Packers Morning Buzz: Green Bay schedule both formidable and forgiving

Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com.

We'll start with Marc Sessier of NFL.com writing about which teams got the "most forgiving" 2019 schedule, and he puts the Packers right at the top.

Sessier writes:

The league's deep-state elite absolutely want to see the Packers in the playoff picture until the bitter end. Fresh off a rudderless 6-9-1 campaign that led to a string of firings, Green Bay has been given a home-heavy schedule out of the gate with just two road dates -- at Chicago in Week 1 and Dallas in Week 5 -- over the first seven games of the season. That leaves Rodgers and friends with a string of road games later on -- including a gnarly back-to-back clash with the Chiefs and Chargers beginning in Week 8 -- but the Packers have been given a chance to soar early. Keep in mind, Green Bay was given a home-heavy start in 2018 and fell to Earth in a hurry.

You can see what other teams are projected to have favorable schedules here:

And now for something completely different: NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal puts the Packers on his list of the "toughest" 2019 schedules.

Rosenthal writes of the Packers:

I could have listed the entire NFC North here. It's a balanced division, and the matchups against the AFC West teams look tough, especially with Green Bay visiting Kansas City and Los Angeles in consecutive weeks. The Packers get the nod here over their division rivals because they close with two road games, including the always-irritating final Monday Night Football game before the holidays (in Minnesota), creating a short week before finishing the regular season in Detroit.

You can read the rest of Rosenthal's list of toughest schedules here:

Jim Owczarski looks at the best and worst of the Packers' schedule:

The Aaron Rodgers-Patrick Mahomes hype shifts into overdrive:

The Packers had some fun with the schedule release .....

... As did GM John Dorsey and the Cleveland Browns ...

... And the Atlanta Falcons with a "Game of Thrones" theme:

When will we see the Packers on one of these London lists?

Our Packers draft preview series looks at running backs:

Ryan Wood and Olivia Reiner discuss the best available prospects at the position:

Would the Packers really spend a high pick on a quarterback? NFL.com's Michael Silver says they have to at least think about it (but adds they have no interest in Arizona's Josh Rosen):

Another day, another mock draft. This one, from The MMQB's Jenny Vrentas, has the Packers going offensive line with their first pick and wide receiver with their next:

12. Green Bay: Jawaan Taylor, T, Florida 
Bryan Bulaga, the Packers’ 10-year veteran right tackle, is entering his 10th NFL season and the final year of his contract and has dealt with several injuries over the last two seasons. Taylor, who played right tackle for Florida, makes sense here.

30. Green Bay (from New Orleans): A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss 
I’m cringing at putting three receivers in the first round, but if Fant is already off the board, perhaps the Packers go for another offensive weapon? Brown is a big-bodied slot receiver who could help replace Randall Cobb.

You can see the entire first-round projection here:

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press profiles Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson, who is being projected to the Lions at No. 8 in some mock drafts and to the Packers at No. 12 in others:

With Jordy Nelson gone, it was Davante Adams (not Jimmy Graham, as some expected) who became Aaron Rodgers' favorite red-zone target:

And Rodgers' emphasis on taking care of the football is well-known:

And finally: Fun celebrity sightings at Bucks playoff game:

Contact Stu Courtney at (920) 431-8377 or scourtney@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @stucourt