The Packers did their homework last April and the result was adding a lot of players that will help the future of the team.  DT Justin Harrell was the first round pick of the Packers last season and he played in 7 games (2 starts) and he made 16 tackles.  Look for Harrell to be a force in the future if he can just stay healthy.  RB Brandon Jackson started early in the season after being a 2nd round pick but he couldn’t hold onto the job.  He did play well late in the season however.  Jackson played in 11 games (3 starts) for the Packers last season and he carried the ball 75 times for 267 yards (3.6 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He also caught 16 passes for 130 yards (8.1 avg).  WR James Jones was an outstanding 3rd round pick for the Packers.  He played in all 16 games (9 starts) last season for the Packers and he caught 47 passes for 676 yards (14.4 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Jones needs to adjust to the cold weather better as his play faded in the 2nd half of the season.  Strong saftey Aaron Rouse was the Packers’ other 3rd round pick last April and he flashed potential.  He played in 11 games (3 starts) for the Packers last season and he made 25 tackles, defensed 4 passes and intercepted 2 passes.  4th round pick (OG/T) Allen Barbre played in 7 games (0 starts) as a rookie last season and he looks like he’ll be nothing more than a backup for the Packers in the future.  5th round pick David Clowney (WR) was cut in training camp and he wound up on the Jets practice squad last season.  The Packers did very well with their three 6th round draft picks.  First up was linebacker Korey Hall.  Hall switched to fullback in training camp for the Packers and he won the starting job.  Hall played in 14 games (10 starts) for the Packers last season and he caught 8 passes for 49 yards (6.1 avg).  Look for him to add running the ball to his game next season.  Inside linebacker Desmond Bishop was the second of the 6th round picks the Packers made last season.  Bishop played in 10 games (0 starts) last season for the Packers and he made 10 tackles.  The final 6th round pick of the Packers was kicker Mason Crosby.  Crosby played in all 16 games for the Packers last season and he made 31 of 39 field goals (79.5%) and he also made all 48 of his extra point attempts to finish with 141 points.  In the 7th round the Packers selected running back DeShawn Wynn.  Wynn played in 7 games (4 starts) for the Packers last season and he carried the ball 50 times for 203 yards (4.1 ypc) with 4 TD runs.  He also caught 9 passes for 73 yards (8.1 avg).  The Packers final pick of the draft was TE Clark Harris who was cut in camp and hooked on with the Lions.

GRADE FOR THE 2007 SEASON:  B

GRADE FOR THE FUTURE:  A-

The Green Bay Packers have signed linebacker Brandon Chillar to a 2-year, $5.2 million dollar contract.  Chillar played in 15 games for the Rams last season and he made 67 tackles, defensed 3 passes, had 2.5 sacks and he forced 3 fumbles.  Chillar has now played in 63 games in his NFL career and he has made 204 tackles, defensed 5 passes, has 4.5 sacks and he has forced 5 fumbles.  This was a solid signing for the Packers.

9-time Pro-Bowler, 7-time All-Pro and 3-time NFL MVP QB Brett Favre has decided to hang up the cleats and get on with the rest of his life.  He played in 257 games (253 starts) in his NFL career and he has completed 5,377 of 8,758 passes (61.4%) for 61,655 yards with 442 TD passes and 288 interceptions (85.7 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 555 times for 1,786 yards (3.2 ypc) with 13 TD runs.  Favre retires as the NFL’s all-time leader in completed passes, attempted passes, passing yards, TD passes and interceptions.  He also won a Super Bowl for the Packers and figured he had nothing left to prove when he decided to retire…..and he was right.  Here’s hoping that Brett Favre enjoys the rest of his life now that his body isn’t going to get beat up anymore!

Aaron Rodgers was drafted in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft for exactly this reason.  He hasn’t got much playing time in his first three seasons but he’s the starter in Green Bay now.  He has played in 7 games (0 starts) in his NFL career and he has completed 35 of 59 passes (59.3%) for 329 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 interception (73.3 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 11 times for 47 yards (4.3 ypc).  It will be interesting to see how Rodgers handles the pressure of replacing a legend in Green Bay.

The Packers have traded defensive lineman Corey Williams to the Cleveland Browns for their 2nd round pick (#56) in this April’s NFL Draft.  Williams played in 56 games for the Packers in his career and he has made 119 tackles, had 17 sacks, defensed 4 passes, forced 4 fumbles and intercepted 1 pass.  The Packers traded from a position of strength and got a nice pick from the Browns in return.

Three rookie running backs did most of the damage on the ground for the Packers in 2007.  The Packers traded a 6th round pick to the New York Giants for running back Ryan Grant.  When Grant took over as the starter at running back the Packers offense took off.  Grant played in 15 games (7 starts) last season for the Packers and he carried the ball 188 times for 956 yards (5.1 ypc) with 8 TD runs.  He also caught 30 passes for 145 yards (4.8 avg). 

Brandon Jackson was the starter when the season started but he lost his job to Grant.  Jackson played in 11 games (3 starts) last season for the Packers and he carried the ball 75 times for 267 yards (3.6 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He also caught 16 passes for 130 yards (8.1 avg).

DeShawn Wynn played in 7 games (4 starts) for the Packers in 2007.  He carried the football 50 times for 203 yards (4.1 ypc) with 4 TD runs and he also caught 9 passes for 73 yards (8.1 avg).

Vernand Morency is the senior citizen of this crew.  He played in 13 games (0 starts) in 2007 and he finished with 29 carries for 108 yards (3.7 ypc).  He also caught 30 passes for 199 yards (6.6 avg).  Morency has now played in 39 games (3 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 171 times for 726 yards (4.2 ypc) with 4 TD runs.  He also has caught 57 passes for 404 yards (7.1 avg).

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