Packers Daily Links: Harrell Dubious About Future In Green Bay
Defensive lineman Justin Harrell expressed doubt about his future in Green Bay in a recent interview. That and more in today's Daily Links...
On the calendar today are the three official Green Bay Packers Youth Football Camps in Green Bay, Glendale and Kenosha. Tomorrow is the annual Charles Woodson Foundation Golf Outing at Thornberry Creek in Oneida, Wis....
Oft-injured defensive lineman Justin Harrell expressed doubt about his future with the Packers in an interview with Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It's up to them. I don't know," Harrell is quoted as saying. "I didn't have any talks at the end of the year like, 'You'll be back.' The special circumstances of the lockout kind of took things off, too. I really haven't talked to anybody about a strategy or what's going to happen." Because Harrell is due a roster bonus of more than a half million dollars, it's rather unlikely he'll be back with the team. On the bright side, he did say that all the time off has allowed his back to heal.
Fellow defensive lineman Howard Green said he's been staying in shape this offseason, which has been a concern on the minds of several Packers observers seeing as the team didn't have any offseason workouts. “I’m in good shape,” Green told Tyler Dunne. “I’ve been getting up in the morning, running and stuff. I’ve been keeping active in anything. I go out and cut grass with my friend just to get out there and move around a little bit. I’m walking at night, stuff like that." Green estimated he's about 350 to 355 pounds, which wouldn't be out of the ordinary.
With the NFL and the its players reportedly coming close to agreeing on a new collective bargaining agreement, former Packers offensive lineman Marco Rivera––who's being inducted into the team's Hall of Fame on Saturday––told Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette that he believes the new agreement should include better health insurance benefits for retired players. "As soon as the deal is done, I feel $9 billion is enough money for the owners to get theirs, for the current players to get theirs and for the retired players to get, maybe, just a little bit better benefits, as with heath insurance for their families," said Rivera.
A feature article on Marco Rivera accompanies the aforementioned blogpost at PackersNews.com.
The Packers announced the release of a book they've written commemorating last year's Super Bowl season. "The Packers are offering for their fans a 128-page publication commemorating the team’s 2010 season and Super Bowl XLV championship," writes Vic Ketchman of Packers.com. "The book’s title, One!, refers to cornerback Charles Woodson’s emotion-charged postgame address to his teammates following their victory in the NFC title game in Chicago." The book can be pre-ordered online from the Packers Pro Shop.
The Packers also announced the design of their 2011 season tickets honoring the 50th anniversary of the 1961 championship team. "The 50th anniversary of the 1961 title – the first of Lombardi’s five championships as head coach – is remembered with historic photos of different star players from ’61 on the tickets for each of the eight regular-season home games," writes Mike Spofford of Packers.com. The two preseason tickets recognize last season's Super Bowl win with a foil-embossed image of the Lombardi Trophy.
The offensive line position is previewed at Packer Report. "There could be a changing of the guard at left guard with Daryn Colledge set to hit free agency when the lockout ends," writes Bill Huber. "If Colledge signs elsewhere, T.J. Lang and Nick McDonald are the front-runners for the starting job. Another option would be 2010 first-round pick Bryan Bulaga if 2011 first-round pick Derek Sherrod looks like a strong option at right tackle. None of Lang’s three career starts have come at guard and McDonald didn’t play http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/wp-admin/post-new.phpa snap last season, so there could be some growing pains with a new starter." For what it's worth, I wouldn't count Marshall Newhouse out of the competition either.
More analysis of the offensive line continues at Packer Report (subscription required) with articles on statistics, training camp battles and concerns at the position.
Former Packers quarterback Lynn Dickey expressed confidence in current quarterback Aaron Rodgers in an interview on the Packers official website. “I told Zeke (Bratkowski) once this new 12 is pretty good," Dickey told Ricky Zeller of Packers.com. "I’ve said that if I was an NFL owner and I could pick anyone, I’d pick Aaron. He’s smart, accurate, has a strong arm and he’s mobile. I’d take him.”
With undrafted free agency expected to commence soon, Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel previews some of the best available options open to the Packers on offense and defense.
Acme Packing Company comments on the Packers secondary, Mike Neal, C.J. Wilson and free agency.
USA Today takes a look at the Packers in an article on Jon Sarceno.
According to Kris Burke of AllGreenBayPackers.com, one of Mike McCarthy's challenges in 2011 is "Dare to be great."
Lombardi Ave. discusses former Packer Vonta Leach and some Wisconsin tourism promotion by some other former Packers.
A picture of Lindy Infante appears at Packerville, U.S.A.
Vic Ketchman answers his mailbag at Packers.com.
Video: Fox Sports interviews Clay Matthews...
Brian Carriveau is the editor of the Maple Street Press Packers Annual. To contact Brian, email [email protected].
Comments (22)
July 21, 2011 at 08:40 am
Do you do any actual journalism? All I see on this site is you quoting another publication. That's not journalism. There's no wonder Aaron Rodgers doesn't give you the time of day.
Brian Carriveau
July 21, 2011 at 08:55 am
We do actual journalism when we are granted access to do so. Check out our coverage from the Super Bowl, NFL Combine, Shareholder's meeting, Donald Driver Celebrity Softball game and exclusive interviews on our podcasts. If you've only been following us for a few days, you've missed a lot.
PackerAaron
July 21, 2011 at 09:21 am
Exactly. There are plenty of other players who DO give us the time of day. Who needs some pretty boy quarterback? ;)
July 21, 2011 at 10:30 am
Give me a break...these guys are great. You'll learn more about the Packers here than anywhere else.
July 21, 2011 at 10:35 am
Who would have thunk that a blog posting titled, 'Packers daily links', would have...ummmmm.... links.
Go to any newspaper or periodical that covers professional sports and the Packers, they post links and add commentary.
July 21, 2011 at 10:42 am
So the "Daily links" part suggested to you...what? No links? Yeah, I can see that.
July 21, 2011 at 12:29 pm
Does Rodgers really not talk to you guys lol?
PackerAaron
July 21, 2011 at 12:33 pm
He occasionally responds to me on Twitter. I spoke to him briefly after the NFC Championship. We're fine. The running joke is that he refuses to come on Packer Transplants...
July 21, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Haha. Well you know, he's pretty busy golfing with Romo and what not...
July 21, 2011 at 08:53 am
I love that a part of Howard Greens offseason workout schedule includes mowing the grass and going for walks.
July 21, 2011 at 10:29 am
So does mine. I'm planning on reporting to camp to compete for a spot as well.
July 21, 2011 at 09:13 am
Anyone know exactly when Justin Harrell's 2011 roster bonus is due? Seems like if it was the first day of the league year they would have rushed to a resolution before the lockout like they did with AJ Hawk.
July 21, 2011 at 11:06 am
I could not find it anywhere on the web. Probably X days from the start of the league year. Probably within a 10 days. My guess is that he's gone - they didn't renegotiate with him because the Packers figure that he's done. Too bad. Good measurables, good character. If not for the injuries he at least would have been in the rotation.
July 21, 2011 at 10:39 am
I don't think it matters if Howard Green were to currently weigh 330 lbs. or 355 lbs., it's a matter of how that mass is distributed and what level of conditioning that mass is in. The guy could have massively regressed aerobically (stamina) and anaerobically (muscle mass) and still have a reduced weight yet be susceptible to injury because he's 'out of shape'.
July 21, 2011 at 11:07 am
Exactly. "Mowing the lawn" does not have my confidence level up. I hope he's just playing with us.
July 21, 2011 at 11:46 am
"I didn't have any talks at the end of the year like, 'You'll be back.' The special circumstances of the lockout kind of took things off, too. I really haven't talked to anybody about a strategy or what's going to happen." As Harrell bent to shake the reporters' hand, he agonized in pain, claiming his back once again was the problem.
July 21, 2011 at 12:31 pm
I just dread the idea of Harrell finally being let go and then being picked up and magically performing well for another team... but I guess that's the way it goes sometimes...
July 21, 2011 at 02:04 pm
"Magically" is the right word.
(We also would have accepted "miraculously.")
July 21, 2011 at 06:00 pm
I think one of you guys said it best last season after he got injured. How'd that go? Get ready for the real world Justin, you have a better start than most of us get.
July 21, 2011 at 02:17 pm
Is there a chance we cut harrell then re-sign him at the minimum to allow him to compete in camp?
July 21, 2011 at 02:29 pm
Play, talent alone, Harrell wins a roster spot hands down. That's not the problem. The problem is that he isn't durable enough to be able to play a whole season.
So he would impress in training camp when there's limited contact, because he is a talented guy. But as soon as there's real, live contact, his back will give up, and he'll be yet again on IR.
July 22, 2011 at 02:49 am
I feel so bad for Harrell. All this kid does is work, work, work and his body refuses to cooperate... And he typically gets nothing but hate from the fan base.
To know you have that much talent to excel at something you love, and to physically not be able to do it must be terribly difficult.. Especially if that something you love is also your vocation.