Sunday, April 27, 2008

Green Bay Packers Draft and free agent signings

At the end of the two days, the Packers' haul looks like this

Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas State
Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
Patrick Lee, CB, Auburn
Jermichael Finley, TE, Texas
Jeremy Thompson, DE, Wake Forest (who is apparently the brother of Packers tackle Orrin Thompson)
Josh Sitton, G/T, University of Central Florida
Breno Giacomini, T, Louisville
Matt Flynn, QB, LSU
Brett Swain, WR, San Diego State

Seven of our nine draftees were on the offensive side. Larry McCarren, while hosting a draft special asked Coach Mike McCarthy about it and he said "It's about time."

McCarren noted that McCarthy is known as a quarterbacks guru and wanted to know what McCarthy had to say about the quarterbacks Green Bay drafted.

Brohm: very consistant. He's a guy that does everything well. I like the way he plays in the pocket. I think he'll fit very well in our 1 back schemes.

Flynn: He's a winner. He's a national champion. He did a very good job managing the offensive. It's a wide open offense with run and shoot and gadget plays and he managed it very well. He's very sound fundamentally. We had him rated a lot higher than we drafted him.


And just for stats sake, here's the Packers' pick breakdown:

1 30 Traded to Jets for New York's picks in rounds 2 (36) and 4 (113)
2 36 Jordy Nelson (Acquired from Jets)
2 56 Brian Brohm (Acquired from Browns for defensive tackle Corey Williams).
2 60 Patrick Lee
3 91 Jermichael Finley
4 102 Jeremy Thompson (Acquired from Jets for Green Bay's picks in rounds 4 (113) and 5 (162)).
4 113 Traded to Jets along with pick 162 overall for New York's pick in round 4 (102).
4 128 Traded to Rams for St. Louis' picks in rounds 5 (137) and 7 (217)).
4 135 Josh Sitton (Compensatory pick)
5 137 Acquired from Rams; Traded to Vikings for Minnesota's picks in rounds 5 (150) and 7 (209).
5 150 Breno Giacomini (Acquired from Vikings)
5 162 Traded to Jets along with pick 113 overall for New York's pick in round 4 (102).
6 194 Traded to Giants in 2007 for running back Ryan Grant
7 209 Matt Flynn (Acquired from Vikings)
7 217 Brett Swain (Acquired from Rams)
7 237 Traded to Saints for sixth-round pick in '09


Post draft, we also signed some guys as free agents (all information from the Journal Sentinel Packers blog):

*Wisconsin punter Ken Debauche has agreed to terms on a free-agent contract with the Packers, according to Journal Sentinel Badgers beat writer Mark Stewart. He averaged 42.5 yards, which ranks second all-time at Wisconsin. Only 115 of 231 attempts were returned. Can also on placekicks.

*Northwest Missouri St. tight end Mike Peterson agreed to a contract with the Packers as an undrafted free agent, according to a source. Peterson, who will be 26 in November, is 6-foot-2 and 247 pounds. Could play fullback and/or H-back. A high school running back that graduated in 2001, he played baseball in junior college before quitting to go to work at a lumberyard and shipyard. He then decided to walk on at Division II Northwest Missouri State after five years away from the game. Has good athleticism but might fill more of an H-back role because of his height. Had 38 catches for 536 yards and five touchdowns as a senior. Drew interest from 10 teams that sought to sign him after the draft

*Undrafted free agent J.J. Jansen of Notre Dame agreed to a free-agent contract with the Packers, according to his agent Paul Sheehy. Took over at long snapper for the Irish midway through the 2005 season and has never had a botched snap on any of his 300-odd attempts between punts and field goals. After the retirement of veteran Rob Davis, free-agent Thomas Gafford is the only long snapper on the Packers' roster.


  • LB Danny Lansanah, UConn: 6-foot and 243 pounds. Ran a 4.72 40-yard dash...After totaling 202 tackles, five sacks and six interceptions his first three seasons, had 121 tackles (14 for losses) in 13 games as a senior with two sacks and four interceptions....Known to have good instincts and is aggressive although he lacks top speed....Had a pre-draft visit with the Packers....22 years old....Packers were very interested in him because they signed him right after the draft.....Projected as an inside linebacker...All Big East first-team choice.
  • RB Kregg Lumpkin, Georgia: 5-foot-11.5 and 242 pounds...Ran a 4.64 in the 40 at the combine. Sat out the 2004 season after tearing the ACL in his left knee, and he missed much of his senior year because of a broken right thumb (two games) and a torn lateral meniscus and sprained posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee (four games).....Was always in a rotation or stuck behind Knowshon Moreno and Thomas Brown...Played in just six games as a senior and rushed 12 times for 44 yards after carrying 162 times for 798 yards and six touchdowns as a junior....Tough to take down but doesn't have great speed and has durability issues.
  • WR Taj Smith, Syracuse: 6-foot-0 3/8ths and 187 pounds. Ran a 4.58 40....Set the school record at Bakersfield Community College with 53 receptions in 2005. He enrolled at Syracuse in 2006 and had season ended after four games with a collarbone injury. Smith started all 12 games of the 2007 season finishing with 44 catches, 822 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. Turned pro with one year of eligibility remaining...Will turn 25 in September...Has great vision and is good after the catch....Reportedly has character issues stemming from high school and junior college.

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