Morning Buzz: Turning self-scouting up a notch
Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com. Grab a strong cup of coffee and get caught up on everything you need to know about the Packers.
We start with Pete Dougherty’s latest, a smart look at the likely reasoning behind Packers general manager Ted Thompson allowing so many players to leave in free agency.
Ted Thompson has acknowledged the shortage of explosive players on the Green Bay Packers’ defense.
Not in anything the team’s general manager has said. That isn’t how to judge NFL GMs, especially this one.
You judge them on what they do, and Thompson’s decisions in free agency this offseason speak loudly.
He allowed three defensive players to leave in unrestricted free agency: Micah Hyde, Datone Jones and Julius Peppers.
He re-signed one, Nick Perry.
And the difference between them tells you much of what you need to know about the state of a Packers defense that finished last season ranked No. 21 in points allowed, No. 22 in yards allowed, and was blown off the field in the NFC championship game in Atlanta.
Tom Silverstein has the latest on the Packers signing free-agent defensive lineman Ricky Jean Francois.
Aaron Rodgers appeared on Evan Daniels’ FOX Sports podcast to talk March Madness and what the Packers will look like in 2017.
I was on Facebook Live late Thursday afternoon to chat with readers about the Christine Michael and Ricky Jean Francois signings:
As Ryan Wood points out, Ted Thompson has been busy:
Elsewhere, Ben Fennell took some time to watch Jean Francois tape.
Rob Demovsky writes on the extensive “self scouting” by Mike McCarthy's staff this offseason:
Ron Wolf will present Donald Driver when the latter goes into the Packers Hall of Fame:
Larry McCarren broke down Martellus Bennett’s game for the team’s website:
Speaking of the team website, this story on Jayrone Elliott from Packers writer Wes Hodkiewicz is very much worth your time:
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has a few fans who apparently wear his jersey all the time:
Really good stuff from Justis Mosqueda over at Cheesehead TV on Ted Thompson’s tendencies when it comes to selecting running backs:
Thursday Night Football has plenty of suitors for their streaming rights: