SB Nation - Diondre Borel

Green Bay Packers 2012 Roster Projection: Offensive Final Results

Devin Shanley — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 21:42:54 -0000

As promised let's take one last look back before we look forward. During the dread lull Kevin, Evan, and I went about the task of projecting the Packers roster based on what we saw at the time. Since that projection has finished the Packers have completed some roster moves, made some surprise cuts, and just about filled the practice squad. Here's how we did:

QB Projection: Aaron Rodgers, Graham Harrell

What the Roster Actually Looks Like: Rodgers, Harrell

What We Said Then:

The only thing that might throw a wrench into this is the possibility of a trade. We wrote about the possibility of a Colt McCoy trade yesterday, but I don't envision that or any other trade happening. Mike McCarthy has had nothing but positive things to say about Graham Harrell, whose completion percentage and interception-to-attempts ratio in preseason last year were palatable, though not spectacular. Expect a better 2012.

What We Are Saying Now:

Most of the preseason Harrell didn't show us a better performance than last year. It got so bad that at times many parts of Packer Nation were crying out for a trade which would acquire one of the many WCO veterans out there to handle the backup duties. Harrell did save his best for last with an impressive outing against the Chiefs. Harrell is not as good a backup as we had last year, but he should be able to do that job. Oh, and Aaron Rodgers is awesome.

HB Projection: James Starks, Alex Green, Brandon Saine

What The Roster Actually Looks Like: Cedric Benson, Starks, Green, Saine

What We Said Then:

Halfback may be the thinnest position on the team. Despite this, it's not hard to see what TT & co. are planning to do at the psotion this year. Currently the Packers have James Starks, Alex Green, Brandon Saine, Marc Tyler, and Du'ane Bennet. Last year the Packers kept three running backs on the 53 and one on PS for development and there is no reason to expect the Packers to deviate from this same formula in 2012.

What We Are Saying Now:

This was without a doubt the thinnest position on the team through the preseason. As a result we saw Ted Thompson make a somewhat unexpected move by signing Cedric Benson. This signing mixed with the frustrating balance between injury status and potential upside of Starks caused the Packers to break from what they have done the last couple years and keep four halfbacks and keep one additional halfback on the practice squad (Tyler).

FB Projection: John Kuhn

What The Roster Actually Looks Like: Kuhn

What We Said Then:

Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhn.

What We Are Saying Now:

Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhn.

WR Projection: Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Randall Cobb, Donald Driver, Tori Gurley

What The Roster Actually Looks Like: Jennings, Nelson, Jones, Cobb, Driver, Jarrett Boykin

What We Said Then:

First of all six seems about right this year. Five is probably too few considering the current amount of talent. Why not keep as many as reasonable? It keeps the group farily young as well as insure against injury. On the other hand keeping seven is not very practicable. Yes we have talent, but roster building needs to take in the full picture of the team instead of looking at only one position or just one side of the ball.....Between the affordability of Jones, the promise of Cobb, and the new money to DD these three aren't going anywhere. Yes, yes, you can trade Jones[,] but don't count on it....The only job question is Gurley or Borel.

What We Are Saying Now:

After a disappointing preseason for Gurley and Diondre Borel, both players failed to make the team (although Borel made the practice squad). Fellow UDFA Boykin though played his way on to the roster with consistent play in practice and the games. It's still the deepest receiving corp in the league with a nice mixture of young talent and veteran wisdom.

TE Projection: Jermichael Finley, Tom Crabtree, D.J. Williams, Ryan Taylor

What The Roster Actually Looks Like: Finley, Crabtree, Williams, Taylor

What We Said Then:

This is currently [the] en vogue position in the NFL with the rise of Jimmy Graham and the shirtless wonder: Rob Gronkowski. The Packers have also liked this position for the last few years filling the position with guys who can block, catch, and play special teams. So for as much as people would like to keep 7-8 WR's and watch the offense come in waves, look for the team to keep 4 TE's around in order to help round out other areas of the team.

What We Are Saying Now:

No real surprises so far. The big questions arise when Andrew Quarless comes off the PUP. Will the Packers keep only four TE's then or go back to the five they had last year?

OL Projection:: Marshall Newhouse, T.J. Lang, Jeff Saturday, Josh Sitton, Bryan Bulaga, Derek Sherrod, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Andrew Datko

What The Roster Actually Looks LIke: Newhouse, Lang, Saturday, Sitton, Bulaga, Dietrich-Smith, Don Barclay

What We Said Then:

The Green Bay Packers' offensive line is fairly set in stone, though their could be a battle for a couple of backup spots. Four starters are locked in, while the two guys fighting for the left tackle spot will both make the roster for sure. The Packers had eight offensive lineman on their opening day roster last season, a fairly standard number that they'll probably stick with this time around.

What We Are Saying Now:

Alas, there was no battle for the left tackle position. Sherrod never got right in the preseason and now sits on the PUP. Generally the majority of the backups didn't look NFL ready, so most of them were cut. Don Barclay was a slow riser through the camps and eventually played his way on to the team. He will have to be the swing tackle until Sherrod gets back off the PUP. Datko looked up and down, he also suffered a concussion and is now on the practice squad.

Wrapping Up The 2012 Roster Projection Series Articles:

Through The First Round Of Cuts

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Green Bay Packers 2012 Final Cuts: Updated Tracker

Devin Shanley — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 15:34:24 -0000

So instead of running a post for every cut let's just have one post to give you updates? Tex and I are manning the Twitterverse to keep track of the latest Green Bay Packer cuts. The cuts are coming fast and furious, so right now we are just going to list the names of those who will not make the active roster this year. We'll have more analysis and thoughts on the cuts as the day goes on, but for now here are latest cuts as we know it.....

WR Tori Gurley

UPDATE 10:39 AM: OL Reggie Wells (WH), TE Brandon Bostick (WH)

UPDATE: 10:51 AM: OL Greg Van Roten (TS)

UPDATE: 10:58 AM: FB Nic Cooper (RavensInsider)

UPDATE: 11:00 AM: T Shea Allard (RD)

UPDATE: 11:16 AM: WR Dale Moss (TS)

UPDATE: 11:23 AM: DE Lawrence Guy (RD)

UPDATE: 11:39 AM: WR Curenski Gilleylen (RD)

UPDATE: 11:45 AM: CB Otis Merrill (RD)

UPDATE: 12:44 PM: RB Marc Tyler (TS)

UPDATE: 1:45 PM: DT Daniel Muir (Packer Report)

UPDATE: 8:17 PM: OLB Vic So'oto placed in Injured Reserve, T Derek Sherrod placed on PUP list, QB B.J. Coleman waived (WH)

There are still going to be plenty more coming in so keep it locked in here. Also give you instant reaction to these cuts in the comment section. Any surprises for you so far? Any disappointments? Who do you think is going to be clear waivers and make it to the practice squad this year? Discuss.

NOTE: the following players were placed on injured reserve prior to the cut-down to 75 players on Monday. They were released and given injury settlements earlier today as well, but they will not help reduce the roster from 75 to 53.

WR Shaky Smithson

G Ray Dominguez

TE DeMarco Cosby

Packers Reportedly Cut Tori Gurley, Diondre Borel

Evan "Tex" Western — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 15:19:41 -0000

News is coming down fast and furious. Many of us went into training camp believing that Tori Gurley would be the sixth wide receiver on the Packers this season. Zach Kruse of Cheesehead TV is reporting that this will not be the case:

Zach Kruse ‏@zachkruse2

Source: Packers cut WR Tori Gurley today.

10:11 AM - 31 Aug 12

Gurley's size made him an attractive option for the Packers' offense, which only boasts one wide receiver who would be considered "tall" (Jordy Nelson). However, Gurley struggled with some injuries early this preseason and never really had any consistent production.

Packers fans and coaches likely are hoping that Gurley will pass through waivers and be added to the team's practice squad, but with teams like Miami hurting badly for depth at wide receiver, that seems somewhat unlikely. It remains to be seen whether Diondre Borel or Jarrett Boykin will make the cut.

UPDATE: Zach Kruse is now reporting that Diondre Borel has been released as well.

Zach Kruse ‏@zachkruse2

My source has also said that the Packers have cut WR Diondre Borel. Both offseason darlings are gone.

10:19 AM - 31 Aug 12

Packers vs. Chiefs: 5 Backups To Watch

Devin Shanley — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 17:00:35 -0000

I'm not going to lie, I felt a bit bad about the quick tour through the "5 Starters To Watch" for today. To make it up to all of you, and to myself feel better, I'm going to give all of you a bonus two backups to watch, making seven!

The backups should get an extra long chance to shine tonight. So buckle up for more of that explosive Packers second team offense. You know the one that has been lighting it up so far this year! Wait......you're saying they've been terrible? That opposing defense have actually scored more points than the second team offense in the last two games? Oh. Then prepare yourself for more of that tonight and just remember that the starting team offense is still awesome.

Really this game is the last, best chance for many guys to make the team. In the case of the guys on the Packers' roster this is doubly so since most of the moves to get the roster down to 75 included cutting injured players or moving guys to IR. Those that have stayed healthy thus far will be rewarded with an extra long chance to put some good tape together. Let's meet a few of those players....

1. Graham Harrell. You didn't think I would start anywhere else did you? Harrell has to show something tonight. Moving the offense and getting first downs is good.....getting points on the board is better. Fortunately for Harrell he's probably not playing for his job tonight. Short of an unmitigated disaster he will make the team and be the backup. The key for Harrell is avoiding said disaster and also making something positive happen. I'll really take anything at this point. Get more first downs than punts and turnovers, lead the team to multiple field goal drives, (dare I say it....) a touchdown. Just one touchdown...is that too much to ask for?

2. Tori Gurley. With all due respect to Diondre Borel and the other depth WR's, that last roster spot is going to be Tori Gurley's or no one's. Borel has done little with the offense and even less with special teams. Gurley hasn't done much either, but at least has found a way to contribute on special teams. He has even done this in a way that he could do during the season, namely, as a blocker and cover man. A big night for Gurley may allow him to push on to the roster. At the very least some good tape should help him catch on with another team. As for Borel, well a good night can help his chances (either with the Packers or elsewhere) but he still looks like a work in progress. That's not a bad thing....it's just not a this year making the roster thing.

3. Sam Shields. Shields needs to have a good night tonight more than anyone else on defense. His roster spot isn't in danger (yet), but his long term future might be. Shields has come a long way since getting back from his elbow injury, but there is a good amount of young talent at the CB position right now for the Packers and he just hasn't quite matched their level of play yet. A good night tonight can secure the dime position for him. This sort of limited action should still give him the playing time he needs but the reduced load enough for him to master his technique and even out his play.

4. Don Barclay. Someone has to snag the seventh offensive lineman spot right? Well, maybe it would be eighth technically with Derek Sherrod also figuring into the picture. We know the starting five will make it, and Evan Dietrich-Smith is pretty certain of a spot too, but that last one is up for grabs. None of the backup offensive linemen have looked too great in the games, but Barclay has quietly gotten more responsibilities and may just good enough to cut it at the NFL level. A good night tonight (at least individually) could make sneaking on the roster past seasoned vets like Reggie Wells and Sampson Genus

5. Terrell Manning. One of the most interesting discussions happening in Packer circles right now is what could happen with the LB corp. With Bishop out for the season now, D.J. Smith has to step up and be the starter. This leaves four guys fighting for two or three backup spots: Robert Francois, Brad Jones, Jamari Lattimore, and Manning. Manning has shown the least of all four of these guys but also has the most upside. A good performance tonight should secure his spot on the roster if only for the future potential that he may bring in a year or two.

6. Vic So'oto. It was the last preseason game of the year last year that gave So'oto life as a cult hero. He should get the time tonight to do the same...maybe parlay that into a roster spot. If he can't make it here some good tape should help him catch on somewhere else.

7. Jarrett Boykin. Boykin has been the lone bright spot of the second team offense. He's had some good receptions and has been consistently productive through the preseason. A strong night tonight should help him make another team's roster Chastin West style. If that doesn't happen this year then he should be able to land on the PS and make a push next year when things won't be as crowded in the WR room.

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Should The Packers Keep Only Five Wide Receivers?

Devin Shanley — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 01:07:53 -0000

Those who read my "Notes, Thoughts, and Observations" from practices know that this is a question I have been kicking around for a bit of time. It's a question that would of been blasphemy a couple months ago, and may not be completely popular now, but it is a question that highlights the importance of the preseason. Coming into the year it was widely assumed that the Packers had seven NFL quality WR's on the roster. The reason for this assumption was the positive offseason buzz surrounding Tori Gurley and Diondre Borel. The rise of these two undrafted free agents from last year gave some reason to think that Donald Driver might be moving on or that the the Packers would keep seven WR's this year at the expense of some other positions on the team. At the very least it was reasonable to assume the Packers would at least keep six WR's going into the year.

Flash forward to this weekend. We have now had three preseason games and Gurley and Borel have not accomplished much. Borel has 5 receptions for 21 yards. Gurley has 1 reception for 6 yards. The stats don't lie here, they haven't been lightening it up as many would hope. To give you an idea of guys with similar to better numbers: Jarrett Boykin has 8 receptions for 84 yards, Dale Moss has 4 receptions for 36 yards, Curenski Gilleyllen has 1 reception for 17 yards, and offensive phenom Marc Tyler has five receptions 24 yards (that's right Tyler has been more productive than Borel - wrap your mind around that for a moment).

The question used to be which of these two should the Packers keep. The question now should be whether either of these receivers is worth a roster spot at all.

Right now my belief is no, the Packers shouldn't keep either of them on the final 53 man roster. As much as there was some early buzz about the Packers keeping seven, the reality is that even keeping six is a bit overkill. Even if the Pack keeps only five receivers they will still have the deepest and most talented group of receivers in the league today. Period, point blank. Gurley and Borel would have to show that they are truly something special in order to warrant time on the field with the amount of targets presently in the offense. Neither has come close to showing they are that something special in the passing game. If you doubt me I'll just remind you that Marc Tyler has more receiving yards than either of these guys and Jarrett Boykin has more receptions and yards than the two put together.

You could make a case for them making the team based on their contribution to special teams. This is the area of the team where bubble players make or break their case for the roster. The problem is that neither has shown themselves especially adept at special teams either. Borel has worked near exclusively at returner so far this offseason and he hasn't shown much talent there. Gurley has flashed a bit of talent in practice as a special teams performer. He even has one highlight doing a good job blocking on a long return in the game against the Browns, but really that is his only highlight of the entire offseason. He also hasn't shown any of the ability of blocking kicks and punts that he showed last year.

The real problem facing the two of them though is the talent at other positions. The Packers have many ways they can go with finding balance on their roster. Linebacker and defensive back look particularly deep this year. This is especially the case after Jamari Lattimore and Anthony Levine turned in very good games on Thursday night. Defensive line is another area of the team where extra depth could be kept. Daniel Muir has been pretty stout against the run (something sorely needed) and Phillip Merling has not been a complete disappointment. Mix that with the amount of specialization that the D-line seems to need this year with pass rushing specialists and run stopping specialist having an extra guy in that rotation could be more beneficial than a WR who wouldn't even see the field.

The play of Borel and Gurley has to improve this coming week against the Chiefs if either of them is going to make the team. If these two promising receivers can't step up than the Packers need to seriously look at keeping only five WR's and stacking up depth at other positions on the team. I know they will probably get job offers elsewhere, but in the end that's not the point. The point is whether they have enough talent in order to help this team this year. Based on the three preseason games in 2012 the answer to this question has to be no, they just aren't there yet.

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APC Predicts How the Packers Trim the Roster to 75

Evan "Tex" Western — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 00:10:51 -0000

After the Packers released five players on Friday, the team's roster consists of 45 offensive players, 36 defensive players, and three special teams players, bringing the total number of players on the active roster to 84. As of 3:00 PM central time on Monday, all NFL teams must bring their rosters down to 75 players, meaning the Packers will have to cut another nine men off the roster by that time. Here's one APC writer's guess on who those nine players will be.

In this exercise, I tried to deduce what Ted Thompson will do, not what he should do. In other words, I attempted to account for which players would be likely to be kept around until the final cut-down day in the hopes that they make the practice squad. I tended to look at undrafted rookies from this year as more likely to make that practice squad than players who were on last year's squad, so that's why you may see fewer of this year's rookies than you might expect.

RB Brandon Saine
Saine has good speed and good hands, but hasn't been able to stay on the field. He seems to me to have some similar skills to Duane Bennett, who I think will get the chance to make it to the practice squad. With Cedric Benson's arrival, Saine could be expendable. The only reason I think he would stick on the roster for now is if his injury is serious enough to warrant placing him on the PUP list to start the season. Even then, with Benson and Green looking solid and Starks potentially in the mix, there's no room for Saine anyway.

WR Shaky Smithson
What has he done this year in camp to warrant remaining on the team? He hasn't practiced in weeks, and there are too many WRs at this point in camp anyway. I have to believe that at least two of them will be cut this weekend. Which brings me to...

WR Diondre Borel
I'll call this my first surprise cut prediction. Borel didn't make much of an impression all camp long, despite an early run of promise in practice. He just hasn't been cutting it in his limited game action. With Gurley starting to show signs that he can contribute on special teams, I think that he, and only he, will get the shot at being a sixth wide receiver.

There are six more names after the jump!

WR Dale Moss
Looking around at the roster, I think a third wideout will lose his job, and I think that Moss is the odd man out among the first-year wideouts. Jarrett Boykin has impressed and I think that Curenski Gilleylen has done more to earn a longer audition than Moss. There's no way the Packers will try to put three rookie wideouts on the practice squad, and Moss is the victim of a numbers game.

TE Ryan Taylor
Taylor has pretty much stunk up the joint in practice and hasn't done himself many favors in the games this preseason. He's clearly behind Tom Crabtree and D.J. Williams in the tight end rotation, and with Andrew Quarless waiting in the wings, I can't see a way that Ted Thompson keeps five tight ends again.

TE DeMarco Cosby
Cosby is a victim of coming into camp late and not really doing anything impressive. Brandon Bostick has seen far more reps, having been through minicamp and some OTAs. Cosby was only signed when Eric Lair went on IR, and was a long shot to make the roster anyway.

DE Phillip Merling
Yeah, remember Merling's name being called at any point this preseason? Neither do I. Moving on.

OLB Vic So'oto
Yes, I am predicting that future Hall of Famer Vic So'oto will be cut by the Green Bay Packers and earn his place in the hall with another organization. Let this be a warning to the next person who anoints a UDFA as the next coming of Clay Matthews (looking at you, Dezman Moses fanboys/girls).

CB Otis Merrill
Yes, I know he had a nice kickoff return against the Browns, but he's not ahead of Hayward, Bush, or Shields, and won't be any time soon. I could see him as a practice squad candidate, but at this point, I don't see any possible way Merrill makes the team.

So to sum up, I'm projecting six cuts on offense, consisting of a running back, three wide receivers, and two tight ends, and one at each level of the defense. What would you do differently, and if you would keep one of these players, who would you cut in their place?

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Green Bay Packers Training Camp: Notes, Thoughts, and Observations Practice 8/21

Devin Shanley — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 19:10:05 -0000

Today was another day in shells. Since there is much less contact during these practices, expectations for the practice need to shift. Most of today was spent in walk through and preparation for the upcoming game against the Bengals. Lots of scout teams. Lots of players running around in number "18" and "84" jerseys (to simulate where A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham would be lining up. That mixed with the fact that the a good portion of the backups aren't running plays they should know causes me to lower expectations on a snap by snap basis.

That said, it was a good day for some guys who desperately needed it. After the jump you'll find two stories of players having big days after some previous struggles, curiosity in the special teams units, and Jarrett Boykin still making waves.

Biggest surprise of the day: The line up of the number 1 kick return unit. With the Packers healthier than they have been in a long time it was interesting to see the number one special teams units take shape. One player I have been keeping an eye on with these units is Tori Gurley. I figured if he is a core contirbutor in these units it might be his way on to the roster. Earlier in practice he had been working with the ones on many of the drills, but lately he went back down to the two's. My surprise today was seeing him out there with the ones on kick return. His best play of last week's game was a block on a kick return, and seeing him with that unit seems to give hope he may make the roster after all. In addition to Gurley, it was also interesting to see Daniel Muir and Vic So'oto running with the one kick return unit as well.

Pleasant surprise of the day: Jarrett Boykin continues to make plays. Boykin has really come on over the last couple weeks. He was at it again today, making a couple TD catches and being a reliable target underneath when the number two offense was on the field. I highly doubt he's going to make the roster, but he is a good candidate for the practice squad and possibly making the team when WR isn't quite as jammed in the future.

Disappointment of the day: Turnovers continue. Alex Green fumbled a handoff (which probably would of been attributed to Graham Harrell technically). Harrell and B.J. Coleman also each had an interception on the day as well. The interceptions I can live with, the fumbled handoff shouldn't happen.

Offensive player of the day: Ryan Taylor shows up. Taylor hasn't impressed me in camp so far. For all those people who swear that Tom Crabtree should be cut in favor of Taylor....well I understand where you are coming from but trust me when I say that Taylor has not put in the camp Crabtree has this year. Now that said, Taylor had some great grabs today. He caught a few TD passes, and made some impressive catches in traffic. I'm still ambivalent towards Taylor on the roster, but it's hard to deny that he showed up big time today.

Defensive player of the day: Sam Shields shows up. Shields has been dogged so far in camp. He had a slow start and some of the younger guys have had an impressive showing. It's also never a good sign in the eyes of many Packer fans if Jarrett Bush is out playing you consistently either. Today Shields was picked on by the backup QB's and Shields rose to the occasion. He kept good coverage, broke up plays, and managed to snag an interception off of B.J. Coleman, wrestling the ball out of the hands of Gurley. It should also be noted that another time keeping good coverage with Gurley and breaking up a similar pass he got called for pass interference.

PA's controversial call: I think the Packers keep five WR's. This is a thought that has been brewing in my head for a while now, and it's one that will get a full post some time in the next few days. Coming into the year the Packers were expected to be loaded at WR with seven NFL quality receivers ready to go and maybe more if there was some surprises in camp. Diondre Borel and Gurley were expected to take a big step forward in their development. As camp has gone on though, Borel and Gurley aren't quite as wonderful as they were made out to be. Each one has their place and their role, but it's not a critical role and neither player has done much to show they are needed on the squad. I keep asking myself the question why should the Packers keep more receivers when these two are under performing and extra help could be used along the defensive line? Especially when the talents of the D-line range so dramatically.

Vikings Opponents: NFC North Roster Developments

Arif Hasan — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 18:00:14 -0000

With the first set of roster cuts due within the week—August 27th, at 3:00 PM—teams across the NFL are starting to finalize their roster positions. Of particular interest to Vikings fans are not just the developments at home, but the evolution of rosters within the division.

That said, I've taken a look at the NFC North roster battles for the last few days to help fans get a more complete understanding of how the division has played out in this past offseason.

The preseason has given us some gems as well as some red herrings, and I've done my best to suss out the most likely outcomes and what they mean for Vikings fans.

It's a long read (longer than my usual style—over 6000 words), so be prepared. This will go over every position on all three rosters, and in particular identify weaknesses. Leslie Frazier's coaching style more often dictates taking away strengths than weaknesses, but the blueprint for beating these particular teams lies in making sure that we know both.

We'll start out with our age-old rival, the Green Bay Packers, followed by the Chicago Bears and finishing up with the Detroit Lions.

Green Bay Packers:

Offense

If you've been paying attention to the Packers this offseason, you may have noticed a few issues with their offense; Rodgers is 8 for 19 and has thrown one interception with one touchdown. Packers fans are not worried for the same reason that Vikings fans should not be excited. While the struggles are real, there's no reason not to think that he won't continue to dominate the league come the regular season.

Everyone seems convinced that Rodgers' backups (Graham Harrell and B.J. Coleman) are terrible, but that's probably not relevant. I'll agree that there are major concerns at backup QB, but relying on that for our divisional games is a bit much.

Jordy Nelson still looks great for them and Aaron Rodgers will probably get his groove back by the time the season starts proper.

Also on the wide receiver front, practice squad holdover Diondre Borel is back in action from his injury and Packers fans are looking forward to his competition with other practice squad holdover Tori Gurley, who was impressive before his injury. Word on the street is that physical specimen Dale Moss isn't extraordinarily impressive in camp—seems to have trouble getting open or catching the ball. He and Jarret Boykin are considered potential PS candidates. The Packers are deep at wide receiver, and still have veterans Donald Driver, James Jones and Greg Jennings. Alongside them, they have former rookie phenom Randall Cobb, who has been a tad worrisome in camp.

The Packers' tight ends aren't bad by any means, and Jermichael Finley may be returning to form after his quad strain, particularly in red zone situations. They also seem to like D.J. Williams, who has been catching the football left and right in practice. Williams is competing with Tom Crabtree for the #2 spot, but it seems that Crabtree has been making many more mistakes in the passing game, but is their best blocking TE. Ryan Taylor had a few camp highlights, including knocking over a blocking sled, but will likely make the team because of special teams performance.

As for their offensive line, the Packers are in the same spot we are when it comes to the second offensive line versus the first one. Worrisome for them. From what I hear, they have a big, big reason to worry if Marshall Newhouse goes down (he just came back . From my understanding, their third guard (Evan Dietrich-Smith) is good, and that's about it for their backup linemen. The Packers have a great guard in Josh Sitton, and T.J. Lang is better than average.

Jeff Saturday might be on his way to the Hall of Fame, but it remains to be seen if he can continue his excellent play in Green Bay. No complaints so far, it seems. While I have not personally been extremely impressed with Bryan Bulaga, the majority of Packers fans are—they know better, so I'll trust them.

We all know the Packers' running backs have neither been a focus of their offense nor their FO. They don't have great running backs by any means, but what is more worrisome is the injury issue. Both starting running back James Starks and second back Brandon Saine are out with injuries, which in part motivated the signing of Cedric Benson, who may end up looking better than Starks after all.

The injury situation was such that Cobb was taking RB snaps in shotgun, including duties in pass protection.

Defense

Ryan Pickett and B.J. Raji are back. Observers seem keen on both of them and think that they'll return to what they're good at. C.J. Wilson is expected to start alongside them, and is not as good, but solid.

Backups Mike Neal and Anthony Hargrove* will begin the season on suspension, but seem to be serviceable.

Rookie Jerel Worthy looks good, but not enough to overtake anyone. He's starting in their nickel (2-4-5) package. Rookie Mike Daniels is a surprise and a penetrator. Expect him to make the roster and get rotated in somewhat frequently.

At linebacker, only one real development, which is that D.J. Smith could start. He's reportedly looking very good and Hawk should be worried, unless Desmond Bishop (who has a torn hamstring) stays out of the lineup. Rob Francois is also looking good, much to Hawk's chagrin. Backing up the inside linebacker spots could be Terrell Manning and Jamari Lattimore, although Lattimore will reportedly make it on his special teams play. Not much has been said about Manning.

On the outside are Clay Matthews (no surprise) and rookie Nick Perry, who is apparently flashing quite a bit of potential. The one-game suspension of Erik Walden shouldn't keep him out of the lineup, but he's a backup.

Vic So'oto isn't likely to make the team, but UDFA Dezman Moses apparently will. Brad Jones is also potentially going to make the team, largely as a result of his special teams skill.

At cornerback, Charles Woodson has potentially completed his transition to safety (who remains the nickel/slot corner) and Tramon Williams is expected to start opposite sophomore Davon House, who was looking impressive, until an injury had sidelined him. House is a physical corner like Chris Cook, and generally has the speed to cover. He'll return by Week 1, and should start. If not, Casey Hayward and Jarrett Bush have been competing for the first team spot and no clear winner has emerged.

Hayward had been looking unimpressive until very recently. He likes to make plays on the ball, but is inconsistent. Bush, on the other hand, is a much better tackler and blitzer than he is in coverage. It seems as if he doesn't offer nearly as much upside as Hayward or playmaking ability, but could provide some level of consistency. Bush has been doing well on special teams and is expected to make the team even if he ends up on the bottom of the depth chart due to that special teams play.

With Woodson at safety is Morgan Burnett, who doesn't look like he's making waves among the Packer faithful. Backing them up or rotating in on subpackages are Jerron McMillian who plays physically and veteran M.D. Jennings. Jennings is the current favorite to take the nickel safety snaps when Woodson rotates down to slot coverage, but is unimpressive. McMillian is still progressing, but the rookie could end up taking the job from Jennings later in the season. It's clear that this is a problem for them.

UDFA Sean Richardson looks quite good and may make the roster because of his size and speed, along with potentially good special teams play.

Overall, I expect the Packers to regress, but key players like Jordy Nelson and Clay Matthews to improve. While probably still the best team in the division, I don't expect them to be the world-beaters they once were, or even the best team in the NFL.

Their weaknesses seem to potentially include the thin offensive line, a young secondary and maybe some weakness with run defense—I never liked what I saw out of Pickett (or rather, I really enjoyed seeing him), but he may have been misused. We'll see.

Every team improves in every offseason, but let's just say the Packers may have improved less than most other teams.

Green Bay are a bit injury-riddled overall. Among the current injured:

RB James Stark (turf toe - several weeks) RB Brandon Saine (hamstring - about a week), RB Duane Bennett, FB Jon Hoese (hamstring - no timetable), CB Davon House (shoulder - several weeks), LB Desmond Bishop (hamstring - potentially season-ending), LB Frank Zombo (hamstring - on PUP for now), WR Shaky Smithson (ankle - unknown), OT Andrew Datko (shoulder - several weeks), OT Ray Dominguez (ankle - several weeks), OT Derek Sherrod (leg - several weeks/on PUP), TE Andrew Quarless (leg - several weeks), TE Eric Lair (knee - on IR), and DT Johnny Jones (knee - on PUP for now).

Just returning to practice alongside Finley were FB John Kuhn (ankle), WR Greg Jennings (concussion) and CB Sam Shields (elbow).

Seriously, these folks missed 21 players at practice once because of injuries.

This is a literal sentence I read: "With only 13 non-participants on Sunday, it was the healthiest practice the team conducted in weeks"

The Chicago Bears:

Offense

Best known for their return specialist Devin Hester, Chicago sports a somewhat complete roster.

At quarterback, they have the ever-underrated Jay Cutler, who passed for 2300 yards in 10 games despite one of the league's worst offensive lines and a depleted receiver corps.

An excellent scrambler—something that may have saved his life—he also throws well on the run and goes through reads quickly. If allowed time, he'll usually find his man. The Redskins game is good evidence of that.

Conversely, the primary backup, Jason Campbell has exhibited a tendency to hold the ball on too long, but has been accurate in preseason play, helped along with the size and skill of Alshon Jeffery. He takes a while to get through his reads, but is otherwise an OK quarterback.

The controversy here seems to be between the relatively terrible play of the third QB on the roster Josh McCown and the good play of the camp body, Matt Blanchard. In all honesty, neither of them are incredible, but Blanchard has impressed more with his reads and decisiveness in the pocket under pressure. It seems unlikely that Blanchard makes the roster, but McCown isn't sitting pretty.

The receivers have been upgraded in a significant way. It seems as if return maven Devin Hester will focus once more on returns and less on receiving like last season, but they are testing him in preseason games to see if he can once again cut it as a receiver. He has looked better than ever, which is to say pretty average.

Brandon Marshall's excellent play has continued in Chicago to no one's surprise and a 1200+ yard season seems well within reason.

Earl Bennet continues to showcase his excellent hands and is expected to be the slot receiver in 3-wide packages.

Alshon Jeffery has shown excellent play in the preseason and will see first team snaps very soon opposite Brandon Marshall, which means the two starting receivers are significantly different than last year, and should provide a new spark to the offense. Jeffery has displayed speed and good adjustment to the ball, but his body control stood out in the preseason.

The last receiver that is expected to make the roster is another special teams ace, Eric Weems. The idea is to create a return corps that is dangerous regardless of who is out. He can also perform excellently as a gunner, and accumulated 123 all-purpose yards against the Redskins, despite not playing at full strength due to injury. He returns with a different style than Hester (more head-on into the blocks, and with less elusiveness), and that change could give them an added dynamic.

It looks like Dane Sanzenbacher, journeyman/veteran Rashied Davis and undrafted free agent Chris Summers will need to show much more in the preseason to make the team. Summers seems to have a good chance of making the practice squad and has been surprising in his athleticism, ability to make plays and good control of his 6'5" frame. His fumble in the last game hurts him significantly. If the WR roster is expanded to six, Sanzenbacher seems to have the inside track, as he has had a pretty good camp.

At tight end, rookie Evan Rodriguez has been impressing as a receiver and apparently has some fairly abysmal blocking. He's been playing all over the line and in the backfield, like an H-Back, and can run routes from anywhere. He's currently practicing with the third team behind Matt Spaeth and Kellen Davis. Both of them are relatively well-rounded, but tend to be better at blocking. Chicago plans to involve tight ends in a more dynamic manner, as blockers and receivers.

Spaeth will likely be asked to block much more, while Davis provides more flexibility. If they keep a fourth tight end, it will be Kris Adams, but that seems unlikely at the moment. Kris Adams has been doing well in the preseason, but not nearly as well as Rodriguez.

The Bears are very good with their running back positions, and it seems as if power back Michael Bush is being used exactly how pundits predicted; as a goal-line and third-down back. Bush impressed fans with his agility as well, and demonstrated an ability to make people miss with good footwork. Forte remains shifty and will continue to be a pass-catching option off the backside of plays. It does not seem as if either Forte or Cutler have residual issues with their respective injuries.

If they keep three backs, it looks like it will be Tyler Clutts, who plays more as a fullback than anything else. The Bears have used him in short-yardage, too, so that remains an option. Harvey Unga is also a fullback, but seems to be losing the spot to superior blocking by Clutts.

As for a fourth back, which seems much more likely, Lorenzo Booker and Armando Allen offer change-of-pace options with quick and agile running styles, while Kahlil Bell also competing for the last spot as a relatively complete, if not entirely talented, back. The fourth spot will be determined as much by need as by talent. If they want a scat-back, it seems as if Booker is ahead in that competition.

The offensive line remains a mess, but the return of Gabe Carimi should help their right side more than most give the Bears credit for. At times, the line looked good in the preseason, although Chicago is still experimenting because they aren't sold (correctly) on their starters. Left tackle J'Marcus Webb has been under particular scrutiny. That backup Chris Williams hasn't outright beaten Webb for the spot speaks more to the poor depth at left tackle and less to Williams' ability. Against the Redskins, they both looked OK, but the Bears would like to see more.

Chris Spencer is playing a little out of position at left guard, but seems to be playing badly enough for backup Chilo Rachal to seriously challenge him for the position. For what it's worth, Rachal is looking better, but the final decision has not yet been made. Expect Week 3 to be a big determinant of this position as well.

Williams offers versatility on the line, so it seems that he would move around in case of injury, and J'Marcus would reprise his role at left tackle.

Roberto Garza seems set at center, and while I haven't heard much of him or seen tape, I'm not confident in him at all. It could be because he had poor help, but the Chicago line saw quite a bit of interior pressure. More worrisome, he may have been one of the worst run-blocking linemen I have seen.

As far as I can tell, Lance Louis is now taking snaps at right guard, the position he was at in 2010. Louis is just bad, and it seems as if no one is going to root him from that spot.

James Brown seems to be doing well for himself in grabbing the other backup spot, and is being developed as a left tackle. While not up to an NFL level yet, the Bears reportedly like his potential here.

Defense

As for the defense, Chicago is not in an extraordinarily different place.

At defensive end, Pro Bowler Julius Peppers will continue at right defensive end, but Israel Idonije might find himself kicking inside on a number of downs to undertackle while the preseason phenom Shea McLellin takes some spots at left defensive end. McLellin is getting good pressure inside, but we haven't seen his play against starting level linemen. Nevertheless, the indications are that he is going to shape up to be quite a good football player.

Based on preseason play, Israel Idonije is looking much better than before and could be the Brian Robison to Julius Peppers' Jared Allen.

The fact that Henry Melton has defensive end experience might mean trouble for players hoping to make the roster at DE, because his flexibility gives the Bears allowance to invest roster space elsewhere. Nevertheless, look for Corey Wootton to make the roster. He has been having a good camp and can generate a good pass rush on occasion, but is injured. Nevertheless, the Bears reportedly like what they see.

If given one more defensive end spot, as seems likely, Chauncey Davis is doing better than competitor Thaddeus Gibson, and both had been on the squad in 2011.

It seems as if Cheta Ozougwu may pick up a practice squad spot at defensive end. Depth is good.

At defensive tackle, the Bears really like Henry Melton at undertackle, although predictions of a double-digit sack season may be off. He had seven last year, and a very good amount of pressure, so it is certainly a possibility.

Strongman Stephen Paea is set to start at nose tackle, although his injury has allowed Matt Toeaina to shine. Still, unless Toeaina produces in a big way for the next two games, Paea is likely the starter.

Besides Toeaina, Brian Price looks good, and is enormous. He might be used in both tackle positions, but is really best suited at the nose. Other than that, Nate Collins had been disruptive in the Redskins game and could nail down the final DT on the roster. Chicago has good defensive tackle depth, and it is relatively versatile. Price seems to be a better run-stopper, and both were threats in the passing game (again, against backups).

At linebacker, the Bears are in an interesting place, with middle linebacker Brian Urlacher having gone into surgery to scope his knee in response to swelling that occurred during training camp. His knee is sore, and it looks like he'll be out of contention for a few weeks. Nick Roach is normally the replacement for Urlacher, and he slides from the Sam position to play Mike. While I don't know Roach's skillset at the middle, he's been a serviceable strongside 'backer with some coverage issues.

However, it seems as if Nick Roach moved back over to the strongside against the Redskins, and journeyman Blake Costanzo took middle linebacker snaps. Some Bears beat reporters are indicating that this means that Urlacher's return will be sooner rather than later, but it could be an indication that Geno Hayes is not a viable replacement at the Sam. I find the first hypothesis much more likely than the second, as Hayes has proved to be a backup-level outside linebacker (with serious questions in the run game), and Roach would likely perform much better than Costanzo, who has had extremely limited snaps throughout his career.

Moreover, Hayes (who generally plays on the weak side) has been looking alright in camp and in the preseason, which doesn't seem to be the case for Costanzo.

These rotations indicate that it is very likely that Hayes and Costanzo make the roster, with Hayes backing up both Roach and Pro Bowler Lance Briggs at the weak side.

Roach is definitively the weakest of the extremely strong linebacking corps, and he's a better than average outside linebacker. Briggs and Urlacher proved last season that they both still have serious wheels, although Urlacher's injury could cause some big problems near the beginning of the season.

If Costanzo's position were under threat, it would be by Dom DeCicco, although Costanzo is a better special teamer. As it is, DeCicco will likely make the roster and gives some depth to a linebacker corps that has one injury worry. It is still potentially one of the best linebacker groups in the league.

At cornerback Charles Tillman continues to retain the starting position, and he's pretty good. Not great, but a pretty solid corner that will make the occasional mistake. Lining up opposite him is a competition between Tim Jennings and Kelvin Hayden. It seems as if Jennings has this for the most part locked up, but Hayden is close on his heels.

Tim Jennings was an alright cornerback last year and should beat out Hayden easily. His inability to close down on the spot doesn't bode well for him or his skill, and his slight inconsistency could be a huge problem in the future. Hayden is not as good as advertised and has given up an unfortunate amount of catches, yardage and scoring plays over his career to reliably be called a good starter.

D.J. Moore will make the team, and is an average level back-up. He doesn't look much different than before, and that's fine. For the fifth corner, special teamer Johnathan Wilhite is presumed to be a lock, although rookies Greg McCoy and Isaiah Frey also look good on special teams and could be better in coverage than Wilhite.

Because Wilhite has not been impressive in camp or the preseason, McCoy or Frey could grab the 5th spot. Frey, the sixth-round pick looks better in play than McCoy, the seventh-rounder, and McCoy is expected to be a practice squad player. As it stands, their corner play is average.

More worrisome is their safety situation. Both Brandon Hardin and Chris Conte sustained injuries against the Redskins, with Hardin's injury looking a bit more serious. Conte's shoulder injury appears to have gone away, but concerns remain about Hardin's neck injury as he left on a stretcher. There is a possibility that Hardin starts the season on PUP, and the team won't know for another two weeks as tests continue to run.

Both play the free safety position, with Conte generally expected to start. Major Wright is on the opposite side of the field at the strong safety, although the distinctions are meaningless in the base coverage. Both Conte and Wright are below-average safeties and could be the biggest weakness on the defense. Neither of them are known for man coverage, either.

With Hardin potentially starting on PUP, depth might be a big issue for them. Craig Steltz was on the team last year, and is much better in run defense than as a zone defender. While he impressed in that capacity, the Bears are not looking for safeties who can stop the run as much as those who can manage the deep zones.

After that, it seems as if they've hit the bottom of the barrel. UDFA Trevor Coston has incredible closing speed, but is only 5'10" and doesn't have incredible strength. He might normally be a practice squad candidate, but injuries at free safety could push him onto the team.

Anthony Walters plays largely as a strong safety and never inspired a lot of confidence for the Bears. He played on special teams but never made a large impact.

So when discussing the weaknesses of the Bears, you can see that two jump out immediately. The primary weakness is their poor offensive line, something the Vikings well know how to take advantage of. Cutler can get rid of the ball quickly, so constant and consistent pressure is key to making sure Minnesota can take advantage of this weakness. If Minnesota had greater confidence at nose tackle, it could also make sure to dominate the Bears in the run—something their line is much better at—and therefore shut down the offense. As it is, they're not in a terrible spot and could do well to disrupt the Bears' passing game.

The second weakness is naturally at the safety position, and while this is traditionally exploited by deep routes, the Vikings are better set to use multiple tight end sets to encourage base personnel sets, then shift formations to create tight end or receiver matchups against the safeties, either in the seams or in man-to-man coverage. The connection between Kyle Rudolph and Christian Ponder is critical here. While the strength of the Bears' linebacking corps obviates this strategy somewhat, it is a good way to take advantage of their biggest problems.

The third weakness is their potentially vanilla offensive playcalling. While they'll have two big playmakers to match up against a secondary facing questions (even if you believe Chris Cook comes out ahead against Brandon Marshall), the tight ends are rarely going to be a threat in the passing game, which means accounting for two receivers and Matt Forte with relatively simple coverage could solve much of the passing problems, even if they do come out better in one-on-one matchups. Effective use of zone play that takes advantage of fewer potential receiving threats could make Jay Cutler's day much, much worse.

The Detroit Lions

Offense

The best quarterback-receiver duo in the NFL might be in the NFC North in the form of Matt Stafford to Calvin Johnson, Jr.

Both have looked good in the preseason, as is to be expected. Stafford has been firing bullets and making reads well. If he can stay healthy, be prepared for another season of gaudy numbers.

Behind him is Shaun Hill. He's a good backup and played at about that level.

Their third quarterback situation isn't as great. Kellen Moore looks awful and both the concerns about his height and arm strength seem to have materialized into real problems. The other quarterback, R.J. Archer, has not seen a snap of preseason play.

At receiver, the Lions are well-off. Nate Burleson looks like you'd expect and Titus Young has apparently improved. Second-round pick Ryan Broyles, who was recovering from an ACL surgery at the time of the draft, has impressed in a big way with his health and adroitness, and will assuredly make the roster.

Undrafted free agent Patrick Edwards was astounding people early on in camp, and may make the roster by virtue of that performance, but cannot seem to crack the special teams unit as a returner and has been seeing fewer reps with Broyles' return from injury. In the games themselves, he has been dull.

Maurice Stovall is a veteran receiver who has the capability of making plays, but will likely make the roster because of his excellent gunnery play. Because coverage on special teams is such an issue for the Lions, this is a priority need.

Riley Reiff is versatile, and has played at every position along the line. He has been impressing, but has not cracked the starting offensive line yet. Don't be surprised if he makes an appearance at right tackle with the starters. Apparently he has been doing that on occasion already.

Instead, Gosder Cherilus has the right tackle spot. The Lions value continuity on the line, and there don't seem to be many complaints about Cherilus on the line. Jeff Backus, Rob Sims, and the sometimes underperforming right guard Stephen Peterman have looked good so far, and the Lions have to feel comfortable where they are at.

Center Dominic Raiola is perhaps the weakest spot on the team, and is—along with Backus—the most experienced. There don't seem to be huge complaints about his play, but I don't think he's going to impress as the season moves forward, particularly in the running game.

Some say the Lions have the best offensive line in the NFC North, and if that's true, it is in some part because of their depth. Aside from rising lineman Reiff, many are satisfied with Corey Hilliard and Jason Fox, who can also play anywhere on the line.

Dan Gerberry and Dylan Gandy have also done well, but don't seem to be on the inside track to make the roster. If one of them does, it should be Gerberry, who has done a surprisingly good job in camp.

Running back Mikel Leshoure is suspended two games for two marijuana arrests, so they will need Kevin Smith to pick up the slack while Leshoure and injured Jahvid Best (concussion) are out. Best is expected to be out for his first six games on the PUP list, leaving what was once a relatively deep backfield fairly exposed. On that note, the Lions are entertaining options for a 4th and 5th running back. Rookies Stephfon Green and Joique Bell have been impressing in that regard.

They don't have that locked up, and it seems more likely that Keiland Williams, who took some first team reps in practices, takes one of these slots.

More interesting is that Stefan Logan, officially listed as a wide receiver, is actually in contention for a running back spot as well. Given his value as a return specialist and his flexibility for their offense, he is also a likely threat to take the 5th running back position.

Lucky for him, his ankle MRI came back negative after a scare during the preseason game against the Ravens.

Finally, the Lions are set at tight end. This isn't a position with elite talent, but expect Brandon Pettigrew to take advantage of the looks that Calvin Johnson will get. Tony Scheffler isn't a slacker either, and the Lions would not be making a poor decision putting both on the field. Behind both of them is solid backup Will Heller, and the three of them should keep any other tight ends out of the roster.

Defense

On defense, the Lions are doing significantly poorer.

At cornerback the Lions are thin. After releasing Aaron Berry for two arrests, they are choosing between rookie Bill Bentley—who has had some playmaking ability but is very clearly still raw—and free agent Jacob Lacey to replace Berry's position at right cornerback.

Sixth-round pick Jonte Green is likely to make the roster not because he's any good—he looks like you would expect a sixth-round pick to look: raw and undeveloped.

Chris Greenwood, whose measureables were through the roof (6'1", 4.38 40-yard dash, 43-inch vertical leap), has been injured throughout all of camp. He was picked in the fifth round of the draft, and it seems that he'll make the roster on the PUP list. Alphonso Smith will likely make the roster by virtue of their poor depth, and is still lost in coverage.

CB Drew Coleman was placed on injured reserve, and will collect checks from the training room.

Chris Houston is their top corner. He looks like he did last year, which is slightly better than average at cornerback.

While we evaluate the Green Bay cuts at wide receiver for depth, expect the Lions to take a peek at our suddenly interesting cornerback roster.

At safety, Detroit has some similar problems, but looks better. Their best safety, Louis Delmas is coming off of a knee surgery and won't be back in time to start the season. In his place, John Wendling has been surprisingly good given his inauspicious career. At the other end, Amari Spievey's headaches have allowed Eric Coleman to shine, who has improved from last year, especially in coverage.

That said, both of those safeties are much better against the run than the pass and they'll need Delmas to come back (and at full strength) before they have good zone safeties. Spievey is at risk of losing his starting position to Coleman, but in either case it's a weak spot. Spievey has always been fairly bad at safety and Coleman is too old (30) to be anything more than functional at this point in his career.

Given depth problems at both safety and cornerback, expect functional backup defensive back Don Carey to also potentially make the roster as either a safety or corner. He's OK, but obviously not better than the other starting before him.

The Lions are happy with their front seven, however.

Detroit is happy with Justin Durant with good reason, and there's no indication he's dropped off in play. DeAndre Levy is also guaranteed a starting spot, although I'm not as confident in his ability. Stephen Tulloch is one of the best 4-3 middle linebackers in the game right now, and he'll stay that way for 2012.

Overall that linebacking corps is weaker in coverage than against the run, but the difference is relatively negligible, especially because offenses would rather pick on the secondary for better gains anyway.

Fifth-round pick Tahir Whitehead hasn't made many notable mistakes in games and has looked consistent in practices, and it looks like he'll make the squad.

Carmen Messina, and undrafted free agent, has forced his way into the conversation with excellent preseason play, and will make the team if he continues to play at a high level. He's hurt by the great depth the Lions have at linebacker, and would make the practice squad otherwise.

From what I hear, seventh-round pick Travis Lewis has not been impressive in camp or in preseason play, but the word is that he'll make the roster because of his propensity to not make mistakes. Ashlee Palmer has been with the Lions for a year and is a serviceable backup. As such, he is expected to make the roster as well.

Doug Hogue is considered a project, but was a good special teams player his rookie year. He's an instinctive player with a decent physical build that displayed most of the skills scouts want in college, but is clearly inexperienced. His tantalizing potential might allow him a spot on the team. If not, he will surely make the practice squad.

The biggest strength of the Lions is with their vaunted defensive line. Had Cliff Avril or Kyle Vanden Bosch continued their holdout, Detroit would not have been in the dark. While I am of the opinion that Vanden Bosch is vastly overrated because of his extraordinarily poor run play and (currently) marginal pass-rush skills, Avril and first backup Lawrence Jackson are both very good ends. Willie Young is also a surprisingly good end and has shown a lot of excellent play in practices and the preseason. Expect Vanden Bosch and Avril to start, but for Detroit to feature heavy rotation here.

They like Ronnell Lewis and Everette Brown here, but there's a good chance that one of them gets cut. Lewis is a convert from linebacker, but seems to be doing fine as a defensive end, and has adapted well. Everette Brown, who has bounced around the league looked very good against the Browns, but much worse against the Ravens. Given Lewis' youth, potential and relative consistency, expect Lewis to make the roster.

Defensive tackle is also a deep position. First-round pick Nick Fairley still isn't starting, but that shouldn't be an enormous problem—Corey Williams looks good, even if I think Fairley looks more complete. He took fewer snaps last year in part due to injury, but is better against the run than either Williams or Suh and a much better pass-rusher and penetrator than Williams.

If the issue is injury or his motor, then the starter tag makes a lot of sense for Williams. Obviously the preseason and training camps don't reveal much about this, so the front office might simply be making a decision that can't easily be determined from on-field play, which is fair.

Nevertheless, the three of them offer a strong pass rush and some decent run coverage, although Suh has been criticized for all of his career as a poor run-defender. From what little I've seen, that hasn't really gone away, but what I've seen isn't very much. His run-defending is less important as he serves a Kevin Williams-type role, but overpursuit and wham blocks still take him out of the play more than they should.

Joining them should be Sammie Lee Hill, who saw some time in rotation with the Lions over last season. Definitely backup quality who doesn't look like he'll get better, Hill offers solid relief in defensive line rotation.

The question at defensive tackle revolves around Andre Fluellen, who seems to be a perennial back-up at this point in his career. Clearly worse than Hill, but not bad, Fluellen may be a victim of the numbers game more than not fit for the NFL. If Fairley's suspension occurs before the season starts, Fluellen will definitely get a shot, but without that suspension, he may be on the outside looking in. Still, his reliable depth may be good enough to secure him a spot.

The weakness for the Lions obviously involves a secondary that has lost players due to injury and legal trouble (sound familiar?). They haven't settled their questions at safety and are relying more on potential than proven talent. Beyond that, they carry two more potential weak spots in their historically poor special teams play (and therefore poor field positioning on both side of the ball) as well as weakside running. Their starting DEs are not great against the run, so targeting lead blockers or counters towards Levy looks like a good strategy, even with a solid MLB in the backfield.

There you go. A rundown on the strengths and weaknesses of our divisional rivals, who together help provide the NFC North with the informal title of "toughest division in the NFL."

Green Bay Packers Training Camp: Practice Notes 8/20

Evan "Tex" Western — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 20:01:28 -0000

Look out, everybody, you get a double dose of practice notes today! Now that the offense has most of its main pieces back on the field and healthy, we can finally start to see things come together. Since the first team will play the whole first half on Thursday against the Bengals, the backups will probably be getting some substantial work as a scout team. Here are your notes from Monday's late morning/early afternoon practice.

Andrew Datko sat out practice after leaving early on Sunday. That was the only new injury beyond the usual suspects who have been out: James Starks, Brandon Saine, Duane Bennett, Jon Hoese, Davon House, Desmond Bishop, Shaky Smithson, Derek Sherrod, Andrew Quarless, Frank Zombo, Johnny Jones, and Ray Dominguez (WH).
Notice a name missing from that list? Yes, that's Diondre Borel, who was back practicing again on Monday (RD).
Ryan Taylor gave an early highlight in practice, when he knocked the blocking sled completely over on its side (TS).
Sam Shields had a few nice plays in coverage on Monday. He broke up a pass from Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings in the end zone (PD), then had another breakup while covering Tori Gurley on a deep route (TD).
Special teams notes! Dezman Moses took reps with both punt and kickoff coverage teams, while Tori Gurley spent time blocking on the kickoff return team (RD).
The only serious injury noted from practice was to Jerel Worthy, who appeared to get kicked in the groin (RD). He got up and rejoined practice a few minutes later. I'm fairly certain anyone can appreciate him wanting to sit a few plays out after that.
Gurley should have made a catch on a deep ball from Graham Harrell, but let the much smaller Casey Hayward wrestle the ball away from him for an interception (TD).
Rob Francois showed good coverage skills today, dropping back into zone and intercepting a pass from B.J. Coleman (TD, TS). He should be getting snaps in passing downs ahead of A.J. Hawk, in my opinion.
The secondary saw many different personnel groupings, with Anthony Levine and Sam Shields getting time in the number one dime defense (PD), Jerron McMillian playing with the ones in 7 on 7 drills (TD), and Jarrett Bush getting starter's reps at right cornerback (JW). Tramon Williams even took a few snaps at RCB after spending almost all of training camp on the left side (WH).

And there you go, all the news that's fit to print from Monday's early practice. The team will be back in shells on Tuesday before making the trip to Cincinnati for Thursday's game.

As always, my thanks to these tireless guys who have to suffer through football:

RD: Rob Demovsky
MV: Mike Vandermause
JW: Jason Wilde
TS: Tom Silverstein
WH: Wes Hodkiewicz
TD: Tyler Dunne
PD: Pete Dougherty
BC: Brian Carriveau
Pack: Packers.com

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Packers Bubble Watch: Wide Receivers Not Encouraging Vs. Chargers

Kevin McCauley — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 19:37:00 -0000

Wide receiver looked like the deepest position heading into Green Bay Packers training camp, but the depth beyond the No. 5 receiver isn't looking terribly encouraging after the team's first preseason game. Some experts believed before the start of camp that the team would keep seven wide receivers, but if Thursday's game is any indication, a cut down to six receivers won't be as painful as we once thought.

Diondre Borel was not bad on Thursday, but he certainly didn't look like the player that Aaron Rodgers and the coaching staff had been hyping up throughout the summer. In addition to his fumble on a kick return, he was unspectacular in the passing game, catching three balls for just 13 yards while playing extensive snaps against second and third team defenses.

The more fringe guys didn't exaclty help themselves either. Curenski Gilleylen had a big drop and had just one catch for 17 yards. Jarrett Boykin wasn't impressive either, and Shaky Smithson didn't make any impact in the passing game, in addition to his muffed punt.

Going into the game, Tori Gurley's injury was a fairly big storyline. With all of the competition for playing time and roster spots at the position, Gurley's injury looked like a huge setback, and everyone assumed that missing a preseason game would seriously hinder him in his attempt to make the roster. Instead, his stock increased by not playing at all. It's tough to imagine that Gurley would not have performed better than the second and third stringers who took the field on Thursday.

How many wide receivers do you think make the roster? Gurley and Borel are going to have to put in big performances over the next two games to convince their bosses that the Packers should keep more than five wideouts.