The talented tight end for the Green Bay Packers, Jermichael Finley, has seemed to be on the cusp of a breakout season for a few years now. In 2010, he started strong with 301 receiving yards in four games, but he suffered a gruesome injury that put him on injured reserve. Once healthy in 2011, he struggled catching the ball and never topped 90 receiving yards in a game.

On Wednesday, after the end of OTAs, Finley spoke to Jason Wilde of ESPN Milwaukee about his struggles in 2011 and whether his contract situation affected him:

I’m not blaming it on my offseason, but me and the QB didn’t have chemistry. The routes were off sometimes, and that’ll mess with your head when the ball comes. The contract didn’t bother me at all. Not one bit. Not one bit.

However, he went on to say this about improving that chemistry for the upcoming season:

If you go over the years I’ve done well, we had an offseason program, we had minicamps, we had training camps. So, we had three processes that we were going through for us to get the chemistry. This year, I feel it and it’s going to be a good one. I guarantee it.

Finley obviously sees the offseason programs as a priority to get on the same page with Aaron Rodgers, and feels that the lockout prevented him from being at his best with the Packers quarterback. Whether it's due to chemistry or something else, I feel that a lack of consistency was Finley's issue last season. Sure, he is talented and can be a game-planning challenge for opposing defensive coordinators, but his numbers don't exactly leap off the board when looking through the stat sheet. We'll take a look after the jump.

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As OTAs progress, Graham Harrell is becoming more and more comfortable in the backup role behind Aaron Rodgers. Likewise, Mike McCarthy is becoming more and more confident in his third-year quarterback. Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette quotes the coach:

I’ll say this about Graham: I’ve always been impressed with the progress he’s made with every opportunity he’s been given. This is clearly the best opportunity of his professional career, from my view of what’s gone on since he left Texas Tech. He’s getting better. It’s right there for him as far as being the No. 2.

That certainly sounds to me like a coach who's pleased with his player's progress. Jersey Al, however, looks at it in a different light, saying that when a team with a star quarterback loses its leader, it's pretty much in trouble no matter how good the backup is. He's also got some interesting stats to examine involving recent Packers backups' performances.

In any case, nobody wants to see Harrell get much playing time during the regular season. But as far as backups go, if they're playing multiple games, it probably won't make much of a difference who would come in to replace an injured Rodgers.

As the calendar turns over to June tomorrow and OTAs are in full swing, teams are beginning to align their depth charts, especially at the skill positions. Since we know who most of the starting quarterbacks and running backs will be across the NFL, Yahoo Sports has compiled their four fantasy football writers' pre-season rankings to come up with an overall look at the draft board for this fall. The rankings for the top Packers are below.

QB Aaron Rodgers - 6th overall, #1 quarterback

WR Greg Jennings - 22nd overall, #4 wide receiver

WR Jordy Nelson - 33rd overall, #13 wide receiver

TE Jermichael Finley - 58th overall, #5 tight end

RB James Starks - 99th overall, #37 running back

WR James Jones - 157th overall, #63 wide receiver

RB Alex Green - 164th overall, #55 running back

Packers' defense - 173rd overall, #5 defense

WR Randall Cobb - 222nd overall, #78 wide receiver

K Mason Crosby - 223rd overall, #3 kicker

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The Green Bay Packers are back up to the 90-player roster maximum today, as they announced the signing of tight end Brandon Bostick. Bostick played wide receiver at Division II Newberry College in South Carolina, and was a member of the basketball team as well.

Bostick measures in at 6 feet, 3 inches and 245 pounds and is a good athlete, consistently running his 40-yard dash between 4.54 and 4.59 seconds. He took part in the Packers' rookie camp in early May but did not earn a contract right away. Bostick was also voted second-team All-Conference in his senior year.

This signing brings the total number of tight ends on the roster back up to seven, as he joins a squad that already consists of Jermichael Finley, Tom Crabtree, Andrew Quarless, D.J. Williams, Ryan Taylor, and Eric Lair. Bostick is probably a long-term project, having moved from wideout, but the combination of athleticism and basketball skills has worked for other tight ends recently.

After watching the Packers' defense struggle to find a pass rush and develop depth last season, General Manager Ted Thompson made several moves in the off-season to address the defensive front. Ted added potential impact players to contribute immediately as well as several role players to improve the depth. These role players should push each other for roster spots, with only the top few making the team for 2011.

First up are the prospective starters:

DE/DT Ryan Pickett, 6'2", 340 lbs

Acquired 2006 (free agent)

Pickett is the old goat of the line, but has provided a steadying presence for years. He's capable of playing nose tackle or three-technique end, and likely will play the latter in the upcoming season. He's not flashy and doesn't rack up a lot of sacks, but he's consistent, holds his position against the run, and occupies blockers.

NT B.J. Raji, 6'2", 337 lbs

Acquired 2009 (first-round draft pick)

Raji is the force in the middle. He has a rare pass-rushing ability from the nose tackle position, and holds up well against the run. His struggles have come mainly when he is forced to play too many snaps, which was one reason for his decline in the second half of the 2011 season. Having more bodies to rotate in and out of the lineup will keep his snap count down, allowing him to be more effective.

DE Jerel Worthy, 6'2", 308 lbs

Acquired 2012 (second-round draft pick)

Worthy may be the starter in week one by default. The rest of the players on the roster will fight for playing time, but none has the pure ability of Worthy, who will likely play the five-technique spot. He's quick off the snap and physical, but needs to answer questions about his motor by giving 100% of his effort on every play.

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With the departure of former Director of Football Operations Reggie McKenzie, who took the open General Manager job with the Oakland Raiders, the Green Bay Packers' personnel department was in a bit of flux. McKenzie's predecessor, John Schneider, left the same position two years earlier for the Seattle Seahawks' GM position. Losing two high-ranking personnel directors in of two years hurts (McKenzie also served as Director of Player Personnel before Schneider left), but Ted Thompson followed a similar tactic to the way he approaches the team's active roster: he elevated people currently in the organization to fill the vacant roles.

Yesterday, the Packers announced that John Dorsey was promoted to Director of Football Operations from his prior position as director of college scouting. Dorsey has been in the Packers' organization almost continuously since 1991, only spending one year away from Green Bay when he worked for Mike Holmgren in Seattle in 1999. As noted in the press release, Dorsey turned down an opportunity earlier this year to interview for the Indianapolis Colts' open General Manager job formerly occupied by Bill Polian. Brian Gutekunst was promoted to director of college scouting to take Dorsey's old position.

Also announced yesterday was Eliot Wolf's promotion to Director of Pro Personnel. The son of former Packers' GM Ron Wolf, Eliot moves up from his position as Assistant Director of Player Personnel and has spent the past nine years in the organization in various roles.

Several other promotions were made in the scouting areas of the personnel department, and three new scouts were also hired. All in all, this maintains continuity in the team's front office and ensures that all the members of the personnel department are on the same page and buying in to Ted Thompson's vision for the team. As far as I'm concerned, if you keep having your officials poached by other teams, that means you're doing something right. I just hope Ted and Mark Murphy can keep Dorsey and Wolf around for a while longer.

This week, the NFL owners voted to approve a few changes to the league's rules. Joel Thorman of SBNation covered the rule changes in depth here, but I'll try to address what these changes mean to the Green Bay Packers organization.

1: Knee and thigh pads are mandatory starting in 2013

Aside from Charles Woodson now wearing padding on his legs, I don't see this change holding much significance for the team. It may help prevent some deep thigh or knee bruises, but serious knee or leg injuries do not appear likely to be reduced by this. Let's move on.

2: Trade deadline moved from Week 6 to Week 8

When was the last time Ted Thompson traded a player during the season? The last player I can think of is running back Ryan Grant, who was acquired from the New York Giants around the end of the preseason in 2007. There's little activity at the trade deadline in the NFL in general, and I imagine that this will help increase that activity only slightly. If they really want to increase activity at the deadline, move it back another few weeks as Joel suggested. Either way, I don't see it having much of an impact on the Packers, especially when you consider Thompson's preferred method of acquiring players.

3: One player may be placed on temporary Injured Reserve, meaning he will be eligible to begin practicing 6 weeks later and play in games 8 weeks later

This is the change that will affect the Packers the most. In 2010, the team ended with several starters on Injured Reserve, in part because there were too many injuries and they needed to backfill those roster spots with healthy bodies. A few players, most notably Ryan Grant, may have been healthy enough to play towards the end of the season, but due to the Injured Reserve rules, were ineligible for the entire season. This exemption would have let the team put Grant on temporary IR, where he could have been eligible to play in week 9 or 10.

One question I have is whether a player on temporary IR can be shifted to full IR and therefore ruled ineligible for the remainder of the season; in that case, would the team be allowed to put a more recently-injured player on temporary IR in his place? Or is it even more flexible, in that one player may be reactivated six weeks from when he was put on IR, and he does not need to be designated on "temporary" IR at the time of his injury?

I'm sure more details about this change will be clarified as the rule is explained, but it regardless appears to offer teams more flexibility with their rosters and may ease the pain of placing a key player on injured reserve when their injury might allow them back on the field later in the season.

I made a big deal about Nick Perry playing the left outside linebacker position in rookie minicamp, and we discussed it briefly yesterday when Perry stayed there at the beginning of OTAs with Clay Matthews moving to the right side. That move certainly indicates that Matthews will be freed up to use more of his playmaking abilities from the right side, instead of strictly rushing the passer on the left side like he did in 2011. But it's entirely possible that we're making too big a deal of these positional labels.

Here's Matthews, as quoted by Jason Wilde:

The misnomer about the position is that we’re stuck to one side. On paper, it’s going to say "left outside linebacker" or "right outside linebacker." Really, those positions are interchangeable, so the faster we can get (Perry) up to speed, the faster we can have some fun moving him around, flying around and making some plays together.

In light of Matthews' comments, it appears that we may be reading too much into the position switch and ignoring the fact that Perry is a talented player. I am guilty of making the assumption that the right and left outside linebackers play significantly different roles in the defense and that switching a player from one side to the other will require him to use different skills in that new role. Matthews' comments indicate that I have been thinking there are more differences between positions than what actually exist.

One thing is certain: the Packers (and Matthews) expect Perry and company to help ease the pass-rushing burden on Matthews, whose versatility can now be maximized by playing various positions:

Whenever we can take advantage of that by playing on the right side, left side, in the middle — wherever you want me to play — I think we’re all about that.

It sure sounds to me like he's excited to work hard in taking on a new challenge and use the opportunity to make an impact all over the field. And let's face it - that desire to change games in any way is exactly what you should want from one of your biggest stars. Could this be the start of Dom Capers molding Matthews into a jack-of-all-trades? Perhaps he will grow into the front seven's version of Charles Woodson over time. I, for one, look forward to seeing what Clay can do when the Packers' opponents can't assume he's lining up in the same place on every play.

The Packers have released a quarterback today, all but assuring that there will be only three players at that position on the team moving forward. They also signed a veteran defensive end.

Jason Wilde @jasonjwilde

The ‪#Packers‬ make a couple of personnel moves: They sign Miami DE Phillip Merling, release TE Cameron Ford and QB Nick Hill.

10:55 AM - 23 May 12

This effectively clears the way for B.J. Coleman to earn the third quarterback position and potentially compete with Graham Harrell for the primary backup spot. Hill was praised by the team, but they apparently did not feel he had the knowledge and experience to compete with Harrell or the physical tools to compete with Coleman.

Ford was an undrafted rookie tight end from Wake Forest and was signed on May 3rd. With the number of tight ends on the roster, he was a long shot to make the team out of camp.

Phillip Merling was a former second-round pick in 2008 and was a reserve defensive end for the Miami Dolphins over the past four years. He suffered an injury to his Achilles tendon in 2010, and played only 15 games over the past two years. He did play in all 16 games in each of the 2008 and 2009 seasons, however, recording 3.5 sacks. Here's a fun fact about Merling: his only career interception came in 2008 against Brett Favre, then a member of the New York Jets; Merling returned it for a touchdown.

By now, you've probably heard rumblings about Green Bay Packers President Mark Murphy and the rumors that he is being linked to the open athletic director position at Stanford University. At first, I was legitimately concerned. Stanford is a highly prestigious university, has excellent athletic programs and a great deal of money available to spend, and could indeed prove to be an attractive opportunity for Murphy, who has already helped guide the Packers to a Super Bowl title.

Fellow Packers fans, let's all take a deep breath. A source within the Packers organization has refuted any impending move by Murphy. Director of Public Relations Aaron Popkey emailed with Jason Wilde today, who reported Popkey's response earlier today:

Mark’s at an NFL meeting and not available today. With regard to the speculation, it’s simply just that. There’s no basis to it.

Yes, Stanford's job would be a step up from the athletic director position at Northwestern University, which was Murphy's job before taking his current position in Green Bay in 2007. Yes, Murphy reportedly applied for the Stanford job in 2006. However, he's currently in charge of one of the most prestigious professional teams in all of sports and has an astronomical approval rating among Packers fans - you know, the people who actually own the team. Even if the Cardinal exert all their resources in an effort to lure Murphy, it appears that he will remain the big cheese in Northeastern Wisconsin.

Graham Harrell, B.J. Coleman, and Nick Hill: one of these three players will be the backup quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers this season. Harrell has the most experience, but Coleman and Hill are talented developmental projects. Will either one perform well enough to unseat Harrell as the #2?

The short answer is no.

Yes, Coleman is highly regarded for his arm strength. However, his mechanics need some serious work, and he will need to make a big transition from FCS (formerly D1-AA) football to the complex pro offense that McCarthy runs. Sure, Hill looked good in the Arena league. He has to deal with some questions about his arm strength though; like Coleman, he also has a lot of work to do before he'll be ready to run an NFL offense. Neither player will be more ready to step into the offense at any point this season than Harrell.

A popular comparison is being made between Coleman and Matt Flynn, who was drafted in the seventh round in 2008 and immediately won the Packers' backup job from Brian Brohm as a rookie. This extends to Harrell, who is seen as Brohm's present-day counterpart. However, Flynn's and Coleman's draft position is the only major similarity between these two situations. I'll explain why this comparison makes little sense after the jump.

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If this weekend's rookie mini-camp is any indication, Dom Capers and the Packers coaching staff appear poised to move Clay Matthews III back to the right side, his primary position in his rookie year of 2009. This is because the Packers' first round pick Nick Perry took all of his reps on the left side over the weekend, as noted by Paul Imig of Fox Sports Wisconsin.

On Perry's position on the left side, coach Mike McCarthy commented "It's a starting point." Perry's reaction was equally as ambiguous:

They gave me a spot to play, and that's where I'm going to play it. Hopefully all goes well. I may play the left side.

Perry's pass-rushing abilities are not in question when deciding where to play him, as his 22 collegiate sacks indicate. What will be more difficult for Perry is adjusting to playing coverage from the linebacker position. The physical tools are present, as Perry ran a 4.58-second 40-yard dash and showed a 38.5-inch vertical jump, but learning the techniques will be key. About learning coverages, Dom Capers said, "We'll ask him to do more of that than he's done. But that isn't uncommon."

Since the left outside linebacker in the Packers' 3-4 defense focuses more on rushing the passer, putting Perry on the left side would free up Matthews to roam the right side and play in coverage more frequently. That will immediately provide an upgrade from the rotation of Erik Walden, Frank Zombo, and Brad Jones in coverage alone, in addition to the obvious benefit of taking pressure off Matthews in the pass rush. Given the two players' skill sets, it seems logical to move Matthews back to the right side.

Derek Sherrod and Alex Green both suffered season-ending leg injuries in 2011 which endangered their 2012 seasons as well. Sherrod's broken leg against the Kansas City Chiefs and Green's torn ACL against the Vikings brought their seasons to a close, and as the off-season progresses, both are continuing with their rehabilitation.

Head coach Mike McCarthy provided some words of optimism for both players' contributions in 2012 at his press conference after the rookie mini-camps.

Alex looks great. I think it’s definitely going to be one of those situations that we’re going to be cautious with him. And Derek Sherrod is really progressing, so I’m hopeful that both Alex and Derek will be ready by training camp.

That echoes McCarthy's comments in March, but regardless it's very encouraging to hear that two important depth players are progressing properly in their rehabs and may get the benefit of a full training camp.

Andrew Quarless, who had knee surgery at the end of last season is still a question mark, as McCarthy indicated:

Andrew, I talked to him the other day and he’s champing at the bit...he’s a little ahead of schedule. He’s going to be challenged for training camp.

There really aren't any major revelations here, which isn't a surprise given that Packers officials tend to be pretty tight-lipped about the organization. The important thing to take away is that Green and Sherrod are healing on schedule and should have no issues being productive in 2012.

Aaron Wilson is an NFL writer for FOX Sports and Scout.com, and he has sources. I choose to think that these sources are shadowy figures who pass along information while wearing fedoras and trench coats and keeping their identities secret. I may be way off base. In any case, one of these sources gave Wilson the details on the contract signed between the Green Bay Packers and their newest defensive end Jerel Worthy:

Packers second-round DT Jerel Worthy's four-year deal is worth $3.948 million and includes a signing bonus of $1.311 million, per a source

— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) May 15, 2012

As you know by now, the rookie deals are pretty much set in stone based on the player's position and draft slot. All drafted players will receive four-year guaranteed contracts, but now we know what the going rate is for a defensive end taken in the middle of the second round. Using Worthy's deal and Seahawks' DE Bruce Irvin's $9.34 million contract (with a $5 million bonus) as benchmarks, my guess is that the contract for the Packers' first round pick, OLB Nick Perry, will be worth something in the neighborhood of $7 million with a bonus around $3 million.

UPDATE: Thanks to BirdDogUni and Rotoworld.com, Nick Perry's contract details are already available. His deal is apparently worth $7.5 million, with $6.4 million guaranteed and a $4 million signing bonus. Also from Rotoworld: Casey Hayward's deal earns him $3.31 million ($1.4 million guaranteed, $847,000 signing bonus).

There's no question that the Green Bay Packers need several able bodies to rotate on the defensive line in order to keep all the players on that unit effective. When two of them, Mike Neal and Anthony Hargrove, are facing suspensions for the start of the year, that makes preparations for the defense much more difficult and complicated.

Mike McCarthy briefly touched on these issues in his press conference over the weekend, as Jason Wilde reports. He didn't say much, but what he did say goes a long way:

The priority will be to be ready for the opening of our season with our 53 players.

McCarthy seems to be far more concerned about fielding his full team in week one against San Francisco rather than worrying about two players who may be eligible in the middle of the season. I tend to think that you can't make a season great by having a great September, but you can make it a disappointment. McCarthy seems to agree, and while it's unlikely that Green Bay will start 0-4 regardless of the defensive line depth, continuity on the line from day one is certainly an imperative.

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The Green Bay Packers addressed their struggling defense by drafting a variety of talented players in the 2012 NFL Draft last month, but finding the new players' ideal positions and molding them to fit their responsibilities will be the next challenge facing Dom Capers and his position coaches. The players themselves appear to be up to the challenge of learning new schemes, and in some cases, new positions.

Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel interviewed several of the young defenders when they arrived in Green Bay for rookie mini-camp earlier this week. First up was first-round choice Nick Perry, who talked about his pass-rushing abilities:

I have the raw skills and the mind to do it. I think I have a lot to bring to the table. There's a lot of potential that needs to be taken out of me. I'm going to Green Bay, to a great tradition that's going to help me improve my game and become a better player for years to come.

Perry certainly is confident in his ability to get to the quarterback, but he also sounds like a young man who's eager to learn and to put in the work necessary to become an impact player at the outside linebacker position. As Dunne notes, Perry showed some hesitation about moving from defensive end before the draft, but now that he's a Packer, it appears that he's ready to put in the work to change positions.

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I think it's fair to say that we've been pretty optimistic about the Packers' offensive line this off-season. Jeff Saturday was signed to replace the departed Scott Wells, and Marshall Newhouse looks to improve on his 2011 season when he takes over for Chad Clifton at left tackle. However, I don't know that any of us feel that Green Bay will field the best offensive line in the NFL this season.

Evan Silva does.

The columnist for Rotoworld (featured on NBC Sports) is projecting the Packers' line to be the best in football this season. He used a combination of subjective judgments from watching each team and player and more objective measures featured in Football Outsiders and Pro Football Focus to project each team's line for the upcoming season. In doing so, he likes the Packers' talent, depth, and scheme better than those qualities in any other team.

Silva expects a big jump from Newhouse:

Newhouse made 13 starts last season, and natural improvement is expected from a second-year starter who's yet to turn 24. Lang has developed into a rock-solid left guard, while Sitton and Bulaga form an All Pro-caliber right side. Saturday is 37 now, but centers tend to age well and he has. He's also an ideal scheme fit for Green Bay's zone-blocking system.

The Packers don't lack depth, either. (Derek) Sherrod was a 2011 first-round pick. (Evan) Dietrich-Smith is versatile and benefited from three spot starts last season. (Chris) Campbell is an athletic swing man. Rookie (Andrew) Datko may have been a top-32 pick if not for injuries.

Another comment that jumps out at me is how highly he views the rookie Datko. I made a case for drafting him a few weeks ago, identifying his upper-body injuries as a reason he could fall to the late rounds. Silva's assessment of him as a first-round talent is very encouraging for the depth on the line if injuries should strike again. I think it is also fair to say that the signing of Saturday was a big factor in this ranking.

Rounding out Silva's top five lines are the Patriots, Bengals, Chiefs, and Panthers. Meanwhile, the Bears' line ranks 29th in his analysis, ahead of only the Cardinals, Colts, and Rams. The Detroit Lions came in 18th due to age and injury concerns, while the Minnesota Vikings ranked 23rd because of poor pass protection.

Kevin linked to this in today's Cheese Curds, but this story deserves a little more analysis. As the team's rookie mini-camp approaches, the Green Bay Packers have agreed to terms with fourth-round draft pick Jerron McMillian, according to Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. The contract has not been signed yet, according to McMillian's agent, but it is just a formality.

The Chicago Bears made the first signing last week, inking second round wideout Alshon Jeffery. First round picks have started finalizing their deals as well over the past few days, as Seattle signed Bruce Irvin and San Diego wrapped up their deal with Melvin Ingram.

Demovsky's source indicates that due to the new rookie wage scale, "These contracts are no-brainers now", and that there's very little reason to drag out negotiations on rookie contracts. The source goes on to say that he expects all of Green Bay's eight draft picks to sign their contracts before the mini-camp opens on Friday. Demovsky also notes that all draft picks will receive four-year contracts, while first-round picks also have a team option for the fifth year.

What's the next-best thing to watching the Packers play on Sunday? Having awesome Packers on your fantasy football team! That way, when the Packers win and kick butt, you do too! Yahoo Sports released the rankings of their top five fantasy football players at each position on Monday, and to nobody's surprise, the Packers' offense was prominently featured.

#1 quarterback: Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers is listed ahead of Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, and Matthew Stafford. Rodgers is the most complete player at the quarterback position. His scrambling ability gives him the rushing stats that push him above Brady and Brees into the top spot. With a bigger dropoff between the top QB's and the middle tier than in recent years, I would be comfortable drafting Rodgers in the middle of the first round.

#5 wide receiver: Jordy Nelson

From Yahoo:

Nelson ranked second in touchdowns last season at the wide receiver position (15) and while he could take a step back, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense are just too powerful to overlook.

Last year it was Greg Jennings who was the most attractive Packer receiver on draft day. Now Nelson's big-play ability has vaulted him to a top-5 ranking. I'm not entirely sure that I'd have him in my top 5, but there's no way he'd fall out of my top 10. I see Jordy being a good value in the late third or the fourth round.

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Though the full NFL schedule was announced a few weeks ago, I didn't really get a chance to analyze it closely until this weekend. What struck me is that the Green Bay Packers are scheduled to play five--count 'em, FIVE--night games in the 2012 season.

As a team with a large nationwide following and fan base, the Packers typically get a few games on national television each year. Frequently over the past two decades, Green Bay would play two or three times on Monday night and maybe the occasional Sunday night game. The 2010 and 2011 seasons saw the Pack under the lights four times apiece, but five would be a team record.

After opening on Sunday afternoon with the 49ers, the Packers get a short week to prepare for their arch-rival Bears on Thursday night, with the game shown on the NFL Network. Packers fans with certain cable providers will get their first chance to complain about the NFL Network in five years, as the team hasn't played on Thursday night since their game against Dallas in 2007. However, can you really fault the NFL for opening its Thursday night series with the oldest rivalry in the game? I think not.

This kicks off a string of three night games in five weeks. In week 3, the Packers play their only Monday night game of the year at Seattle. I expect that the Aaron Rodgers-Matt Flynn matchup intrigued ESPN enough to request this game, and the talking heads on SportsCenter will undoubtedly be pimping that matchup as the primary storyline leading up to the game. Knowing ESPN, the Seahawks' selection of Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson in this year's NFL Draft will probably make for some discussion as well.

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Chad Clifton spoke with Jason Wilde on ESPN Radio Friday morning. He discussed topics including his health, termination from the Packers, plans for the 2012 season, and potential successor at the left tackle position. The full podcast can be heard here.

Clifton was asked about his feelings when he found out he would be cut by the Packers. He responded:

"It's a bitter pill to swallow, definitely. I had the back surgery...it was the week after the season ended....I just was down in Nashville, rehabbing, working out, went back up to Green Bay and that's when I got the news."

"I definitely knew the possibility...several, I guess, media outlets were reporting throughout the spring that I could get released."

Clifton was then asked if he would consider playing again this year:

"If there's interest, we'll see if I'm interested, just kind of play it by ear."

"If it's the right situation, I think I would. Again, I'm gonna have to get healthy, that's the number one thing on my mind, and that's getting my back as strong as I possibly can."

More comments from Clifton are after the jump.

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For anyone who got the bright idea that Bryan Bulaga would move to the left side to replace departing veteran tackle Chad Clifton, you can stop thinking that right now.

As reported by ESPN Milwaukee, coach Mike McCarthy made it clear in his post-draft press conference that Bryan Bulaga will remain the team's right tackle for the foreseeable future. This seems to indicate that Marshall Newhouse and second-year pro Derek Sherrod will fight it out for the starting left tackle position in training camp. McCarthy had this to say about Bulaga:

"I think Bryan is on the verge of being a Pro Bowler at right tackle. I look for him to have that type of season. He looks great. He was here throughout the winter; I don't think he's even left Green Bay for a long period of time. He looks great."

APC took a look at the left tackle competition earlier this offseason, and Aaron Rodgers has publicly shown his support of Newhouse. Considering Sherrod's tough road back from a gruesome injury, my guess is that we'll see Newhouse win the job in the fall.

A few other tackles will be candidates for backup and practice squad positions. Andrew Datko is the first of the Packers' 7th-round draft picks and the only offensive lineman drafted by Ted Thompson this year. Herb Taylor was a free agent signing after Sherrod was injured late last season, but didn't see the field. Chris Campbell spent the year on the practice squad. Don Barclay of West Virginia and Tommie Draheim of San Diego State were signed this weekend as undrafted free agents. It's possible that one of these players will make the active roster and another one or two will spend some time on the practice squad.

One thing is certain, however: you definitely will not be seeing #75 lined up on Rodgers' left.

Round 1, pick 28 (28th overall): Nick Perry, OLB, University of Southern California
6'3", 271 lbs

Round 2, pick 19 (51st overall): Jerel Worthy, DE, Michigan State University
6'2", 308 lbs

Round 2, pick 30 (62nd overall): Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt University
5'11", 185 lbs

Round 4, pick 37 (132nd overall): Mike Daniels, DE, University of Iowa
6'0", 291 lbs

Round 4, pick 38 (133rd overall): Jerron McMillian, SS, Maine University
5'11", 203 lbs

Round 5, pick 28 (163rd overall): Terrell Manning, LB, North Carolina State University
6'2", 237 lbs

Round 7, pick 34 (241st overall): Andrew Datko, OT, Florida State University
6'6", 315 lbs

Round 7, pick 36 (243rd overall): B.J. Coleman, QB, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
6'3", 233 lbs

Consider this your post-draft discussion thread.

With two compensatory picks in the 7th round, the Packers were forced to stay put. With the first of those picks, the 241st pick overall, Green Bay went with offense for the first time in the draft and selected tackle Andrew Datko from Florida State. At the 243rd pick, Ted Thompson picked quarterback B.J. Coleman.

I noted Datko's abilities and injury history a few days ago:

Datko is haunted by his injury problems. He missed 12 games in the last two seasons over the last two years due to shoulder and labrum issues. He would have been a four year starter otherwise, and earned awards for academics and leadership. He's not as athletic as his teammate Sanders, but has good technique and is a great student in the film room. Datko would be another good late round pick and could be a solid starter if his injuries do not hinder him moving forward.

Coleman was a three year starter at Tennessee-Chattanooga. NFL.com has this to say about Coleman:

Coleman started for three years at Tennessee-Chattanooga (though he missed four games in 2011 due to a sprained right shoulder) after transferring from Tennessee, where he was displaced as a starter in the spring of his sophomore year. He has good size and is an accurate passer who has shown that he has the qualities of an NFL starter. He has fourth-round value based on his skillset and production.

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After trading up to draft Terrell Manning in the fifth round, the Packers are sitting tight until their compensatory picks in the seventh. That gave a variety of members of the Green Bay organization to talk to the media and give their impressions of the linebacker.

First up was inside linebackers coach and assistant head coach Winston Moss:

"I would say from a blitz standpoint, he can be effective inside and outside."

"What I was pleased to see was his ability to play with good technique and leverage against tight ends."

Manning has "a knack, a mindset, a temperament to chase and pursue the ball well."

"I think that he's going to press the guys that are in the group right now.

Obviously, if Moss is discussing him in a press conference, the team thinks he will be an inside linebacker. He appears to be good blitzing and in coverage, which may allow him to see the field on passing downs in the place of A.J. Hawk.

Quotes from Manning are after the jump.

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