47-year old head coach Mike McCarthy is on the fast track to joining Vince Lombardi, Curly Lambeau and Mike Holmgren on the Mt. Rushmore of Packers’ head coaches.  General manager Ted Thompson has given McCarthy great talent to work with and he’s making the most of it.  The Packers were 10-6 last year during the regular season before embarking on a 4-0 journey in the post-season in which they beat the Steelers in the Super Bowl.  McCarthy is now 48-32 (60%) in his first five years on the job during the regular season.  He is also 5-2 (71.4%) during the post-season in his career so far.  He is the right man for the job in Green Bay and the best is yet to come.

27-year old Aaron Rodgers led the Packers to the top of the mountain last season as the Packers won the Super Bowl.  They are hoping to repeat as Super Bowl Champs this year and Rodgers is the most important player on the team.  Rodgers played in 15 games (all starts) for the Packers last year and he completed 312 of 475 passes (65.7%) for 3,922 yards with 28 TD passes and 11 INTs (101.2 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 64 times for 356 yards (5.6 ypc) with 4 TD runs last year.  Rodgers has is all as he is a great thrower, runner and leader.  Rodgers has now played in 54 games (47 starts) in his first six years in the NFL and he has completed 1,038 of 1,611 passes (64.4%) for 12,723 yards with 87 TD passes and 32 INTs (98.4 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 189 times for 926 yards (4.9 ypc) with 13 TD runs so far in his career with the Packers.  Aaron Rodgers is now 27-20 (57.4%) during the regular season so far in his NFL career.  Rodgers is one of the best, if not the best, QBs in the NFL.

26-year old Matt Flynn got thrust into the starting lineup late last season for his first NFL start and he almost toppled the New England Patriots.  Flynn played in 7 games (1 start) for the Packers last year and he completed 40 of 66 passes (60.6%) for 433 yards with 3 TD passes and 2 INTs (60.6%) for 433 yards with 3 TD passes and 2 INTs (82.4 QB Rating).  Flynn also carried the ball 9 times for 26 yards (2.9 ypc) last year.  Flynn has learned well under Aaron Rodgers the last three years and the Packers are confident that he would do a good job for them if pressed into action.  Flynn has now played in 29 games (1 start) in his first three years with the Packers and he has completed 49 of 83 passes (59%) for 497 yards with 3 TD passes and 3 INTs (73.2 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 18 times for 25 yards (1.4 ypc) so far in his career.  Flynn is 0-1 as a starting QB in the NFL.

26-year old Graham Harrell spent some time on the Packers’ practice squad.  He will likely graduate to being the Packers’ #3 QB on game days in 2011.  He doesn’t have any game experience in the NFL yet.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE PACKERS QBS IN 2011:  A+

The Packers have a couple of capable kickoff return men in 25-year old WR Jordy Nelson and 25-year old CB Will Blackmon.  Nelson played in 13 games for the Packers last season and he returned 25 kickoffs for 635 yards (25.4 avg).  He has now played in 29 games in his two years with the Packers and he has returned 36 kickoffs for 843 yards (23.4 avg).  Nelson is a big guy at 6’3″, 215 pounds so he has power to go along with his speed.  This is a good way for the Packers to get Nelson onto the field as he is currently the #4 WR on the team.

25-year old CB Will Blackmon is also a solid return man.  He played in 3 games for the Packers last season and he returned 10 kickoffs for 233 yards (23.3 avg).  Blackmon has now played in 32 games in his four years in the NFL and he has returned 66 kickoffs for 1,393 yards (21.1 avg). 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE PACKERS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  C+

Aaron Rodgers took a beating early last season before the offensive line came together in the second half of the year.  34-year old LT Chad Clifton is getting a little long in tooth but he’s still a good pass blocker when healthy.  LG will either be manned by Jason Spitz or Daryn Colledge in 2010.  My money is on Spitz to win the job as he’s a better all-around guard than Colledge is.  Scott Wells really played well at center after Jason Spitz got injured last season and it looks like he will be the starting center in 2010.  RG Josh Sitton is the run blocking demon of his group as he’s a nasty man when he steps between the white lines.  33-year old Mark Tauscher will be the RT for the Packers this year.  Tauscher doesn’t excel at anything but he’s at least solid at everything.  T.J. Lang and first round pick Bryan Bulaga give the Packers quality depth behind the starters for 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE PACKERS O-LINE in 2010:  B

46-year old head coach Mike McCarthy is rising to the top of the NFL as a head coach.  He led the Packers to a 11-5 (68.8%) record during the regular season but they then fell 51-45 in OT against the Cardinals in the playoffs.  McCarthy now has a 38-26 (59.4%) record in his four years as the head coach of the Packers during the regular season and he’s 1-2 (33.3%) in the post season.  McCarthy is a tough guy and a strong leader for the Packers so I expect them to be good for a while.

25-year old kicker Mason Crosby has a very strong leg but he’s not the most accurate kicker around.  The Packers would love to see him improve in that part of his game.  Crosby connected on 27 of 36 field goals (75%) last season for the Packers.  He also made 48 of 49 extra points as he finished up with 129 points.  He has now played in 48 games in his three years with the Packers and he has made 85 of 109 field goals (78%).  He has also made 142 of 143 extra points as he has 397 points in his career with the Packers.  The Packers expect more out of Crosby and I think he will give it to them in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE PACKERS KICKERS in 2010:  B

35-year old Donald Driver just hasn’t been acting his age as he is still probably the best WR on the Packers.  Driver played in 16 games (all starts) for the Packers last season and he caught 70 passes for 1,061 yards (15.2 avg) with 6 TD grabs.  He has now played 11 years for the Packers appearing in 161 games (124 starts) in which he has caught 647 passes for 9,050 yards (14.0 avg) with 49 TD grabs.  Driver has also carried the ball 34 times for 217 yards (6.4 ypc) with 1 TD run in his career.  Driver has made it to 3 Pro Bowls in his NFL career.  I don’t see Driver making it to another Pro Bowl in 2010 but I think he will play well for the Packers as long as he can stay healthy.

26-year old Greg Jennings is the up and coming star of the Packers’ WR corps.  Jennings played in 16 games (13 starts) for the Packers last season and he caught 68 passes for 1,113 yards (16.4 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  He has now played in 59 games (52 starts) in his four years in the NFL and he has caught 246 passes for 3,957 yards (16.1 avg) with 28 TD grabs.  This might be the season that Jennings overtakes Driver as the Packers’ #1 WR.

26-year old James Jones will have to hold off Jordy Nelson in training camp to stay the #3 WR for the Packers in 2010.  Jones played in 16 games (3 starts) for the Packers last season and he caught 32 passes for 440 yards (13.8 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  He has now played in 42 games (14 starts) in his 3 years with the Packers and he has caught 99 passes for 1,390 yards (14.0 avg) with 8 TD grabs.  Jones is one of the better #3 WRs in the NFL.

25-year old Jordy Nelson was been a solid player for the Packers but he will be looking to move up the depth chart in training camp.  Nelson played in 13 games (0 starts) for the Packers last season and he caught 22 passes for 320 yards (14.5 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  He has now played in 29 games (2 starts) in his two years with the Packers and he has caught 55 passes for 686 yards (12.5 avg) with 4 TD grabs.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE PACKERS WRs in 2010:  A+

23-year old Jermichael Finley is a player on the rise and he could have some Pro Bowls in his near future as early as this year.  Finley played in 13 games (0 starts) last season for the Packers and he caught 55 passes for 676 yards (12.3 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  He has now played in 27 games (11 starts) in his career with the Packers in which he has caught 61 passes for 750 yards (12.3 avg) with 6 TD grabs.  I really think that Finley is going to bust out big time this season for the Pack.

29-year old Donald Lee is also a solid TE.  He played in 16 games (10 starts) for the Packers last season in which he caught 37 passes for 260 yards (7.0 avg) with 1 TD grab.  Lee has now played in 109 games (58 starts) in his NFL career and he has caught 187 passes for 1,802 yards (9.6 avg) with 16 TD grabs.  Look for Lee to start losing P.T. to Jermichael Finley this year.

27-year old Spencer Havner played his first year on offense for the Packers last season.  He played in all 16 games (1 start) for the Packers last season and he caught 7 passes for 112 yards (16.0 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  But a motorcycle accident in the off-season could really hurt his standing with the Packers due to the circumstances around it.

Rookie TE Andrew Quarless, a 5th rounder out of Penn State could push Havner off the roster.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE PACKERS TEs in 2010:  A

The Packers use their fullbacks essentially as extra linemen as their main focus is blocking.  26-year old Korey Hall is atop the depth chart heading into training camp.  He played in 11 games (5 starts) for the Packers last season in which he caught 5 passes for 41 yards (8.2 avg).  He has now played in 36 games (20 starts) in his NFL career and he has yet to carry the ball.  But he has caught 20 passes for 128 yards (6.4 avg) with 1 TD grab.

23-year old Quinn Johnson is a big guy at 6’0″, 251 pounds.  He played in 9 games (0 starts) as a rookie last season for the Packers.  Johnson caught 2 passes for 4 yards (2.0 avg) last year.  He is a solid blocker but not much of a threat with the ball in his hands.

27-year old John Kuhn is listed #3 on the depth chart heading into training camp.  Kuhn played in 14 games (6 starts) for the Packers last season in which he carried the ball 8 times for 18 yards (2.3 ypc).  He also caught 7 passes for 47 yards (6.7 avg) with 2 TD grabs last season.  Kuhn has now played in 55 games (10 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 18 times for 46 yards (2.6 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  He has also caught 14 passes for 90 yards (6.4 avg) with 4 TD grabs in his career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE PACKERS  FBs in 2010:  B

The Packers have a lot of faith that 27-year old Ryan Grant will have another good year because they don’t have much behind him.  Grant played in 16 games (all starts) for the Packers last season and he carried the ball 282 times for 1,253 yards (4.4 ypc) with 11 TD runs.  He also caught 25 passes for 197 yards (7.9 avg) last season as he turned in the best season of his career in 2009.  The Packers hope he can stay healthy all season long in 2010 and repeat or better his performance.  Grant has now played in 47 games (37 starts) in his three years with the Packers and he has carried the ball 782 times for 3,412 yards (4.4 ypc) with 23 TD runs.  He has also caught 73 passes for 458 yards (6.3 avg) with 1 TD grab in his career with the Pack.

24-year old Brandon Jackson will be Grant’s caddy in 2010.  He played in 12 games (0 starts) for the Packers last season and he carried the ball 37 times for 111 yards (3.0 ypc).  He also caught 21 passes for 187 yards (8.9 avg) with 1 TD grab in his career.  Jackson, like Grant, has played three years with the Packers.  He has appeared in 36 games (3 starts) for the Packers in his career and he has carried the ball 157 times for 626 yards (4.0 ypc) with 4 TD grabs.  Jackson has also caught 67 passes for 502 yards (7.5 avg) with 1 TD grab for the Pack.

James Starks was a 6th round pick out of Buffalo last April for the Packers.  I don’t see him getting much offensive action in 2010 unless Grant or Jackson get injured.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE PACKERS RBs in 2010:  B