Green Bay
Packers

Packers Team Report

Updated: May 25, 2012 04:21 EST

Aaron Rodgers is starting over in one regard this year.

With four pro seasons as a starting quarterback, a Super Bowl victory and a league MVP award under his belt, Rodgers has been consumed this spring with breaking in a new center.

Scott Wells, the Packers' best lineman last season and Rodgers' trusted delivery man since 2008, bolted the team after eight years to sign with the St. Louis Rams as an unrestricted free agent.

Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson countered by getting another veteran on board so as to not disrupt the high rate of execution by the offense with Rodgers at the helm. That replacement is Jeff Saturday, previously the longtime running mate with another stellar QB, Peyton Manning, in Indianapolis.

The Packers snatched Saturday in free agency, signing him to a two-year deal worth close to $8 million.

The transition from operating with Wells to Saturday has been a work in progress after a little more than a month of the team's offseason program, but Rodgers likes the addition of the 14th-year veteran.

"He's doing good," Rodgers said after the team's first practice session in organized team activities May 22. "It's going to take a little time, I think, (for him) to get used to the cadence variations and some of the little things we do, but he's going to be fine."

Although the vertically oriented and up-tempo nature of the offense run by the Colts when Manning directed it up until he missed all of last season with a neck injury has similarities to the Packers' pass-first scheme, Saturday is learning all over again.

"There's nothing transferrable," said Saturday, referring to the terminology used in Indianapolis and how the verbiage is vastly different in Green Bay's playbook.

For that, Saturday is thankful he hooked on with a team that has an established and highly successful quarterback after the All-Pro center took a pass on following a healthy Manning to the Denver Broncos.

"The thing that probably impressed me most about Aaron when I first got here is he knows all of the offensive-line checks, he knows where to put us, why we're going there," Saturday said. "That's important for a quarterback, to know where every piece fits. And, you feel comfortable that as long as we're on the same page, no matter what the call is, as long as we're all doing it the same way, we can block it up and he can make plays down the field.

"That was the same way with Peyton. As long as we all knew who was responsible for who, we can move the ball up and down the field. They're very comparable in that way."

Saturday, who turns 37 on June 18, will have plenty of time to build a rapport with Rodgers as well as what appears will be only two young backup quarterbacks going into training camp in July.

In the process of signing veteran defensive end Phillip Merling on May 23, the Packers cut two players, including quarterback Nick Hill.

Green Bay had signed Hill, a first-year player who starred in the Arena Football League, after last season ended.

That leaves the Packers with first-year player Graham Harrell and B.J. Coleman, a seventh-round draft pick this year, as the understudies for Rodgers.

A day before the team released Hill, head coach Mike McCarthy didn't seem hung up on needing to have several quarterbacks in camp this summer.

"How many quarterbacks we take to training camp really is (based on) what's going on at the other positions," McCarthy said. "It's always an overall talent evaluation on your roster. We don't have a board that says you take this many players to camp at this position.

"Aaron's an excellent mentor," he added. "He spends a lot of time in the (quarterback) meetings just doing the little things. I feel very good about the opportunity for growth in that room. I'm confident we'll be where we need to be at the quarterback position."

The free-agent loss of Matt Flynn, Rodgers' top backup the last four years, for a starting opportunity with the Seattle Seahawks prompted Harrell to get serious about winning the No. 2 job this year. Harrell has been a developmental player with the Packers since they signed the former Texas Tech standout two years ago.

Harrell said on the first day of OTAs he improved his arm strength and put on about 15 pounds of muscle weight in an intense training program at a facility in his native Texas.

--Clay Matthews is indeed back to playing right-side outside linebacker.

After a glimpse into defensive coordinator Dom Capers' future plans came to light by having first-round draft pick Nick Perry line up at left-side 'backer during the rookie orientation camp, the new alignment was unveiled. Perry stayed on the left side, and Matthews played opposite the rookie with the first-string unit on the opening day of organized team activities May 22.

"To me, this is a learning phase and an information phase," head coach Mike McCarthy said. "We're looking at a number of different things. In Nick's specific case, yes, we want to look at (him on) the left side.

"Clay has played both sides now. We want to make sure we create targeting problems with Clay Matthews. But, just like any young player, you do want to have a starting point, and right now, we want to look and see how comfortable Nick is on the left side."

Matthews last played on the right side as a rookie in 2009, when he had 11 sacks (including the playoffs).

The All-Pro player is OK with the position switch because he anticipates he won't be relegated to one spot anyway as Capers tries to revive last season's listless pass rush.

"The misnomer about the position is that we're stuck to one side," Matthews said. "On paper, it's going to say 'left outside linebacker' or 'right outside linebacker.' Really, those positions are interchangeable. So, the faster we can get (Perry) up to speed, the faster we can have some fun moving him around, flying around and making some plays together."

Matthews had a career-low six sacks last season with no help to speak of on the opposite side in Green Bay's 3-4 scheme.

"It's all about mismatches and preferable lineups," he said. "Whenever we can take advantage of that by playing on the right side, left side, in the middle -- wherever you want me to play -- I think we're all about that. So, hopefully, that's the case."

--Veteran cornerback Charles Woodson didn't join the team on the practice field for the opening day of the voluntary OTAs, though he was said to be on hand for meetings and an individual workout.

Woodson made an appearance at the Milwaukee Brewers baseball game the next day, throwing a ceremonial first pitch at Miller Park. He met with reporters before the game and hinted that he won't be getting on the field until the team's mandatory minicamp, which will be June 12-14 after the OTAs end June 8.

The 15th-year veteran reiterated comments he's made the last few years about being receptive to making a position switch to safety. Such a move has been speculated since the Packers released Pro Bowl free safety Nick Collins before last month's draft after team officials were wary about Collins' trying to attempt a comeback from a severe neck injury sustained early last season.

"I've heard all the reports about moving to safety and all this, but I don't think there's any more I can do on the football field than I already do," Woodson said. "I think the only thing that would ever change is just the title -- from being a corner to a safety. But, I'm a football player. I can do anything on that football field, and they can put me anywhere, and they know that.

"All the talk about 'Can he play safety?', I kind of already play safety. So, it wouldn't be that big of a jump."

Charlie Peprah, who started 15 games in Collins' absence, is penciled in as a returning starter. However, Peprah wasn't expected to be available for the three weeks of OTAs after he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery earlier in the offseason.

Capers paired Morgan Burnett, the other incumbent starter, with M.D. Jennings on the No. 1 defense in the first OTA practice. Jennings, who made the team in 2011 as an undrafted rookie and was a key contributor on special teams, intercepted a pass from Aaron Rodgers in the practice.

"It's been really nice to watch him mature with his time," McCarthy said of the 6-0, 187-pound Jennings. "I always watch those guys on the opponent squads obviously offensively when you're competing during the week, and he's an instinctive football player. Now, he's doing a lot better job of communicating. He has very good range. I like our young safeties."

The group also includes first-year player Anthony Levine and a pair of intriguing rookies -- fourth-round draft pick Jerron McMillian and undrafted Sean Richardson, a three-year starter at Vanderbilt.

--Defensive end Anthony Hargrove spoke to Wisconsin reporters on the first day of OTAs for the first time since the Packers signed the eighth-year veteran as a free agent in late March before he drew an eight-game suspension from the league in early May.

Hargrove was one of four players to be punished for their alleged involvement in the New Orleans Saints' bounty program.

The NFL Players Association has filed an appeal of the suspensions on the players' behalf, and a ruling is forthcoming.

Hargrove sidestepped a number of questions that were asked of him in the Packers' locker room regarding the suspension. He had this bizarre reply when asked whether he's confident about winning his appeal.

"I'm confident that I can win on third downs," Hargrove said. "We talk on the field. All I want to talk about is the way I play the game. So, you ask me if I can beat a guy one on one, yeah. You put two on me, we'll see what happens."

Hargrove did acknowledge what he had submitted as a declaration to the league during its investigation of the bounty scandal that he followed the orders of Saints assistant coaches Gregg Williams and Joe Vitt.

"In this business, you're always supposed to do what your coaches tell you to do," Hargrove said. "My response is what it was. Everything that I gave in that declaration outlines exactly what happened. My coaches ask me to do something, I'll do it.

"It's the same way I'm going to be here. If Coach Dom asks me to go out and get the quarterback, I'll get the quarterback. That's just my responsibility as a player."

--Team president Mark Murphy said Donald Driver would be with his teammates for the second week of OTAs after the veteran receiver had a good excuse for skipping the first week.

Driver joined retired Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith and recently retired Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Hines Ward as football players who won a title on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" reality TV program. Driver and professional dance partner Peta Murgatroyd procured the mirror-ball trophy as the champions of this season May 22.

"I think people (in Green Bay) are excited to see him," Murphy said. "Obviously, I think all of his teammates will probably give him some good-natured ribbing. But, also, I know everybody's really pleased and happy for him."

That was the extent of what Murphy had to say when he was asked a day after Driver's dance victory about the future of the Packers' current longest-tenured player with the team. Speculation has swirled since the end of last season that Green Bay could part ways with Driver, 37, who is due to make $5 million in the final year of his contract.

The Packers have a deep cast of young and talented receivers, so Driver may be seen as expendable by team management despite his cache as Green Bay's all-time leading receiver and his popularity with fans.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker declared May 23 as "Donald Driver Day" in the state, honoring his accomplishment on the dance show.

Less than a week earlier while he was in Southern California preparing for his final dances, Driver curiously tweeted "I'm a packer for life. It will never change. Go Pack Go!!!!"

In an effort to douse a whirlwind of conjecture that Driver's time in Green Bay was up after 13 years, his agent, Jordan Woy, informed a few media outlets that he and the club would be working out the details of a deal structure after Driver finished the show.

Fellow receiver Jordy Nelson said Driver's uncertain future wouldn't be a distraction for the team the rest of the offseason.

"I think we've dealt with enough stuff," Nelson said. "I know the front office will take care of it when necessary and they're going to do the right thing for the organization."

--The rumor mill of late also has included Murphy, whose name has been floated as a possible candidate for the vacancy at Stanford for athletics director.

Murphy has declined comment on the matter. A Packers spokesman told at least two Wisconsin media outlets, "There's no basis to it."

Murphy replaced the retired Bob Harlan as team president and CEO in January 2008 after he served as a college AD for 16 years at Northwestern (2003-07) and alma mater Colgate (1992-2003).

--Meanwhile, the football side of the Packers front office has undergone some changes since the draft ended in late April.

The team announced May 23 that John Dorsey, its longtime college scouting director, was promoted to director of football operations, and Eliot Wolf was bumped up from assistant director of pro personnel to director of pro personnel. Wolf is the son of retired Packers general manager Ron Wolf.

Also, Brian Gutekunst, who put in 13 years as a college scout for the club, was named to replace Dorsey to lead the college scouting department.

The moves come after football operations director Reggie McKenzie was hired as the Oakland Raiders' general manager in January and assistant director of college scouting Shaun Herock left in early May to join McKenzie as his college scouting director.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We have nine practices (during organized team activities) and three minicamp practices -- 12 opportunities to learn your job. Frankly, if you don't know what's expected of you by June 14 (the last day of minicamp), your chances to make our football team drop drastically." -- Head coach Mike McCarthy, on the importance of the final three weeks of the team's offseason program.

Faced with the double whammy of not having Mike Neal and Anthony Hargrove at the start of the 2012 season, general manager Ted Thompson continued to add to the depth on the defensive line.

The Packers signed veteran defensive end Phillip Merling on May 23. Terms of the deal weren't immediately available.

The Miami Dolphins released the 6-5, 315-pound Merling last month after he played for them his first four years in the league. The Dolphins selected Merling in the second round (No. 32 overall) of the 2008 draft.

Merling started only three games for the Dolphins and produced all of 3.5 sacks, though he returned a Brett Favre interception for a touchdown in a game against the New York Jets in 2008. Merling missed most of the 2010 season with a torn Achilles' tendon.

In the wake of league suspensions given to free-agent addition Hargrove (eight games for his involvement in the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal) and Neal (four games for a violation of the policy for performance-enhancing drugs), Thompson has focused on protecting the defense up front.

He took Michigan State's Jerel Worthy in the second round and Iowa's Mike Daniels in the fourth round of the draft. The coaches are giving Worthy significant reps on the practice field, pairing him with nose tackle B.J. Raji as the linemen in the nickel scheme during organized team activities.

The signing of Merling came on the same day the Packers cut first-year quarterback Nick Hill and undrafted tight end Cameron Ford.

MEDICAL WATCH

--S Charlie Peprah is being held out of organized team activities, which started May 22 and run until June 8, as he recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery done earlier in the offseason. Peprah is expected to challenge for the starting job alongside Morgan Burnett after the team released three-time Pro Bowl pick Nick Collins last month.

--DL Mike Daniels wasn't cleared for the start of OTAs after missing rookie orientation camp earlier in the month. The fourth-round draft pick from Iowa underwent surgery in January for a torn labrum.

FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.

TRANSITION PLAYER: None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

--RB Ryan Grant has rushed for a meager total of 604 yards the last two injury-marred seasons and is 29. Yet, Packers haven't ruled out bringing him back to remain the veteran presence in a stable of young backs. However, he could be signing with a new team.

--DL Howard Green takes up a lot of space with his roughly 350-pound frame but wasn't much of a factor as a role player in his first full season with Green Bay. The well-traveled 33-year-old could be moving on again.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.

DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED

--LB Nick Perry (1/28): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--DE Jerel Worthy (2/51): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--CB Casey Hayward (2/62): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--DT Mike Daniels (4/132): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--S Jerron McMillian (4/133): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--LB Terrell Manning (5/163): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--T Andrew Datko (7/241): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--QB B.J. Coleman (7/243): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED

--CB Jarrett Bush: UFA; $5.25M/3 yrs, $1M SB.

--TE Jermichael Finley: UFA; $14M/2 yrs, $1M SB/$7M RB.

--LB Erik Walden: UFA; $725,000/1 yr.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED

--DE Anthony Hargrove: UFA Seahawks; terms unknown.

--DE Phillip Merling: FA Dolphins; terms unknown.

--DT Daniel Muir: FA; terms unknown.

--C Jeff Saturday: UFA Colts; $7.75M/2 yrs.

PLAYERS LOST

--OT Chad Clifton (released/failed physical).

--S Nick Collins (released/failed physical).

--QB Matt Flynn: UFA Seahawks; $19.5M/3 yrs, $6M SB/$10M guaranteed.

--CB Pat Lee: UFA Raiders; 1 yr, terms unknown.

--C Scott Wells: UFA Rams; $24M/4 yrs, $4M SB/$13M guaranteed.