scenario would be for the Buffs to get byes before playing games against second-tier conference teams, whom they have the best chance to defeat. That extra time and rest could help produce an upset. They get only one of those here, but this is about as good a bye setup as a coach should hope for.

Rimington Trophy - Gus Handler has been named to the Rimington watch list.

Tough stretches: Pac-12 South - Pac-12 Blog - ESPN

Colorado Pretty much the end of September through early November is going to be a Ralphie-sized run through the wringer. At Oregon State (Sept. 28), home to Oregon (Oct. 5) at Arizona State (Oct. 12) home to Arizona (Oct. 26) and back-to-back road games at UCLA (Nov. 2) and Washington (Nov. 9). There is a bye week right in the middle to break up the six games. But that's still six straight games against potentially six top-25 teams. We're expecting the first three -- OSU, Oregon, ASU -- to be ranked, and there's a good chance UCLA and Washington will be top-25 teams as well. Arizona might flirt with the rankings -- as it did last season -- if the defense is better and the quarterback spot gets figured out. Welcome to the Pac, Mac.

Jordan Gehrke, Colorado QB recruit, overcame death of HS coach - Yes, we signed a new QB. No, I don't want to talk about it. Nonetheless, this is worth a read.

Football: Jay MacIntyre could join CU Buffs, but not as quarterback - Buffzone

Jay MacIntyre plays quarterback and defensive back in high school. Mike MacIntyre said there are no circumstances under which his son would join the CU program as a quarterback. He says that decision has nothing to do with recent history in Boulder in which Cody Hawkins played quarterback under his father, Dan Hawkins. First and foremost, Mike MacIntyre says his son probably isn't a Pac-12 quarterback because he's only 5-foot-101/2. But he said bringing his son into the program at quarterback would place both father and son under far too much pressure simply because of the nature of the position and how much attention quarterbacks receive.

Ranking The Pac-12 Running Backs

8. Christian Powell, Colorado A glimmer of hope in Colorado’s otherwise bleak 2012 was the breakout performance of freshman running back Christian Powell. Powell cracked the conference’s top 10 in rushing last season, accruing 691 yards with seven touchdowns. Powell is a big, powerful back at 6-foot, nearly 240 pounds. His size gives new head coach Mike MacIntyre to use smaller, shiftier Tony Jones in a true change-of-pace fashion.

Connor Wood at QB tops list of CU Buffs' key football players for 2013 - The Denver Post

With preseason camp still more than two months away, here's my stab at CU's 10 most important players: • QB Connor Wood — The 6-foot-3, 225-pound junior and former University of Texas transfer hasn't been "the guy" since his senior year of high school four years ago. It's now or never for him to take the starting role and be the team's unquestioned leader.

Ranking The Pac-12 Offensive Lines

10. Colorado Buffaloes Good news: Colorado returns for of its five starters from a season ago. Bad news: David Bakhtiari left early for the NFL, accounting for the one departure. Bakhtiari was the best blocker the Buffs had up front. Even worse news: the best blocker from a line that allowed 50 sacks, ranked No. 109 in rushing offense with only 3.1 yards per carry on average and the No. 96 passing offense. There are two talented Buffs back, though, in Alex Lewis and Daniel Munyer.

Buffs Basketball!

Men's basketball: Tad Boyle shuffle CU Buffs staff titles - Buffzone - Just another reminder of how lucky we are to have Tad. Other assisstant coaches notice this kind of stuff...

On Thursday, Boyle announced new titles for assistant coaches Jean Prioleau and Mike Rohn, in hopes that the titles will help them land head coaching jobs down the road. Prioleau has been named the associate head coach and Rohn is officially CU's recruiting coordinator. "Both coach Prioleau and coach Rohn are guys that have not had an opportunity to be a head coach yet (at the Division I level) and, in my opinion, they deserve that opportunity," Boyle said. "If these titles can help them in that regard, I want to recognize them. That's my small way of doing that."

Kyle Ringo Blog: Kansas looking like unlikely win for CU Buffs basketball again - Buffzone - One true freshman, no matter how good he may be projected to be, does not make this an unlikely win at home, Kyle.

This Week In The Pac-12: NBA Draft Aftermath - California Golden Blogs

Biggest Loser: Colorado I'll be the first to admit that I was disappointed with Andre Roberson's lack of growth after a stunning sophomore season. But outsized expectations shouldn't overshadow how important he was to Colorado's success last year. He was simply one of the best rebounders and interior defenders the conference had to offer. Even with Roberson, Colorado struggled to score. Take him away, and I suspect you will still have a team that struggles to score, except they won't have somebody to lock down the paint on defense or earn extra possessions on offense.

Howell blog: Where does CU's Roberson fit in mock drafts? - Buffzone

Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com has Roberson going to the Portland Trailblazers with the 40th pick. www.NBADraft.net has Roberson going 42nd overall to the Philadelphia 76ers. Draft Express has Roberson going undrafted in its mock draft. Among it's top 100 pro prospects, it has Roberson at No. 67.

Buffs Stuff!

Pac-12 Baseball: Why The Heck Can't Colorado Field A Team Already? - Go Joe Bruin - A UCLA Bruins Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more. - Here we go again...

Nonetheless, it’s something that Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn needs to make happen. There are some serious hurdles to clear, from facilities to budgeting to branding, but the Buffs deserve a team. And, as I’ve made abundantly clear, the Pac-12 deserves a conference championship in baseball. At this point, Colorado only sponsors six men’s varsity sports–football, basketball, golf, track, cross country and skiing. Compare that list to the nine women’s sports CU competes in, and it’s clear there’s room for growth well within the Title IX gender requirements. There’s one speed bump cleared already! What else could possibly be holding it up?

JC Tretter Injury: Broken Ankle Sidelines Rookie for Several Months

Evan "Tex" Western — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:40:19 -0000

I really thought that this year was going to be different. I thought that after all the bad luck with injuries that the Green Bay Packers had over the past few years (and in 2012 in particular), this was going to be the year when the breaks evened out and the team stayed unusually healthy for a full season. Well, if the first practice of the year is any indication, that may not be the case.

Several of the Packers' beat reporters noticed on Twitter that rookie offensive lineman and fourth-round draft pick JC Tretter was not seen at all during the Packers' open OTA practice on Tuesday. Head coach Mike McCarthy was extremely vague when characterizing the injury in his post-practice press conference, only saying that Tretter was injured in Monday's closed practice and was "going through the medical process".

After doing some digging around the locker room, Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin broke the news first that the injury was serious, learning from another Packers player that the injury was serious and required an ambulance. He then was able to speak to Tretter's agent, and found out the full extent of the injury:

JC Tretter's agent, Alan Herman, says Tretter broke his ankle yesterday during fumble recovery drill. Herman expects him to miss six months.
— Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde) May 21, 2013

This is a brutal start to the year for Tretter, and it very well could cost him his entire rookie season. Since the injury took place in OTAs and before training camp, however, he will be eligible for the Physically Unable to Perform list which would give him the chance to play again in 2013.

Tretter played tackle at Cornell University, but it was widely assumed that he would move inside to center or guard for the Packers. His injury will likely rob the team of a backup option at one of those interior line spots, where Tretter was expected to compete with the likes of Greg Van Roten, Don Barclay, and possibly fellow rookie David Bakhtiari.

As Wilde notes in his post, Ryan Grant went through a similar injury in September of 2010 and was placed on injured reserve. However, he reportedly felt late in the playoffs that he could have played if he were eligible, which would put the recovery estimate at about four months. If Tretter's recovery would get him back in playing shape after a full six months, that would be somewhere around weeks 11 or 12 in mid-November. Considering the PUP list rules, that could work out for Tretter, as he would be eligible to start practicing between weeks 8 and 10 (because of the Packers' early bye week) and could be activated anywhere between weeks 11 and 13.

In any case, we with Tretter the best of luck in his recovery and hope that he will be able to make it back on the field sometime this football season.

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Predicting the Packers' Rushing Attack in 2013

Josh VanDyke — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:00:13 -0000

EDITOR'S NOTE: Please welcome Josh VanDyke to the Acme Packing Company family. Josh is a lifelong Packers fan, a shareholder, and a sportswriter for the Michigan blog MLive.com; he also has extensive podcasting experience. We are excited to welcome him aboard and look forward to his bringing some new content to the site, both in traditional articles and as we look into expanding out into podcasts and other forms of content. -Tex

Since 2009, when Ryan Grant rushed for over 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns, the Packers have been woefully insufficient in developing a consistent rushing attack. Ted Thompson, Mike McCarthy, and company made it obvious that they wanted to change that when they drafted two running backs and two offensive linemen in the first four rounds of the 2013 NFL Draft.

By selecting Eddie Lacy (62^nd overall) and Johnathan Franklin (125^th overall) the Packers were able to draft two of the premier running backs that were available in the class of 2013. Lacy's hamstring injury may have prevented him from being a first-round pick, and Franklin was considered by many scouts to be one of the top 5 running backs available.

I don't think any logical Packers fan thought Brandon Jackson (702 yards in 2010), James Starks (578 yards in 2011), or Alex Green (464 yards last season) were going to be the next Ahman Green or Dorsey Levens when they were drafted. Lacy and Franklin seem to have the opposite reaction. In a recent ESPN.com article, John Clayton had high praise for the duo.

Ted Thompson created a great situation for the Green Bay Packers' backfield. Not only did he draft Eddie Lacy, but he also drafted Johnathan Franklin. They were roommates during minicamp and got along. The competition between the two could create the best backfield situation for Green Bay in years.

Clayton might not be setting the bar particular high with that statement, considering the Packers have finished 20^th, 27^th, and 24^th in the league the last three seasons in terms of rushing yardage, but all the signs are pointing to a rejuvenated effort to reestablish the run game in Green Bay.

Tex's latest article on a possible reshuffling of the offensive line also bodes well for the running game. I believe moving Bryan Bulaga to Left Tackle and having the likes of Don Barclay, David Bakhtiari, Derek Sherrod, and Marshall Newhouse battle for the Right Tackle position is in the best interest of both developing a run game and keeping Aaron Rodgers off the turf next season. Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang have been solid at the guard positions, and Evan Dietrich-Smith has shown signs of being an above-average run blocker.

Jason Hirschhorn's post-draft breakdown of the running back position shed some light on who might make the roster, and who might get cut by the time the regular season rolls around. I agree with his prediction of Lacy, Franklin, and Green sticking to the roster, while Starks and Harris are likely to be cut. I do think Harris could find himself on the practice squad if he can double as a special teamer with his speed. Versatility often equates to value, and I think Harris would edge Starks in that category.

As for the running backs that will be fighting for carries, let's do a quick breakdown of what each back brings to the table.

Eddie Lacy (5-11, 230 pounds)

Lacy's biggest asset, besides his powerful running style, might be his vision. Bammer from Roll Bama Roll's breakdown of Lacy's vision shows a great example from last year's title game. Lacy has shown the vision and agility to find the holes his line creates for him, and possess the power to run through tackles and rack up yards after initial contact. He may not possess elite speed, but he has the ability to turn a one-yard loss into a 7-yard gain. The biggest knock on Packers running backs (including Ryan Grant) in recent years was their lack of vision in the blocking scheme, and I think both Lacy and Franklin possess that vision.

Lacy is considered to be the front-runner to be the Week 1 starter at tailback, and you would be hard pressed to find someone more capable and ready to assume that role. However, the pro-style offense run at Alabama, combined with the question of whether Lacy can be a suitable pass blocker in the NFL, could present a learning curve that could leave the door open for Franklin.

Johnathan Franklin (5-10, 205 pounds)

Franklin for Mayor (Johnathan Franklin UCLA 2012 Highlights) (via MedievalSkramGamer)

After watching Franklin's highlight video, it's easy to see why the Packers decided to draft him when he was still on the board in the fourth round. Franklin possesses the speed and elusiveness that could make for a powerful one-two punch when combined with Lacy's strength and power.

One thing that sticks out in Franklin's highlights is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He seems to have soft hands and a quick burst on his initial cut, which would make him a great candidate for screen passes and wheel routes out of the backfield. He also seems to show enough patience to be utilized in delay draws and counters out of the shotgun formation. Franklin also played in an offense at UCLA that will create a smoother transition into the complex spread offense that Mike McCarthy runs in Green Bay.

Alex Green (6-0, 225 pounds)

After finally recovering from an ACL injury, Green led the team with 464 yards on 135 attempts last season. While his numbers were less than exciting, you could argue that he might have put up better numbers if Cedric Benson hadn't won the starting job at the beginning of the season. You could also say that he might not have ever seen the field if Benson hadn't went down with a season-ending foot injury in Week 5 against the Colts. Whichever way you want to look at it, Green doesn't appear to have the qualities of a feature back. He also hasn't been 100% healthy yet in his NFL career, which is reason to still hold out hope on the young back.

I like his chances of making the 53-man roster, especially when compared to DuJuan Harris and James Starks. If Green can develop into an above-average pass protector, I believe he can be a third-down back in this spread offense, and be a solid contributor.

DuJuan Harris (5'9, 208 pounds)

Harris was a feel-good story for the Packers in 2012. The used car salesman turned NFL running back showed a quick burst and good agility on toss plays to the outside. Harris isn't going to be a bruising runner who breaks many tackles, but he does possess just enough speed to keep defenses honest on the outside. His limitations between the tackles, and as a pass protector may cost him a spot on the 53-man roster. I hope he gets a shot, even as a possible practice squad player, because he seems to have the tools to be a solid back up. The Packers have had some bad luck with injuries, so you can never have too many options at a position with so much wear and tear.

James Starks (6'2, 218 pounds)

Starks was drafted as a late-round flyer in 2010 as a running back out of the University of Buffalo with an injury-plagued career, and that hasn't changed much in the NFL either. Starks inability to stay healthy has put the Packers in a bind lately. The organization had to sign free agents like Cedric Benson, Ryan Grant, and DuJuan Harris in hopes of short-term solutions. I think Starks may be the odd-man-out in the running back equation, unless he can beat out Alex Green and DuJuan Harris during training camp.

Cedric Benson (5'11, 227 pounds)

Benson racked up 248 yards in the Packers' first five games in 2012, and showed promising signs as both a short-yardage back, as well as a pass protector. Benson suffered a Lisfranc foot injury in a week 5 loss to the Colts, and was never able to fully heal. He signed a one-year contract with the Packers, and is now a free agent. The Packers drafting two running backs will likely keep Benson from signing with the Packers again, but I expect Ted Thompson to have his number on speed dial in case of an injury.

Prediction: the Packers will not have a 1,000 yard rusher in 2013, but not because they don't lack the firepower. Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin have the complementary skill sets to form a balanced run game that hasn't been in Green Bay since 1996 with Edgar Bennett (899 yards) and Dorsey Levens (566 yards).

I expect Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin to split carries at a 55% vs. 40% pace, with Alex Green picking up the remaining 5%. The back that can pick up the offense, and become a better pass protector to get the more carries. Eddie Lacy seems to be likely starter due to his size and strength, but don't be surprised if Franklin gives him a serious run for his money. This position battle will be fun to watch as OTAs and training camp ensues. Regardless of who wins the starter job, I expect both Lacy and Franklin to bring stability to an offense that has been predictable and one-dimensional for the last three seasons.

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Green Bay Packers 2013 Draft Pick Signing Tracker

Evan "Tex" Western — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:33:06 -0000

On this page, we will keep track of all of the confirmed contracts signed between the Green Bay Packers and their 2013 draft picks. As of this time, five of the rookies are under contract, having signed during the rookie minicamp on May 10th.

Round	Player	Position	School	Contract Status
1	Datone Jones	DE	UCLA	unsigned
2	Eddie Lacy	RB	Alabama	SIGNED
4	David Bakhtiari	OL	Colorado	SIGNED
4	J.C. Tretter	OL	Cornell	SIGNED
4	Johnathan Franklin	RB	UCLA	SIGNED
5	Micah Hyde	CB	Iowa	SIGNED
5	Josh Boyd	DT	Mississippi State	SIGNED
6	Nate Palmer	OLB	Illinois State	SIGNED
7	Charles Johnson	WR	Grand Valley State	SIGNED
7	Kevin Dorsey	WR	Maryland	SIGNED
7	Sam Barrington	ILB	South Florida	SIGNED

We will keep this page updated when any new contract signings are announced. In the meantime, you can also check out our Undrafted Rookie Free Agent Tracker to see the other rookies who have come to terms with the Packers on contracts.

APC's Packers Rookie Minicamp Central

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Packers Sign Rookies Nate Palmer and David Bakhtiari

Evan "Tex" Western — Fri, 10 May 2013 17:39:20 -0000

According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the Green Bay Packers have agreed to a contract and have signed their first 2013 draft pick. Sixth-round selection Nate Palmer, the outside linebacker from Illinois State, appears to be the first of the draft class to sign:

#Packers LB Nate Palmer has agreed to terms on his rookie contract. Several other deals are expected to be done today.
— tom silverstein (@TomSilverstein) May 10, 2013

As Tom notes, we will likely be seeing more signings coming down the wire over the next few hours as the players are all in Green Bay for minicamp. In fact, the next one was reported a few minutes later by Paul Imig of FOX Sports Wisconsin:

#Packers rookie OL David Bakhtiari has signed his contract, he said in the locker room today. @dbak59
— Paul Imig (@Paulimig) May 10, 2013

We will update this post with any contract terms as they are released, and keep your browser locked to Acme Packing Company for full coverage of all the signings as well as all the results of the minicamp throughout the weekend.

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