Rounding Up the Latest Green Bay Packers Offseason Buzz
We may be entering the dog days of summer, but as long as OTAs and mandatory minicamps are taking place there will be NFL news.
Offseason training activities have provided lots of buzz concerning the Green Bay Packers, from injury recovery timelines and players competing for starting roles to roster moves and practice standouts.
After the Packers complete their mandatory minicamp from June 16-18, the news cycle will really slow down. So let's take this opportunity to round up the latest reports and rumors out of Green Bay.
Packers Are High on UDFA DT Lavon Hooks
1 of 5
The Packers are expected to keep some of their 2015 undrafted free agents on the 53-man roster, as they usually do.
While names like running back John Crockett, defensive back LaDarius Gunter and offensive lineman Matt Rotheram have been tossed around frequently as possible candidates to survive final cuts, we've heard less about Mississippi defensive tackle Lavon Hooks.
However, the Packers are "high on" Hooks, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, who shared that information in response to a mailbag question discussing which defensive linemen may not make the final roster.
The Packers will likely keep six defensive linemen on the roster, and there's a large group vying for those spots: Mike Daniels, B.J. Raji, Letroy Guion, Datone Jones, Josh Boyd, Khyri Thornton, Mike Pennel, Bruce Gaston and 2015 sixth-round pick Christian Ringo, in addition to Hooks.
If the Packers are liking what they're seeing out of Hooks, who had 27 tackles, nine tackles for a loss and three sacks at Ole Miss, he would have to be good enough to beat out other players on the bubble, most likely Thornton or Gaston.
Thornton was a third-round pick, but that doesn't necessarily make him safe. Gaston is probably expendable with Raji and Guion on the roster, and he certainly is if Pennel makes it past final cuts. Perhaps Hooks will indeed be one of a handful of undrafted rookies to make the final roster.
Aaron Rodgers Won't Have Carte Blanche to Call Plays
2 of 5
When head coach Mike McCarthy handed off play-calling duties to former offensive coordinator and now associate head coach (offense) Tom Clements this offseason, it was a good indication that Aaron Rodgers would have much more freedom to call plays for the offense, given his experience.
However, Rodgers won't ever have full control over calling the Packers' plays, because, as he told Rob Demovsky, no NFL quarterback truly does, not even Peyton Manning. It's a common misconception.
Per Demovksy, Rodgers insinuated that he'll have freedom to tweak the calls based on his reads, but that Clements will provide the "starting point."
"I think everybody would want a starting point. We all have moments where we have [called the plays], whether it's a no-huddle situation or two-minute. Everybody wants a starting point. It's tough to have to call every single play, so it's always nice when you can have a good starting point and you can make a slight adjustment if you have to.
"
Rodgers will have multiple pre-snap possibilities called by Clements as he approaches the line of scrimmage and has the option to call whichever run or pass best suits what the defense gives him. It may be more involvement than he's had in previous seasons, but it will never be a carte blanche ability to run the offense.
Packers Release UDFA G Marcus Reed
3 of 5
According to the Packers' official website, general manager Ted Thompson announced Monday the team has released undrafed rookie guard Marcus Reed out of Fayetteville State.
The move brings Green Bay's roster down to 89 players ahead of the mandatory minicamp that will begin Tuesday.
Reed, who signed with the Packers on May 8, started 17 games in two years at Fayetteville State. He was in competition with fellow undrafted free-agent guard Matt Rotheram, who has been a popular pick to make the final 53-man roster and provide offensive line depth.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Scott Tolzien Leading Brett Hundley for No. 2 QB Spot
4 of 5
The Packers may have traded up in the fifth round to draft UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley, but after OTAs it appears veteran backup Scott Tolzien is in the lead to be Aaron Rodgers' primary No. 2 in 2015, per Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
"There's always something to improve upon in Tolzien's world, but so far he's looking the part of the capable backup. This summer, he'll aim to prove he's the man for the job," Hodkiewicz wrote.
Tolzien's knowledge of the playbook, experience and mechanics (including his incredibly strong arm) will likely win him the No. 2 spot come September. However, he signed on for a one-year deal in March, so even if he spends the 2015 season backing up Rodgers, there's no guarantee he'll get a long-term extension as a result.
But if Tolzien continues his strong OTAs showing, including multiple touchdowns on two-minute drives, into training camp and gets more snaps with the No. 2 offense, he'll certainly make a case for remaining in Green Bay beyond 2015.
Salary Cap Update
5 of 5
The Packers have yet to sign first-round pick Damarious Randall, but according to figures from ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky, they will have approximately $14,608,975 remaining in salary-cap space when they do.
Green Bay currently has $16,048,198 for this season, and Randall's deal is expected to count $1,439,223 toward the cap, per Demovsky.
Per Spotrac, the Packers currently have the seventh-most cap space in the NFL, after the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cincinnati Bengals.
That approximately $14.5 million in cap space could allow Green Bay to consider a contract extension for either Mike Daniels or Casey Hayward this summer, as both will become free agents in March.
Hayward could be entering his first season as a starter, so the Packers may wait to see how he performs before locking him down. Daniels is one of the best defensive ends in the league, and if the Packers wait to sign him midseason or during free agency, they could arguably have to pay more than they would this summer.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
