Morning Buzz: Packers get back to work
Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers and the NFL from around the web and here at PackersNews.com. Grab a strong cup of coffee, or brew some English breakfast tea if that’s your thing, and get caught up on everything you need to know about the Packers.
The Packers were back at work Tuesday with the opening of their offseason program. Michael Cohen starts us off with Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ thoughts on Mike McCarthy’s evolving offense.
It stands to reason that the offensive explosion attached to last year’s eight-game winning streak will carry with it certain after effects, primarily the incorporation of additional personnel groupings. The Packers tormented opposing defenses with four- and five-wide receiver sets that placed a premium on Rodgers’ quick release, and it sounds as if the quarterback will lobby for them again this season.
“We got Ty (Montgomery) opportunities, we got Christine (Michael) opportunities, we got Randall (Cobb) opportunities in the backfield, we got Geronimo (Allison) on the field as well,” Rodgers said. “We’re going to be evolving in that manner.”
Among the evolutions, according to Rodgers, will be the reintroduction of “12” personnel, an alignment that features one running back, two tight ends and two wide receivers. It’s something the Packers haven’t utilized much since they paired Jermichael Finley and Andrew Quarless in 2013.
Michael also wrote on Jordy Nelson’s appreciation for entering the offseason program fully healthy, unlike last year at this time.
Another notable Packer is entering the offseason program with a clean bill of health:
Ryan Wood wraps up his four-part NFL draft data series with a look at Ted Thompson’s apparent “slump” selecting players the last few years.
The Packers announced that linebacker A.J. Hawk will retire a Packer. Tom Silverstein looks back at Hawk’s time with the Green and Gold.
Elsewhere, Jayrone Elliott will be in Philadelphia next weekend to announce the Packers’ third-round selection:
The Packers' website caught some of the team’s first group workout of the offseason:
Don’t miss Cheesehead Radio’s Draft Special program tonight. This group always produces good stuff:
It wouldn’t be a day ending in “y” if someone, somewhere wasn’t talking about the Packers possibly drafting T.J. Watt:
And that includes Clay Matthews:
The Power Sweep looks at how the signing and trading of Lerentee McCray helped the Packers:
Michelle Bruton writes it's defense-or-bust in the first round:
Larry McCarren remains the hardest-working man in Green Bay:
They say waiting is the hardest part: