(Yes, I know they signed a receiver who spent most of last season in the Arena League, but I refuse to talk about it, okay?)

That being the case, I’ve decided to have [...]]]> Outside of an impending extension for Nick Collins (fingers crossed), there really isn’t much going on with the Green Bay Packers at the moment.

(Yes, I know they signed a receiver who spent most of last season in the Arena League, but I refuse to talk about it, okay?)

That being the case, I’ve decided to have a little fun with the other big Packers-related news of the day: the casting of Robert De Niro as Vince Lombardi in the biopic of Lombardi’s life, “Lombardi.”

First, let’s talk about De Niro – excuse me, Robert F’in De Niro. Seriously, this is a brilliant bit of casting. Don’t focus so much on the fact that De Niro doesn’t really resemble Lombardi. Instead, focus on the fact that he’s a brilliant character actor who is a master at crawling inside the skin of the people he’s playing (’cause, you know, he’s Robert F’in De Niro and all). Plus, last time I checked, the hair and makeup people in Hollywood are pretty good at what they do, so I’m sure Bobby will look a lot like St. Vincent in the movie. And he is going to crush this role, make no mistake.

Close your eyes. Now, imagine the man who played Jake Freakin’ LaMotta saying the following line: “I have never been on a losing team, gentlemen, and I do not intend to start now.” Yeah – pretty sweet, right?

Also, I’ve heard some griping about the fact that ESPN Films is behind the project. Yes, that wing of the company has had its share of misses, but it’s also done well lately with its “30 for 30″ series. If you don’t believe me, check out the documentary on the University of Miami football program in the 1980s. That was insane.

The film – set to be released on the weekend between the conference title games and the Super Bowl in 2012 – does not have a director yet (some have suggested Martin Scorsese, but if you look at his schedule of upcoming films, I’m pretty sure he’s booked until five years after his death). But it does have a writer: Eric Roth, the man behind such great films as “Forrest Gump”, “The Insider”, “Munich” and “Ali”. And, as Frank Constanza once said, it’s all about the writing. With Roth and De Niro already in the fold, this thing is off to a great start. 

Once the news of this broke Tuesday afternoon, Packers fans were abuzz with casting ideas for the flick. Some were hilarious – the Brett Favre as Bart Starr idea killed me – while others made good, good sense. 

I have my own ideas, of course, and I’m going to offer them to the film’s producers right now, free of charge (big-time movie producers read Green Bay Packers blogs, right?). Remember, the film will chronicle Lombardi’s role in taking the Packers from losers to five-time World Champions, with an added focus on his rivalry with Tom Landry, so there are a handful of key roles to be cast.

Paul Hornung: “The Golden Boy,” known as much for his taste for the nightlife (women, booze and gambling, all parts of a balanced diet) as he was for his elite football skills. The actor playing this role has to be likeable and charming – Lombardi looked at Hornung like a son, remember, despite his flaws - but also has to be kind of a jerk, too. Doesn’t Bradley Cooper (”The Hangover”, “Wedding Crashers”) knock this role out of the park?

Bart Starr: Quiet, calm and steady – with a great heart - Starr was the unquestioned on-field leader of those great Packers teams. While he was the antithesis of Hornung, Starr was equally beloved by his head coach. The actor charged with playing Starr will have his hands full. He has to command every scene he’s in without saying much – a tough task, indeed. Some people will likely kill me for this one, but Matt Damon would be a near-perfect pick. He’s great in roles where he doesn’t have to say much (”The Bourne Identity” films, for example) and would be believable as a leader of men.

Tom Landry: While Lombardi was loud and boisterous, Landry was the exact opposite – reserved and quiet. Similar to Starr, the actor playing this role has to do a lot without saying much. He also has to be an actor of great notoriety, as an unknown actor going up against Robert F’in De Niro just will not cut it. Adam suggested Ed Harris and I have to agree. Think of how he was in “The Rock” – absolutely in charge and powerful, yet not overbearing at all. Great fit.

Ray Nitschke: The toughest S.O.B. to ever walk the Earth, Nitschke was feared by pretty much everyone (he’s been dead all these years and he STILL scares me). The actor who draws this assignment will have to be convincingly terrifying and tough – in other words, most actors need not apply. Despite being 48 years old, Woody Harrelson has a grit and toughness to his acting that would fit the role nicely (”Natural Born Killers,” anyone?). Again, the hair and makeup people can work some magic on making Harrelson look younger. Okay, so I might have borrowed this one from Adam, too, but when he’s right, he’s right.

Marie Lombardi: Come on now, you didn’t think we’d forget about the woman behind St. Vincent, did you? This actress has to be able to hold her own with Robert F’in De Niro, yet never overshadow him, so there should be a quiet nature there. How ’bout Jessica Lange? Not bad, right?

Max McGee: While this film is sure to be heavily dramatic, it will need some comic relief. That will come in the form of whoever gets to play the ever-lovable McGee (still can’t believe he’s gone). Skipping out on curfew the night before the biggest game of his life to go on a bender? What actor WOULDN’T want this role? He’ll have to lose weight and work on the hair, but there’s just something about Danny McBride that makes me think he’d do well here. And, for the love of God, if you haven’t seen “Eastbound and Down” yet, do it now.

Jerry Kramer: Finally, if the film indeed culminates with “The Ice Bowl”, as it has been suggested, they’ll have to get someone to play Kramer (plus, you know, he was a pretty key member of those teams). Shame Chris Farley is gone – he’d have been perfect casting. If you’ve seen “The Full Monty” (or the television show “Still Standing”), you’ll know who Mark Addy is. He’s a big guy and, like Kramer himself, he’s a funny dude. He’s British, but has done American accents well in the past.

And if they need someone to play a Packers blogger, I’ll toss my hat into the ring (they had blogs in the 60s, right?)

So, that rounds out my cast for “Lombardi.” What say you, Packers fans? Who would YOU put in the movie? Comment, baby, comment!

-Chris Lempesis

The deal is one-year for $3.3 million and takes Collins off [...]]]> Chris mentioned this morning he was hoping the Packers would take a serious look safety Ryan Clark before re-upped with the Steelers.  However, all may not be lost at the position as Nick Collins signed his restricted free agent tender today, according Journal-Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein.

The deal is one-year for $3.3 million and takes Collins off the free agent market.  The Packers previously placed the highest possible on Collins, a first and third-round draft pick compensation, so by signing the tender no team can come and offer Collins a deal anymore.  While it seemed unlikely that a team would give up that kind of compensation to sign Collins, crazier things have happened and it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibilities.

Signing the tender is news for three reasons.  First, many times restricted free agents will not sign the tender and use it as leverage for a new deal.  Secondly, Collins’ agent Alan Herman said today that signing the tender could be looked at as a good faith gesture and they are optimistic a long-term deal will be finalized soon.  And lastly, by signing the tender Collins now cannot holdout from mandatory offseason workouts and mini-camps.

“Based on the tender Nick received and based on Nick’s desire to stay with the Packers and to take part in the offseason program, which is something he really wanted to do, he elected to sign the tender,” Herman told Silverstein.  “Nick really likes it in Green Bay and wants to stay there.  Hopefully, this will help us finalize a deal as we move forward.”

Herman also stated that he doesn’t think that it shouldn’t be long before a deal is done, possibly in the coming weeks.  He probably is speaking the truth as it is hard to see Collins signing the tender if he didn’t think a long-term deal would be imminent.

There was no mention on what kind of terms each side are seeking in the new deal, but thanks to the Giants insanely giving Antrel Rolle $37 million over five years with $15 million guaranteed (I still believe Rolle has dirt on Coughlin), expect Collins’ deal to be around those numbers.  Every year free agents are overpaid, but that is just the nature of the business.

Not surprisingly Thompson has been quiet so far this offseason, only making news by re-signing Clifton.  However, just like last offseason when the biggest signing he could have made would be re-signing Greg Jennings, Thompson can make this year just as successful by signing Collins long-term.   Looks like that might be sooner than later.

-Adam Somers

Sure, you’ve cleared that Monday hurdle well enough – perhaps with some help of your fond memories from the past weekend – but now what do you have to look forward to? Those weekend memories (if you can remember what actually happened) fade quickly, leaving [...]]]> Let’s face it: Tuesday is the worst day of the week.

Sure, you’ve cleared that Monday hurdle well enough – perhaps with some help of your fond memories from the past weekend – but now what do you have to look forward to? Those weekend memories (if you can remember what actually happened) fade quickly, leaving you with two full days to get through before you can begin to get excited about the upcoming weekend.

That’s where we at OBOD come in.

We’re here with some Tuesday quick slants (copyright Adam Somers), a handful of interesting items that – hopefully – give you a little shot in the arm on this most dreadful of days.

Enjoy.

• Strong safety Ryan Clark re-upped with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday (four years, terms undisclosed). He was one player I thought Ted Thompson would take a serious look at. The Green Bay Packers are clearly trying to be Pittsburgh West and, with Atari Bigby oft-injured and up-and-down in his play, Clark would have been an upgrade. But, as we all know, Thompson won’t likely begin to look at signing anyone until later this week and Clark just didn’t make it that long.
• The Minnesota Vikings have finally signed someone…and it’s Rhys Lloyd, a kickoff specialist (guffawing over here). Ryan Longwell, as us Packers fans know, isn’t terribly great at booming kickoffs, so I guess Lloyd is an upgrade…I guess. He’s an alum of the University of Minnesota – as are Adam and I – so it’s unfortunate that we now have to turn on one of our own. But we are more than prepared to do it.
• The Vikings also could have some interest in LaDainian Tomlinson, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. They lost Chester Taylor to the Chicago Bears on Friday, so they have an opening for a third down/pass catching back. And, while LT brings some star power, he’s pretty much washed up and doesn’t scare me one bit as a Packers fan. Plus, is there a lockeroom big enough to contain the egos of LT and Judas? I’m not so sure.
• As you may or may not remember, I wrote a post during the season talking about which new jersey I might get. My A.J. Hawk one isn’t getting it done anymore, frankly, and I need an upgrade. I’ve since narrowed my list down to the final four: Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, B.J. Raji and Johnny Jolly. I’d get a Charles Woodson one, but I think Adam’s going to beat me to it. We already both have Hawk jerseys (happened completely by coincidence). If we both get Woody jerseys, we’ll look like idiots. I hope to have a decision made soon and any other suggestions are welcomed.
• Mike Holmgren has found his quarterback of the future. Okay, so he hasn’t, but he has traded for Seneca Wallace (the longtime backup in Seattle whom Holmgren coached for quite some time), according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Apparently the Brownies surrendered an undisclosed 2011 draft pick. If I was Derek Anderson, I’d be giving my realtor a call right about now.
• Man, I’m not sure how we forgot to mention this sooner, but the Packers cut defensive end Mike Montgomery and safety Matt Giordano on Friday. Montgomery, for some unknown reason, was kept around for five seasons, producing a grand total of almost nothing. Even though he was undersized at end in the 3-4, Green Bay actually re-signed him last offseason. He and his (alleged) score of eight on the Wonderlic test – with a score that low, can you even spell your name? – will not be missed. Giordano was signed early in the season after being cut by the Indianapolis Colts. While not around as long as Montgomery, he also produced nothing and won’t be missed. The two moves save Green Bay just under $2 million next season.
• We’ve got a new addition to our blogroll: PocketDoppler. It’s a site for fans of all things Wisconsin sports-related. It’s a very entertaining site and you should definitely check them out.
• Finally, if you’re wondering where Gene Bosling went to college, I’m more than happy to tell you: He went to the University of It’s None of Your Damn Business. Their football team stinks but the softball program is just awesome.

-Chris Lempesis

(Quick aside: We probably don’t give the GBPG guys their full due here often enough. They’re very good, as well.)

After looking at it, I have to say this [...]]]> On Monday, Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press Gazette ran an article breaking down the numbers on left tackle Chad Clifton’s three-year, $20 million contract, signed on Friday.

(Quick aside: We probably don’t give the GBPG guys their full due here often enough. They’re very good, as well.)

After looking at it, I have to say this was a very good deal for the Green Bay Packers.

As always, get ready to deal with a lot of numbers here, okay?

The only real guaranteed money given to Clifton comes in the form of a $6.375 million roster bonus, which he will receive Wednesday.

Now, take a look at his salaries for the three years of the deal:

• 2010 – $855,000
• 2011 – $5.75 million
• 2012 – $5.25 million

The rest of the deal is composed of playing time and workout-related bonuses:

• 2010-2012 – $250,000 each year that he participates in the team’s workout program which, of course, is strictly voluntary. As far as I know, at least recently, Clifton has been a part of this program.
• 2010 – $100,000 total if he’s on the active gameday roster each week (or $6,250 per week).
• 2011-2012 – $250,000 total if he’s on the active gameday roster each week (or $15,625 per week).

Here, then, are Clifton’s cap numbers for the duration of the contract (if he hits all the various incentives, of course):

• 2010 – $7.580 million
• 2011 – $6.250 million
• 2012 – $5.750 million

Again, though, that’s only if he hits all the incentives. Clifton is almost a lock to miss at least a few games every year, so you can bring those cap numbers down a bit.

And, as I said Friday, there is pretty much no way Clifton sees the last year of this deal. He’ll be 34 by the time this season starts and my best guess is that this is, in reality, a two-year contract whether there’s a work stoppage in 2011 or not. That said, you can basically lop off all the money due Clifton in 2012. That makes it a two year contract worth a maximum of $13.83 million.

Also, Ted Thompson and chief negotiator Russ Ball did exactly what I thought they would. They frontloaded the hell out of the deal, choosing to pay Clifton the most money in the year that happens to be uncapped. Even if he completely breaks down physically – or gets beaten out at some point by the team’s No. 1 draft choice, Charles Brown (fingers crossed that Brown is the pick) – Green Bay is off the hook for most of the money. So the Packers could still cut Clifton after this season and not take much of a cap hit at all.

Finally, when you consider that Clifton made $6.37 million last season, his cap number for this season isn’t bad at all. An extra $1.2 million for a solid veteran who plays a crucial position (also one where Green Bay would have been left with nothing had he signed somewhere else) is not that much at all.

Nice work, Ted and Russ. Now if you guys would just pick up the phone and call Nick Collins’ people, we’d all feel a hell of a lot better.

-Chris Lempesis

(Okay, maybe we haven’t “covered the hell” out of it. But we’ve been good….solid….decent. Yeah, let’s stick with that – decent.)

But what about the rest of the NFL? [...]]]> So far, we at OBOD have covered the hell out of free agency as it relates to the Green Bay Packers and the rest of the NFC North.

(Okay, maybe we haven’t “covered the hell” out of it. But we’ve been good….solid….decent. Yeah, let’s stick with that – decent.)

But what about the rest of the NFL? After all, there has been activity outside of the division and, with it being Monday morning and all, it seems like a good time to expand our horizons and look at some of the other notable moves made. Some of these, of course, have Packers-related repercussions and we’ll mention them, as needed.

1. Cardinals taking big steps back – After watching Kurt Warner retire awhile back, the Cardinals lost three more key players this past weekend. Arizona finally rid themselves of Anquan Boldin, trading the somewhat malcontent receiver and a fifth round pick this year to the Baltimore Ravens for third and fourth round picks this year. Boldin might have been a pain in the butt, but he’s also an elite talent who is as tough as they come. Steve Breaston is decent, but Boldin he is absolutely not (love this move for the Ravens, by the way, as Boldin finally gives them the big-time wideout they seemingly have never had). Another big loss comes in the form of middle linebacker Karlos Dansby – I remember seeing him do something big a couple of months ago, but I can’t remember what - signing with the Miami Dolphins (five years, $43 million with $22 mil guaranteed). Dansby, while not an elite ‘backer, is very good and was a great fit for that defense. The Cards also lost safety Antrel Rolle to the New York Giants (five years, $37 million with $15 mil guaranteed, more on that in a bit). It’s true that they replaced Rolle by trading a fourth round pick this year and a seventh next year to the New York Jets for safety Kerry Rhodes and that Rhodes is a good player. But Rolle was on the up and knew this scheme. It will take Rhodes time to learn it. Those moves, combined with Matt “Chubby Girls and Beer Bongs” Leinart now at quarterback, lead me to believe the NFC West is an open race. Well, unless you’re the Rams.
2. The champs also appear to be losing some steam – The New Orleans Saints were dealt a considerable blow on defense as linebacker Scott Fujita signed a three year, $14 million deal with the Cleveland Browns. Fujita, while not a great player, was a very solid presence, both on and off the field. Things could get even worse if safety Darren Sharper bolts for another team (the Miami Dolphins, perhaps?). Sharper is 34, but is coming off of one of his best seasons yet and could still be a very good player for at least another year or two as he is a great fit in Gregg Williams’ scheme. The Saints seem to be making a push to get Sharper back, but they need to do more. If he leaves, that defense isn’t as good and they could go back to where they were a couple of years ago (i.e., a .500 team that wins eight games 45-41 and loses eight games by that same score). Right now, the Cards are definitely not as good as they were last year and the Saints could be heading that way, opening the door for other NFC teams….like maybe the Packers?
3. Two contracts shed a light on how much the Packers will have to pay Collins and Pickett – If you thought Nick Collins was going to want big-time dough before, you have to think that tenfold now when you see the deal Rolle got – the richest ever for a safety. In two years of playing free safety – he’d been a corner, previously – Rolle recorded 139 tackles, five interceptions, 13 passes defended and 1.5 sacks (with a Pro Bowl appearance in 2009). Collins, over the past two years – playing in two different schemes – recorded 104 tackles, 13 interceptions, 28 passes defended and one sack (with two Pro Bowl appearances). Collins pretty much crushes Rolle in the key playmaking categories and, as a result, you have to think he will want much more than Rolle got. If Rolle is getting an average of over $7 million per, Collins likely will aim for the $8-$10 million-a-year range and, at this point, it’s hard to blame him. Thanks, New York. As for Ryan Pickett, you can now use the contract given to New England’s Vince Wilfork - five years, $40 million with $25 million in guaranteed money - as a barometer of sorts. Age-wise, the two are fairly similar (Pickett turns 31 in October while Wilfork turns 29 in November). And while Pickett is not in the same class as Wilfork, a truly elite 3-4 nose tackle, he’s not that far off and provides great value to Green Bay’s defense. If Wilfork got an average of $8 million per, it’s likely going to take $5 or $6 million on average to lock up Pickett.
4. Cromartie deal not a slam dunk for the Jets – Many seem to be applauding the New York Jets for trading a third round pick in next year’s draft to San Diego for cornerback Antonio Cromartie. Those people have said that Cromartie’s pairing with Darrelle Revis (the second best corner in the game) gives the Jets the best corner tandem in football. While I disagree with them on that - Charles Woodson and Al Harris/Tramon Williams, anyone? – I’ll stick to the trade in this post. Here’s what Cromartie is: A guy who had one truly amazing season (2007, in which he recorded 10 picks) and two average ones since (five picks of the past two years combined). He’s also still griping about a new contract – even though he’s only been decent as of late – and has fathered seven children in five different states. I know Rex Ryan has a devil-may-care attitude about players with questionable character, just like his old man, but I also know that you don’t see too many Antonio Cromarties on championship teams. So glad the Packers didn’t pursue this guy.
5. Bad trends building for Big Ben – Okay, so this one doesn’t have anything to do with free agency. But the accusations of sexual assault against Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in Georgia was one of the biggest NFL stories of the weekend. Now I have no idea whether or not the guy is guilty or not. In the end, that’s not up to me to decide, anyways. What I do know, though, is that a nasty trend is forming with him. This is the second time such accusations have been lobbed his way, remember. He beat the criminal charges, stemming from an incident in Nevada awhile back, and he may well beat these. But leaders – true leaders – simply do not put themselves in these spots. Can you ever see Joe Montana allowing himself to be put in such a spot in a million years? Or even a guy like Aaron Rodgers? Not a chance in hell. Sure, he’s won two Super Bowls and he’ll never have to pay for a drink in Pittsburgh again. But if you want to be truly great, Ben, and not be remembered simply as “the guy who kept getting accused of sexual assault”, you must stop allowing yourself to get caught in these situations. Okay, I’ll jump off my soapbox now.

-Chris Lempesis

Now, with the weekend drawing to an end, it seemed like a good time to provide an updated look (and, as always, give some thoughts on it all). After all, it’s hard [...]]]> Friday morning, I provided a brief look at what the other three NFC North teams had been doing in free agency up to that point.

Now, with the weekend drawing to an end, it seemed like a good time to provide an updated look (and, as always, give some thoughts on it all). After all, it’s hard to find a division that was busier than the NFC North.

Chicago Bears - In terms of activity and dollars spent, the Bears have been the unquestioned kings of free agency thus far. On Friday alone, they dished out roughly $121 million to three players: defensive end Julius Peppers (six years, $91 million with $42 million in guaranteed money), running back Chester Taylor (four years, $12.5 million with $7 million in guaranteed money) and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna (five years, $17 million with $6 million in guaranteed money).

When you consider just how much pressure is on general manager Jerry Angelo and head coach Lovie Smith to win – and win now – the highly active approach was likely necessary (especially when you consider Chicago doesn’t pick until the third round this year).

If I’m a Bears fan (thank God I’m not), I like the Taylor and Manumaleuna signings. Taylor turns 31 in September, yes, but he’s only had season in which he carried the ball over 200 times (2006, when he ran for 1,216 yards in his first year in Minnesota). He’s got much more tread left on his tires than the average back that age. His role declined in Minnesota after 2006 due to the presence of that Peterson fella, but he’s still a crafty, tough runner who brings extra value as a pass catcher. Matt Forte is just not a No. 1 back and the Bears, as a team, were 29th in rushing yards per game last season (a paltry 93.3). Taylor will boost that number.

Manumaleuna – hate typing that name already – is a pure blocking tight end at 295 pounds. He should help in protecting Jay Cutler as he’s basically an offensive lineman. Plus, the Bears can now look into trading Greg Olson or Desmond Clark for added draft picks as new offensive coordinator Mike Martz really doesn’t use the tight end all that much.

If I’m a Bears fan (again, thank God I’m not), I’m not on board with the Peppers signing. Sure, he’s a freak of nature, physically, and can take over games. But those things only happen when HE wants them to and far too often, Peppers just doesn’t want them to. He takes plays/games/seasons off. Now that he’s paid in full, something he’s wanted for a long time, you have to wonder if “Bad Peppers” shows up even more now.

I kind of get why the Bears did it – their secondary stinks and Brian Urlacher’s body is breaking down, leaving Lance Briggs as their only real player in the final two levels of the defense. They’re hoping Peppers’ presence can cover for some of those weaknesses. I’m just not on board with it if I’m a fan. As a Packers fan, here’s how I know the Bears made a bad move: When the Vikings got Jared Allen, I thought, “Oh, no – this guy dominates week in and week out.” When Peppers signed Friday, I thought, “Eh, that guy only shows up about half the time, anyways, and they STILL gave him $42 million in guaranteed money.” See the difference?

Detroit Lions - The Lions have been almost as busy as the Bears. They’ve signed defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch (four years, $26 million) and wide receiver Nate Burleson (five years, $25 million with $11 million in guaranteed money) and also traded for defensive tackle Corey Williams and cornerback Chris Houston.

In my Friday morning post, I pretty much bashed Detroit for these moves – it just traded for Houston on Sunday afternoon – although I did like the Vanden Bosch signing. After I stood back and looked at it, though, I have to say I think the Lions, shockingly, did a decent job here.

Detroit needed to upgrade its defensive line in a major way; Cliff Avril led the team in sacks last season with just 5.5. Vanden Bosch, as I said Friday, is not the player he once was. But he’s still a hard-working player who you have to account for. Williams was a major flop in Cleveland as he was never cut out to be a 3-4 end. He’ll move back to tackle now, though, where he had seven sacks in each of his last two years in Green Bay. If Jim Schwartz can keep him motivated and get him in a rotation, he’ll provide a boost. With those two – and, say, Gerald McCoy, who we have them taking in our latest mock draft – the Lions will get to the quarterback much more this season.

Detroit clearly overpaid for Burleson, but he did have 63 catches for 812 yards for Seattle last year, so he’ll be a major upgrade over Bryant Johnson and take some heat off Calvin Johnson. Houston never lived up to his second-round pick status in Atlanta, but he still has some talent. And considering all Detroit gave up was a sixth round pick – plus swapping fifth rounders with the Falcons – Houston isn’t much of a gamble.

Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings have been very quiet thus far. A lot of that is likely due to the fact that, as one of the final four teams in the playoffs, Minnesota can’t sign any restricted free agents and can only sign unrestricted ones if it loses one of its own (plus, the first-year salaries on the two players have to match up).

Well, the Vikings have two openings now as they lost Taylor on Friday and guard/tackle Artis Hicks on Sunday (signed a three-year contract with the Washington Redskins). While they still have Peterson, Taylor’s loss leaves a big hole. He was so good as a third down back/pass catcher. Peterson can probably take over the third down role, but he is not a pass catcher. Plus, if he gets hurt, Minnesota basically now has no one behind him. The Vikings will need to address that situation soon.

Hicks, while primarily a backup, provided great depth because of his versatility. Like Taylor, his departure leaves Minnesota thin in the event something happens to a starting o-lineman. Last season, Taylor made $3.1 million and Hicks made just under $1 million, so the Vikings should be able to find decent players at those positions for those prices. But, surprisingly, there seems to be no sense of urgency coming from the organization. The Vikings don’t seem to even have any interest in anyone. Perhaps someone should tell them they were just one bad Judas pass away from a possible trip to the Super Bowl.

Wait, we’re Packers fans – nevermind. Nobody say anything.

-Chris Lempesis

Cancel those travel plans.

The Jaguars announced this morning that they have signed the former Packer defensive end/linebacker, contract length and terms undisclosed as of yet.  There is no doubt Kampman got [...]]]> As Chris posted yesterday, Aaron Kampman was visiting with the brass of Jacksonville and was rumored to be have other teams interested in his services.

Cancel those travel plans.

The Jaguars announced this morning that they have signed the former Packer defensive end/linebacker, contract length and terms undisclosed as of yet.  There is no doubt Kampman got paid handsomely, but it will be interesting to see how long this deal is.  He’ 30 years old and coming off knee surgery, but it would surprise me if the deal was of the five year variety as Jacksonville ranked last in the NFL with 14 sacks last year.  Kampman will be in his familiar spot of defensive end in the 4-3 scheme.

(Update, 7:05 p.m. Sunday: Michael C. Wright of The Florida Times-Union reports, via his Twitter page, that Kampman received a four-year, $26 million contract with $11 million guaranteed.)

So what does this mean for the Packers?  On the field, not a whole lot.  The writing was on the wall since mid-season, if not earlier, that it would be Kampman’s last year in Green Bay.  He never fit in the 3-4 scheme and the transition to linebacker never worked.  When he went down for the season against San Fransisco, the defense actually started to take off with Brad Jones stepping in.  Expect Jones to have the inside track to start again in 2010, unless someone takes the position away from him.  While he showed some flaws, his overall production and potential is too hard to ignore.  So the Packers will be fine without Kampman on the field.

Off the field?  Now that’s a different story.  There has been no question that Kampman has been one of the leaders in the locker room for years.  He never showed any dissatisfaction until last year when the team made the switch to a 3-4 and it was obvious  he would be the one guy who be out of place.  He also was a fan favorite and him and his family are involved in many projects in the community, so Green Bay loses a great citizen as well.

Interesting of note, Kampman now joins former high school teammate Brad Meester, who plays center for Jacksonville.  As you recall, Kampman played under the late Ed Thomas at Aplington-Parkersburg High School in Iowa.

Tough to see a guy like Kampman leave the Packers as he should have some productive years left if he recovers fully from last year’s injury, but this was far from unexpected.  He never fit in a 3-4 scheme and this might as well be his last contract in the NFL, so when you have a chance to get paid, you have to take it.

As always, stay tuned to OBOD as we will keep you updated on the last free agency news and all the big moves Teddy is sure to pull.

-Adam Somers

After waiting a bit – and making some plans before breaking them – Aaron Kampman is finally putting himself out there for other teams.

Kampman visited with the Jacksonville Jaguars today, according to The Florida Times-Union. Friday, Kampman was all set to visit with the Philadelphia Eagles, although he apparently had a change of [...]]]> Saturday, 4:45 p.m.

After waiting a bit – and making some plans before breaking them – Aaron Kampman is finally putting himself out there for other teams.

Kampman visited with the Jacksonville Jaguars today, according to The Florida Times-Union. Friday, Kampman was all set to visit with the Philadelphia Eagles, although he apparently had a change of heart before making his trip.

The Eagles remain a team in play for his services, though, as do Seattle and Tampa Bay (I thought Detroit would make a run, but it signed Kyle Vanden Bosch on Friday instead). It should be noted that all four teams run a 4-3 scheme. As I’ve said before, this is the scheme Kampman wants to get back to as he likely has absolutely no interest in returning to the 3-4 that the Packers run.

Now that the initial wave of big signings has died down, the hunt for Kampman should heat up. I expect he’ll sign somewhere by Monday or Tuesday at the latest – and I don’t expect that signing to take place in Green Bay.

The interesting news on Mark Tauscher is that, well, there is apparently no news. There have been no real rumors of teams showing interest in him, including the Packers. I can’t figure out why, though. Yes, he’ll turn 33 before the season starts. But he was so valuable to Green Bay last season and I can’t imagine that every one of the 31 other NFL teams is set at that position – or, at the very least, couldn’t use an upgrade.

Tauscher is probably in the second-or-third wave of free agents, and things could very well heat up for him sometime around the middle of next week. By next weekend, he should have found himself a team to play for.

Again, I don’t expect that team to be the Packers.

-Chris Lempesis

For pretty much the entire afternoon today, it was sort of looking grim if you are a fan of the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay’s starting left tackle, Chad Clifton, was visiting with the Washington Redskins. The ‘Skins need a left tackle and have an owner (Daniel Snyder) who loves to overpay for aging [...]]]> Friday, 11:50 p.m.

For pretty much the entire afternoon today, it was sort of looking grim if you are a fan of the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay’s starting left tackle, Chad Clifton, was visiting with the Washington Redskins. The ‘Skins need a left tackle and have an owner (Daniel Snyder) who loves to overpay for aging veterans on the open market. Add to that the fact that Clifton and agent Jimmy Sexton had already balked at the Packers’ offer of $5 million a year and you had a scenario where Green Bay was surely set to lose the man who had owned the left tackle spot for more than a decade.

Plus, the Chicago Bears had just landed prized defensive end Julius Peppers (six years, $91 million with $42 million in guaranteed dough) and the Detroit Lions snagged end Kyle Vanden Bosch (four years, $26 million). Combine that with Jared Allen’s irritating presence in Minnesota and Green Bay was staring down the barrel at the following scenario: Six divisional games in 2010 against solid-to-All Pro-level pass rushers with, as of earlier today, no real left tackle to speak of.

My how quickly things change.

Clifton will indeed be returning to Green Bay, signing a three-year, $20 million contract ($7.5 million guaranteed) tonight. There are a few different layers to this story and I’ll attempt to cover them all now.

First: Did the Packers overpay for Clifton?

Yes and no. They did in the sense that three years is a lot for a soon-to-be 34 year old player who is likely breaking down physically. That $20 million overall figure is also a bit hard to swallow. They did not overpay in the sense that, well, they kind of needed him. T.J. Lang is just not a left tackle. They could draft a rookie in the first round (I still think they will, by the way), but sending a rookie out there right away against those guys – plus any other top-notch pass rushers they may face – could spell disaster. They could have handed over first-and-third round picks, plus a contract in the neighborhood of $60 million, to someone like San Diego’s Marcus McNeill. Personally, I’d have gone for this last option, but handing over picks like that just isn’t Ted Thompson’s style. Instead, Thompson saw the lay of the land brought on by the Peppers/Vanden Bosch signings and decided to go with the devil he knew. He showed some flexibility – not normally his strong suit – with this move and you have to credit him for that.

As for the money, don’t panic too much. I’m sure Thompson, as usual, front loaded the hell out of the deal, meaning it’s likely closer to a one-or-two year contract. Everyone, Clifton included, knows Clifton will not see the third year of this contract.

Secondly: What does this mean for Mark Tauscher?

As beloved as the homegrown Tauscher is by us Packers fans, this move likely brings his time in Green Bay to an end. I’ve always been of the belief that Thompson would bring back just one of the two tackles. I believe that even more now, given the amount of money paid to Clifton. I just don’t see a scenario in which Thompson pays starter money to two players in the same position group who are over the age of 32.

Yes, Tauscher was nothing short of outstanding and, as I’ve said before, you can make the case that he was the savior for the offense last season. I’m not against his return, personally. But, from Thompson’s perspective, the team already has a young player (Lang) whom they are clearly in love with and whom they feel can play that position next season. They’ve also spent a lot of time on Allen Barbre and Breno Giacomini. Barbre is likely nothing, but Giacomini could have some potential, meaning that there are at least two possible options at RT going forward. My guess is that Thompson wants to find out – much sooner rather than later – if any of these three can be the longterm option there.

That brings us to this: What kind of impact does Clifton’s re-signing have on the team’s draft plans?

It doesn’t have one - or, at least, it shouldn’t. Even with Clifton coming back, and the stability it provides, you can pretty much bank on him suffering an injury or two and missing anywhere between two and five games next season. And, as I said before, he is breaking down physically so there’s always that chance that he misses even more games than that. The team needs a suitable backup option, one who would also be ready to take over the reigns in the not-too-distant future.

The best way to find a left tackle like that? Take one in the first round. In the latest OBOD mock draft, for example, we have the Packers taking USC tackle Charles Brown. At under 300 pounds, Brown needs time to put weight on and get acclimated to the pro game. But he doesn’t need THAT much time. He’d be ready by 2011, if not sometime during this upcoming season. And if Clifton, as expected, has to miss time this season, a player like Brown would likely be able to hold down the fort for a stretch or two on pure talent alone (hey, anyone’s better than Daryn Colledge at LT, right?).

People accuse Thompson of not setting up the o-line for the long term and, for the most part, they’re right to do so. He can start amending that now. He’s got the first part right; now he just needs to finish it.

Okay, final question: What should we expect the o-line to look like next season?

The starters, from left to right, will likely be Clifton, the winner of the Jason Spitz/Colledge battle, Scott Wells, Josh Sitton and Lang. The backups are likely the loser of the Spitz/Colledge battle, Evan Dietritch-Smith, Barbre, Giacomini and (hopefully) the player Green Bay takes in the first round.

How much better is that line than the one that allowed the most sacks in the league last season? If Clifton holds up (or the rookie does well if forced into duty) and Lang is a player (like I think he will be), the line should be better overall. We won’t know the answer to that for some time, obviously.

But for now we can all breathe a little easier as Clifton’s return provides some definite insurance at a position that suddenly became a hell of a lot more important for the Packers on Friday than it was on Thursday.

-Chris Lempesis

Well, cancel those plans for the search for “Green Bay’s Next Left Tackle.”

Chad Clifton, shockingly, will be back.

Within the past hour, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported via his Twitter page that Clifton has re-upped with the Packers. The deal is reportedly for three years and $20 million (exactly what Clifton was said to [...]]]> Friday, 7:25 p.m. Lambeau Time

Well, cancel those plans for the search for “Green Bay’s Next Left Tackle.”

Chad Clifton, shockingly, will be back.

Within the past hour, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported via his Twitter page that Clifton has re-upped with the Packers. The deal is reportedly for three years and $20 million (exactly what Clifton was said to be looking for), with $7.5 million coming in guaranteed money.

Clifton visited with the Washington Redskins earlier today and his departure from Green Bay seemed all but assured. Did the Packers overpay to retain him? What does this mean for the rest of the offensive line? I’ll attempt to answer those questions very shortly (working on the post as you read this).

For now, I’ll just say this: On a day when the Bears locked up Julius Peppers and the Lions snagged Kyle Vanden Bosch (and we can’t forget that crazy hillbilly that plays in Minnesota), it is good to know the Pack will have at least a semblance of reliability at a most crucial position.

-Chris Lempesis