Playing catch-up...

It's been a few days.

Here are the updates:

1) Collins and Pickett get the long term deals they were looking for. (4-years apiece I believe)
2) Tauscher signs a 3-year deal.

My thoughts:
1) Good and it is about time. They have been nothing but solid since their arrival in Green Bay and the team couldn't expect to be better without them. There is no one better readily available at either position.  I see Collins being quite good throughout his career, and Pickett transitioning to #2 NT behind Raji over the course of the coming year.

2) I feel this is the smartest move the Packers can make at this point.  Things got better when Tauscher came back. Despite his age, he is coming off of knee surgery, and typically, a player plays better their second season after the surgery. So, a quick run-down of the current state and why re-signing Tauscher is the best decision:

    a) There are arguably no better free agents at the RT position.
    b) The alternatives are to trust players from our current roster to step up, or rely on a rookie.
    c) Tauscher will be further removed from surgery.

So, there aren't any better, more readily available options. Last year showed us that guys we thought were ready, were not. T. J. Lang has shown some promise, but he was our only healthy and capable backup last year.  He may eventually fill the shoes of the RT spot (I'd prefer to try him at center as many scouting reports pre-draft said he would be capable of), but for now, I don't think there is any good argument for not re-signing Tauscher. We now get to go into the new season, with everyone back except for Kampman (where Jones filled in quite well, considering he was a 7th round pick). So in theory, our offensive line should be the same, or slightly better than the end of 2009.  We get Spitz back, and everyone healthy. Unfortunately, all three of our division rivals now possess equal or better defensive lines than last year.  It's a good start, and the starting point we need going into the draft.  We still need to find our future linemen, but the Pack has done the right thing thus far.

From here, and I know I sound like a broken record, but try to swing a deal with the Saints for Jermon Bushrod.  He wasn't absolutely stellar last year, but he filled in at LT well enough to help the Saints to the Super Bowl.  That has to count for something.  He is young, and experienced.  If I were Ted, I'd offer the Saints something like a conditional 3rd rounder in the 2011 draft based on Bushrod's playing time.  If he plays enough, they get our 2nd rounder.  This preserves all of our picks in this years supposedly deep draft class, gives us an instant depth upgrade and possibly our future LT, gives the Saints something since they have a rare excess of young tackles, and gives Bushrod a much brighter future as Clifton has been injured a bit more lately and he doesn't have to wait behind a 28 year old, two-time Pro-Bowler (Jammal Brown).

The above move would help keep the temptation of reaching due to need out of the upcoming draft. I still think it would be a great idea to draft an OT if one of the first-round type of guys is available at number 23 and no one else has really dropped. But I think it would be far better going into the season feeling as though we have some capable depth and a team ready for the future.

As for other guys from the draft I'd love to see in green and gold, three other players are standing out in my mind during mid rounds.  Eric Decker, WR, Minnesota, and Jordan Shippley, WR, Texas.  I know we have some good depth at receiver, but Driver is unfortunately aging a bit, and you can't continue to expect him to go over the middle and sacrifice his body as much as he used to. Decker and Shippley are not really speed demons, but they are excellent route runners and show no fear going over the middle.  Combine that type of receiver with Jennings and Finely and the rest of our WR corp, and you're going to really give defenses a hard time for the next few years. Either one could be available in the third round and would be worth serious consideration.  The other guy that really comes to mind is Myron Rolle.  I still really like Bigby, but he hasn't been very durable.  Getting a guy like Rolle, in say, the fourth round, would be great because he needs a little time to get into football shape (which he'd have behind Bigby), and he's incredibly smart (which is extremely important in a 3-4). In time, it could develop into a nice rotation between he and Bigby, with Rolle playing more passing downs, and Bigby playing the run downs. 

As for guys I don't want to see the Packers take, there aren't too many.  Bruce Campbell jumps to mind.  He's a workout warrior and a great athlete.  He could stand to put on a few pounds if he wants to play tackle at the pro level.  But, his smaller size and athleticism may draw the Packers toward him with their zone-blocking scheme.  I would like to have this guy on the team and I think he would be able to fill in, but after seeing some tape on him, I just feel his chances of becoming an elite, franchise LT are slimmer than those of some of the other projected first round LTs.

How about you guys? Anyone out there you would love to see in green and gold?  How about some names you don't think would be a good fit?

A few thoughts on possible moves at this point

After the first big weekend of free agency, the Packers roster is as predicted.  Clifton re-signed and Kampman gone.

The positions of need for the Packers I would argue are OT, OLB, CB/S, RB, and any other OL.

For OT, I still would love to see some sort of deal made for OT Jermon Bushrod from the Saints.  He stepped in last year for the full year and played well enough to help his team to a Super Bowl.  They only have a second-round tender on him and it has been rumored the Saints are willing to part ways with one of their three RFA OT's. I think he could be gotten for maybe less than a second rounder. I feel it would be worth even a second round pick to get a young, capable, potential LT. He could back up Clifton and it would be no worse than what he is doing in Baltimore, with a greater potential to play and eventually start.  I would also resign Tauscher and look to draft an OT as well.

At OLB in a 3-4 defense, there isn't really anyone worth it in free agency.  This will have to come through the draft.

CB/S is interesting because of the amount of returning players. Lee and Blackmon could do well in the new system.  It wouldn't hurt to draft one as well though.  There just isn't anyone worth the price in free agency(see A. Rolle).

I don't feel RB is as big of an issue because I feel Grant is pretty durable and capable of handling another good season.  But if he were to go down for an extended period of time, I don't feel comfortable with Jackson as an every down back.  I think acquiring a veteran free agent here would be better than spending a draft pick on any of this year's backs unless someone really slips.

Any other OL would be great in the draft.  We could use the depth.

It wouldn't hurt to get some DE depth either.  Maybe a late round project? Maybe, just maybe, Harrell contributes? That would be ideal since he is already on the roster.

Let the madness begin

First off, I would just like to reiterate that it was a terrible mistake not getting our three UFA inked prior to today.  All hope is not entirely lost however.  All three could still be back with the Packers.  Now that they've hit the market, I don't see that as the case though. I know Ted does not like to spend anything on linemen which is a poor choice considering that football begins at the line.  I honestly think it is time for the Packers to scrap the zone blocking scheme all together.  In theory, with the right coaching, it is a good system.  I believe the reason it was successful in the first place was Jeff Jagodzinski.  He learned how to coach it from the master, Alex Gibbs. Since he left, the line has never looked as good.  That being said, I would say it is time to move on, and get some high quality offensive lineman.  Maybe that is the plan.  Who knows?

As for free agents (restricted and not), I think the Packers should take a good long look at Jermon Bushrod of the New Orleans Saints.  He is a RFA with a second round tender.  New Orleans is one of very few teams to have enough tackles on their roster.  Bushrod played well for the Saints this year, and only got better with each game.  If you look up news about him, it is littered with teammates comments about how hard of a worker and a good guy he is.  Seems like a good fit in Green Bay.  He's got experience playing left tackle and is still quite young at 25 years old.  The Saints drafted him in the fourth round and despite having a second round tender, could probably be whisked away for something along the lines of a conditional 2011 third round pick that could turn into a second rounder based on playing time.  It would keep us sitting well with our picks this year and I think he has a huge upside and would come at the right price.  I would still look for more help in the draft, but it would give us a starting point.

Another guy I would like to see would be Willie Parker.  There's LT too, but that's probably too big of a name for Ted.  We need a change of pace from Grant, and while Jackson is coming around, I don't know that he is ready to be an every down back.  Parker and LT may not be the speed demons they once were, but using them on a limited basis might really pay off.  I'm sure both would like to come to a contender.

A final note, there are a couple of good return men out there in Rock Cartwright and Leon Washington.  Cartwright is an UFA and Washington a RFA.  Cartwright might be a good deal and would provide insurance in case Blackmon suffers any setbacks.