NFC

NFC North

This division can go one of two ways, depending on what Brett Favre does. 

Favre can bring a division title to the Vikings this year...if he stays at home. 

The Vikings will find success with Tavaris Jackson with short passes (watch for Sidney Rice to become more effective this year).  Combined with a fantastic running game and the occasional down-field pass to Berrian, the Vikes' offensive game will compliment their great defense. 

Don't forget the addition of Percy Harvin to the team. The kid is a game breaker who can change things fast.

If Favre does decide to move to Minnesota, you can expect the Packers to take the division in a close race.  Favre had a good season his last year in Green Bay, but in the few seasons before that as well as last season, he was mediocre at best. 

If Favre's goal is to inspire the Packers to play great, he should join the Vikings.  Think Favre wants to prove something to the Packers? 

Aaron Rodgers will have even more of a chip on his shoulder to play well if Favre is in his division. 

By the way, Favre threw for 3,472 yards 22 touchdowns and 22 interceptions last season while Rodgers threw for 4,038 yards 28 interceptions and 13 touchdowns.  Not a bad move for Green Bay.

Bonus: The Bears' defense is not going to be stellar this year, but they won't be bad. 

Jay Cutler doesn't have the same receiving corp he had in Denver, so don't expect the same kind of numbers.  Do expect Devin Hester to be much better this year as he was last year. 

The Bears will be okay and should compete in the conference, but I can't see them winning it without a true No. 1 receiver and a little work in the defensive secondary.

Extra Bonus: The Lions will win two games this year. Not one, not three, but two.

NFC South

It's hard to bet against the Falcons in this division. 

As far as quarterbacks go, New Orleans trumps all.  Delhomme's health is a question mark every season for Carolina.  The Bucs have no idea who their quarterback is (and I'm still not sure who their coach is.  Not sure about that hire, but we'll see). 

I like Matt Ryan.  I think Ryan has the potential to be an NFL stud.  He had a very good rookie year, but he is not even close to Brees level.

When you look at running games, you have to be okay with just about every team. 

New Orleans' success will depend on Pierre Thomas.  He has potential, but he will have to carry the load quite a bit.  Bush has shown that he is a role player and not an every-down back. 

I love the running tandem in Carolina. How can you not? 

Michael Turner is a beast. 

Tampa Bay have potential to have a good running game if they can keep everyone healthy. But it is very hard to predict what will happen with a new coaching staff and such a young head coach.

The defense would go to Tampa Bay, but they lost an amazing coordinator.  They still should have the best, but we'll wait and see.  Coming in second is Carolina followed by the Falcons. 

There are four teams in this division, meaning that New Orleans' defense comes in at roughly seventh.

The Falcons will win the division followed closely by Carolina. 

Tampa Bay will be okay, but not ever really look like a division winner with a new coach and an unsure quarterback situation. 

The Saints will be the Saints.  Great offense, but no defense.  The third spot will be a toss up between the Saints and the Bucs.

NFC East

The Giants' defense is great, but Eli Manning isn't a star quarterback without Plax. 

The Cowboys are...well, we don't know what the Cowboys are for sure. 

The Redskins have a coach who feels like its a good idea that their best offensive player (that's Portis by the way) sit on the bench inside the ten yard line. 

The Eagles are good as long as they stay healthy, and since Westbrook is already injured, that isn't looking too good right now.

I can see the Cowboys defense being really good this year.  Ware is just amazing.  I like Dallas' young corners too.  They lost Canty, but picked up Olshansky. 

The running game should be good with Barber, Jones, and Choice.  The passing game is the big question mark.  With Owens gone, Romo only has himself to blame. 

The Eagles have a good defense and a good offense.  I just don't see McNabb staying healthy two full seasons in a row.  That just isn't what McNabb does.  I also think the loss of Dawkins is going to be a huge blow to their secondary.

I don't like the Redskins' coaching.  That is about it.  I think they'll blow it. 

They managed to alienate their quarterback on several occasions this offseason.  That is just never a good thing to do. 

Unless Zorn decides that he wants to let Portis play in the red zone, they won't get a thing done this year.

The Giants' running game won't be as good without Ward.  Bradshaw gets the chance he has wanted, but Ward will prove to be a bigger loss than they are making him out to be. 

Eli's best receiver now is Steve Smith, and that just isn't going to be good for the Giants.

This division is going to be very, very close.  My prediction is the Cowboys edging out the rest by a game. 

The Eagles will start out good but end up second following a few injuries. 

The Giants' offense will see a huge drop off and will struggle to outscore opponents in low scoring games. 

The Redskins will underachieve greatly, have little passing game to speak off, and poor red zone play calling for the second season in a row.  They'll finish last in the division and Zorn will be out of a job.

NFC West

This division is easy.  Everyone is awful but the Cardinals. 

The 49ers will be much better this season.  I like Singletary and the defense they're building. 

The offense is a big question mark, and the reason they won't realistically compete for anything this year.  I do look for Frank Gore to be really good this year, just not good enough.

The Rams are bad.  It's really hard to find a lot of good.

The Seahawks: see the Rams.

The Cardinals will be good this season.  Better in the regular season than they were last year, but I don't see them making it nearly as far in the playoffs. 

I don't think Warner will repeat last season's success, but he will be good.  The defense will play better as a whole all year. 

All in all, I predict this division will be the least interesting division in the NFC.  Oh, and Cards win it.

In Dom We Trust  -- do we have any other choice?

Dom Capers was hired by Mike McCarthy to restore the Green Bay Packer defense to prominence. He wasn't McCarthy's first choice, but after Mike Nolan and Gregg Williams spurned the Packers, and Jim Haslett was left hanging, McCarthy moved fast to lock up Capers before the NY Giants could.

Capers, 58, has 38 years of coaching experience, including 23 years in the National Football League. He has been a defensive coordinator seven of those years (Pittsburgh, '92-'94; Jacksonville 1999-2000; and Miami '06-'07) and head coach nine of them (Carolina 1995-'98 and Houston 2001-'05).

Fortunately for the Packers, his record as a coordinator is much better than his record as a head coach. Not that he took on easy tasks. As Capers has jokingly said, "I'm the only guy stupid enough to take two head coaching jobs with expansion teams."

Capers has experience with the 3-4 in Pittsburgh, Carolina, Jacksonville, Houston, Miami and New England. This is the third time he will be converting a 4-3 team.

Based on his history, the 20th-ranked Packers defense can count on a quick turnaround.

When Capers took over the 25th-ranked Jaguars defense in 1999, the Jaguars moved up to fourth in the rankings and led the league in scoring defense. And when he converted the Dolphins to a 3-4 in 2006, they improved from 18th to fourth in the defensive rankings.

"The most foolish thing you can do is put in a scheme and plug your players into that," Capers has said. "You have to have enough flexibility to put your best 11 football players out there and feature what they do best. We know where we would kind of like to go. How fast we'll get there is another thing."

That having been said, Capers strongly favors the 3-4, which is gaining popularity in the league. There are now 12 teams playing the 3-4, but the Packers will be one of only three using it in the NFC.

Capers considers the scarcity of 3-4 teams in the NFC as a benefit to the Packers. "If you are one of the few, it becomes a little bit of an advantage," Capers said. "There are only three days each week to prepare, and if your opponents go five or six weeks in a row preparing for 4-3 teams, it helps."

"The two top defenses in the league played the 3-4 last year in Pittsburgh and Baltimore," Capers said. "That means something to coaches."

Kevin Greene, Green Bay’s new outside linebackers coach, was a training-camp volunteer in Pittsburgh last summer.  He worked closely with outside backer LaMarr Woodley, who had a breakout season in 2008. If nothing else, Greene's experience as a pass-rushing linebacker means he knows what it takes to get to the quarterback from the OLB spot.

Aaron Kampman has been working closely with Greene, and according to Mike McCarthy, Kampman has firmly grasped the mental aspect of playing that position.

Capers is excited about the Packers two first-round draft picks, B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews, especially since they are well suited for the 3-4. "Both of them have the kind of physical tools to do a lot of the things we like to ask them to do," Capers said.

"Raji has really good size and really good athletic ability for his size. He can play nose, he can play defensive end if we ask him to bump out and do that. Matthews has the ability not only to rush but to drop into coverage. We're excited about having them."

Dom Capers took the Packers job, he says, because his gut told him it's a great match. Said Capers, "I had conversations with numerous teams and when it came down to it I felt this was the best match and best marriage and felt excellent."

So now that the honeymoon is over, I ask the question: Will it be a marriage made in heaven?

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You can find more of Jersey Al Bracco's articles on several sports websites: NFL Touchdown, Packers Lounge, Packer Chatters , Jersey Al's Blog and, of course, Bleacher Report.

Is it time to start asking for a new NFL Commissioner? 

In the short time Roger Goodell has been in office, things just seem to have gotten away from him.  Coaches getting a small fine for cheating before a Super Bowl, players are willing to lie directly to him, apparently without fear of his office or reprisal. Players going gangster and actually shooting themselves in the leg.

All this makes for a very busy man. However, two even bigger decisions are on the horizon and it appears Roger Goodell either is asleep at the wheel or just isn't the right man at the right time.

The first of these problems is the Collective Bargaining Agreement. While it is a well known fact the country is in a recession/depression, the player's agents are operating under the premise that the bar is still open.

The owners, on the other hand, feel that $1.25 billion dollar stadiums are the new standard, and everyone should pony up for the Castle in their Empire. 

The players feel that 61 percent of the league's revenue is justifiable and want to see the unedited books to confirm the owner's claim of poverty.

The owners insist that while this stadium may look like $1.25 billion dollars, we are really losing money because the players expense is too high. No, it shouldn't be necessary for you to actually see the books—just take our word for it.

While this verbiage will continue for the next year and a half, what is important is signing a deal before the 2011 season. I say this because Mr. Goodell doesn't have a good track record of holding employees accountable, and this translates into trouble. 

If the players representatives are not convinced Roger Goodell is sincere and honest about the finances, there will be a work stoppage. 

If their is a strike or a shortened season in 2011, baseball just got the momentum back and we could have a renewed interest in America's Pastime.

The second major decision Mr. Goodell needs to put to bed is the story leaked about interest in playing a Super Bowl in London. This loosely veiled opinion poll was a test to measure the public outcry. 

Either the NFL is making a lot more money than they are willing to let on, or again Roger is asleep at the wheel. 

During a recession/depression the NFL should be concerned with protecting its fan base, not losing the respect and loyalty of the few remaining fans that can afford to buy tickets at today's inflated prices.

There's a lot of talk about the Falcons right now.

Will they have back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history?

Will Matt Ryan suffer the dreaded sophomore slump?

Will the defense be worse or better after the postseason purge that sent Keith Brooking, Michael Boley, and Domonique Foxworth in search of new jerseys?

Will Tony Gonzalez make the team Atlanta-Falcons-Examiner%7Ey2009m4d24-The-Tony-Gonzalez-trade-A-closer-look-on-the-day-after">substantially better?

So many questions.

However, as the season begins it's approach, let's just skip to the end and lay it all out there—let's forget the questions and just go straight to the answers.

The road will not be easy—the Falcons will enter next season boasting one of the toughest schedules this side of hell.

However, it's not impossible, improbable, or unlikely that they will emerge victorious.

After all, the games are played on the field—not on paper.

Here are five things that must happen if the Atlanta Falcons are going to win the NFC South and contend for an NFC Championship.

1. Matt Ryan has to play like Matt Ryan.

Say what you will about Matt Ryan's inaugural season.

Contend that he benefited from the presence of a stellar run-game in Michael Turner.

Bring up the fact that Roddy White played better than most thought he could.

Remind us that the offensive line played unexpectedly well and likely won't duplicate that performance again—and when you say that, please do so in front of Harvey Dahl.

I am sure he may have a thing or two to say about that.

Bring all that up and more and the response will be the same: Matt Ryan is the truth.

He's not a flash in the pan quarterback who got lucky and won a few games.

No.

Matt Ryan is mature beyond his years with the poise and precision of a guy who has been in the league a lot longer.

He's confident in the system and knows how to make plays.

He only got better down the stretch and with the addition of Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez, he will only get better.

He was good last year and the Falcons were an 11-5 team who nearly made it to the second-round of the playoffs.

He's only going to get better with a year of experience under his belt and a new weapon to catch his passes.

2. Peria Jerry needs to live up to his draft pick.

Recent injury questions aside, we need to see Peria Jerry bring his A-game this season.

John Abraham was the lone bright spot last year on an otherwise forgettable starting defensive line.

Jamal Anderson is still trying to figure out how to play his position, but there is some hope that in this, his third-year, he may finally live up to the hype of the top ten pick the Falcons used on him in 2006.

Jerry brings the attitude, the work-ethic, and the technique you need to see in a good pass-rusher.

He is poised to be the big time guy the Falcons need to bolster the pass rush and put more pressure on the opposing quarterbacks in the league.

If he can stay healthy and be the guy he's thought to be, the defensive line will be a nasty bunch this coming season.

3. Tony Gonzalez has to play well.

The Falcons lacked an efficient tight end last year.

We didn't have weapons...We had guys filling a space on the field.

Matt Ryan made his money on Roddy White and Michael Jenkins and that meant wherever they went...so went the passing game.

However, the glaring hole that was the tight end spot has not only been filled by a sure-fire Hall of Famer, but by a guy who is a team player and a phenomenal leader.

Last season in Kansas City, Tony Gonzalez racked up 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He won't likely do that again as offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey favors the power-running game, but Gonzalez will give Mularkey the multi-dimensional player he covets in executing a gadget play or two—adding yet another aspect to what promises to be an explosive offense.

Gonzalez also brings with him a will to win and a whole lot of experience to impart to a rather young team.

If he can instill some of that competitive drive into a few of our guys, watch out!

4. They have to beat the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints are a dangerous team.

They lacked a good defense to go with that potent offense and got burned more often than not last year.

The Falcons get the Saints on Monday Night Football this season, and this game will likely determine who truly rules the dirty south.

By the time the two teams meet, the Falcons will either be 4-2 or 2-4, either way the game will turn the tide for the remainder of the season.

The Saints look like they have found their playmaker in Malcolm Jenkins—add to that a healthy Marques Colston and a re-dedicated defense, and you have all the makings of a team that is ready to march on some foes.

The rest of the south isn't slouching either, but the quarterback questions in Tampa Bay coupled with the Julius Peppers saga in Carolina make me wonder if either of those teams will be worthy opponents this season.

No, for the money the real showdown is between the Saints and the Falcons.

They split the matchups last season, but with the way these teams are setting themselves up this year, it would not surprise me if either swept the other.

5. They have to maintain their focus as a team and not get caught up in the hype.

Coach speak is easy.

"Take it one play/game at a time," "Protect the ball," "Play smart, don't make mistakes that can come back and hurt you," etc.

Coach speak is also true.

The Falcons cannot afford to buy into the hype. They have to take it one game at a time.

The birds have a tremendous shot at being successful this year, despite the schedule.

Both Pittsburgh and Baltimore, respectively, had two of the toughest schedules in the AFC last season and all they did was meet up in the AFC Championship game.

Sounds pretty good to me.

The Falcons might not waltz through this season, but there's nothing wrong with a little two-step—I hear Tony's a pretty good dancer.

It’s amazing how many people relegate Boise, Idaho to "Spudsville" when, truly, Boise is better known as the capital of the Gem State. Boise State University likewise is not filled to the rafters with potato heads but truly marvelous gems.

BSU continues to turn out superb individuals who take their education seriously. Unlike many universities, Boise State student athletes not only graduate as winners and true competitors in their sport, but as true competitors in their academic field.

For example, Ian Johnson, who was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent, studied General Business Management. Indeed fans, Ian will be marketable long after his football days in Minnesota are over.

Recent articles from Boise State and devoted media have established BSU athletes' academic standard as being above par (exception going to the local men’s golfers, which is not the sport that Boise State is known for all over the country).

Indeed football is BSU’s power sport and those graduating are overachievers in the classroom as well as on the blue turf. Ironically, the gems that play football for BSU most often still have to prove themselves at the next level—and they do.

Some better known BCS schools have their kids drafted by the NFL and some wash out for lack of talent, heart, or both, who knows? BSU kids sometimes get drafted and recently, when they did, it was first and second round—as was the case for Ryan Clady (first in '08) and Gerald Alexander (second in '07).

Orlando Scandrik, Legedu Naanee, and Derek Schouman were all part of the memorable 2007 Fiesta Bowl game along with Ian Johnson and Vinny Perretta. Those three were drafted in the later rounds of the NFL and are still playing.

However, in the 2009 NFL draft there were no players drafted from BSU, but a half dozen signed to free-agent contracts. Some were signed by clubs with really sound players thus making the task of making the squad much more difficult.

Perretta and Johnson were offered contracts by the Minnesota Vikings, who are not that deep in any position, thus the task of making the team for those two is exceptionally easier done.

However, Boise Broncos understand the concept of hard work, and, like Ian and Vinny, accept their roles and will do everything they can to make the team—and are talented enough to get the job done. 

Quintin Mikell and Chris Carr, like Johnson and Perretta, were Bronco free agents just a few years back and they are still playing in the NFL.

Korey Hall is also a player from the Fiesta Bowl team and is still playing for the Green Bay Packers. Bronco players may be looked on as rough by many, but it doesn’t take those diamonds long to shine.

Boise State instructors and coaches well understand the quality of individuals they teach—they were always the finest cut. Bronco fans are looking forward to their successes, but that will be another story.

Alex Trebek : This player from the University of Wisconsin was a Mackey Award semifinalist in 2006.

John Fennelly: Who is Travis Beckum?

Alex Trebek: Yes, it was his first year as an offensive player, too. Not bad.

That leads me to think...who exactly is this kid who's name is so eerily close to that of the character played by Robert DeNiro in Taxi Driver?

Here's what we know:

He's an exceptional athlete. He started his college career as a defensive player and then switched to tight end in his junior year.

He was named second-team All-American. As a senior, he broke his leg and fell off the radar of many pro scouts.

But not everyone's radar screen went dark. No one seems to fall off the Giants' radar these days.

Jerry Reese took Beckum with the second of his two third round selections (No. 100 overall). It wasn't a total shock, but right then and there everyone from the guy who sells the peanuts to John Mara felt a shiver.

Another steal?

Perhaps. Beckum is what is commonly known as "a tweener:" a guy who is too big for one position and too small for another. In his case, Beckum is 6'3", 240 and is too big for a WR and tad too small for a TE.

Will he be an H-back perhaps? Kevin Gilbride, the Giants' OC says no, because the Giants normally do not use the H-back formation in their offense.

"I see him as a bigger Steve Smith," said Gilbride in an interview with Giants.com, "He creates a problem for defenses matchup-wise."  That's right.  A slot receiver. Beckum will be the hinge that the Giant offense has lacked.

Defenses will need to put a safety on him (who will be too small) or a linebacker (who may be too slow).  Either scenario strengthens both the passing and running attacks.

Gilbride also alluded to the fact that Beckum has great YAC (yards after catch) potential, which would garner even more attention from defenders.

So my Saturday just got a little better after listening to Gilbride, brimming with enthusiasm over the new weapon in his arsenal.

The 2008 Packers season has been categorized in many ways. "Special" was not one of them.

It was the start of a new Favre-less era, the year the defense became an absolute horror show, Aaron Rodgers showing he can put up top-10 quarterback numbers, the purging of the defensive coaching staff, etc.

While the defensive struggles have been talked about ad nauseam, I don't believe the Packers' special teams' struggles have been emphasized enough. In the interest of fairness, let's take a look at what happened and what's being done about it.

First, a few fun facts about 2008 to paint a picture:

The Packers were 32nd in the NFL in Kickoff return yardage.
The Packers were 20th in the NFL in Kickoff coverage.
The Packers were 26th in the NFL in field goal percentage
The Packers were 27th in the NFL in average punting yardage

However you picture "awful", that's what you should be seeing in your mind's eye right now.

So how does this get fixed? Well, if you're Mike McCarthy, you start by encouraging Mike Stock, your 69-year old special teams coordinator to "retire" (just days after he told Green Bay beat reporters how he planned to be back for another year).

"Should I be looking over my shoulder? Do you know something I don't know?" Stock kiddingly asked following the team's Christmas Day practice. "It all depends on one thing and one thing only: How long does he (McCarthy) want me to stay? That's what it depends on."

Yes, after his post-season interview with Mccarthy, Stock suddenly changed his mind and decided to retire after three years with the Packers and 44 years in coaching overall. Call it a win-win.

Unlike his search for a new defensive coordinator, McCarthy did not look far from the team to fill the special teams position. On Jan. 15, four days before announcing Dom Capers' hiring, McCarthy promoted Shawn Slocum from his special teams assistant position to Special Teams Coordinator.

Slocum had spent the last three seasons with the Packers and before that, coached 15 college seasons for four different schools. He was a special teams coordinator at both USC and Texas A&M, and was also an assistant head coach at Ole Miss.

So the Packers seem to have an experienced coach whose time has come for his first pro coordinator position.

With the coaching positions settled, the Packers now turned their attention to their roster.

Tramon Williams, a solid special teams contributor was tendered a one year offer. Free Agent Anthony Smith, who played mostly on special teams last year, was signed to the roster.

Soon after that, Jarrett Bush was re-signed and not many people would question that his positive contributions to the team have all come on special teams.

Next up was the re-signing of Michael Montgomery as some DL insurance and more special teams help. Despite missing a lot of time with injuries, Montgomery has 13 special team tackles for the Packers, including two in the 2007 playoffs.

Soon after, the Packers signed free agent Duke Preston from the Buffalo Bills. His bio on their web site describes him as "as a key player on special teams and a valuable reserve on the offensive line." A bit surprising, but good news.

Restricted free agent TE Tory Humphrey, who has nine special teams tackles in 24 games for the Packers, was re-signed to the team.

A week before the NFL draft, Ted Thompson signed his three remaining restricted free agents, Atati Bigby, John Kuhn, and Ruvell Martin. All three have seen important special teams action for the Packers.

Then along came the draft, and the special teams theme continued.

BJ Raji: OKay, so he's the exception to the pattern I'm working on here...

Clay Matthews III - three-time special teams player of the year at USC. Need I say more?

TJ Lang - Converted from defensive line, TJ played special teams in at least his first three years at Eastern Michigan and won several "Championship special teams player of the game" awards.

Quinn Johnson - A converted linebacker, he was described this way in a CBS sports profile: "Quinn Johnson just likes to hit people whether lined up on offense, defense or special teams units." I love guys who love to hit.

Jamon Meredith - Says Meredith,"I've never played special teams but if they teach me how to play it I'll go out there, man. I've always thought about being a wedge-buster or a punt protector. If they ask me to be on special teams, I'll be happy to." While this probably won't happen, at last he's willing.

Jarius Wynn - Who? Impossible to find much info on this guy. Has he ever played special teams? Who knows?

Brandon Underwood - Special teams player of the year at Cincinnati. His played the all-important "gunner" position. Check.

Brad Jones - A four-year special teams player at Colorado. Says Jones, "I love special teams." Check again.

After the draft, the Packers signed 11 undrafted free agents. For any of these guys to make the team, they will have to be impact special teams players. WR Jamarko Simmons and RB Tyrell Sutton have both been quoted as being ready to take on that role.

And finally, what about the kickers? Mason Crosby did have an off-year, but the Packers seem unconcerned and committed to him. I think there needs to be some competition in camp. Much like they've done with the punters.

There are three punters currently on the roster and it is a wide-open competition. May the best (and most consistent) punter win.

So I think by now, you get my point. The Packers have approached this off-season with a specific mindset; they are thinking special teams with every move they make.

It's a good strategy and I think Packer fans can rightfully expect a big improvement in 2009. Just one more reason to be optimistic about 2009 being a "Special" year.

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You can find more of Jersey Al Bracco's articles on several sports websites: NFL Touchdown, Packers Lounge, Packer Chatters , Jersey Al's Blog and, of course, Bleacher Report.

To start with, Justin Harrell made it onto the field. While we don't know to what extent he participated, his presence indicates he has at least passed his physical. Harrell said he has been "pain- free for about four weeks."

My first reaction was "what the hell took so long?" but now I'm going with "well, that's a start."

Cullen Jenkins, Chad Clifton, Atari Bigby, Scott Wells and Nick Barnett were all kept out of activities as they continue to rehab injuries.

2009 draft picks Clay Matthews III (hamstring) and Brad Jones (groin) both missed the second day. Neither injury was serious and both are listed as day-to-day.

The first-team defense had several early surprises. B.J. Raji was at left end, Ryan Pickett at NT and Harrell at right end. Jeremy Thompson was the first team right outside linebacker, ahead of Brady Poppinga and the injured Clay Matthews III.

Kevin Greene seemed very enthusiastic with Thompson's play during the practice.  Could Poppinga be in trouble?

The Packers announced that they had signed exclusive rights free agent Tramon Williams to a one-year contract. This came not long after Packer Coach Mike McCarthy lauded Williams for his work ethic, "how he goes about his business," and participating in OTAs without a contract.

McCarthy thinks Williams has a "big future in front of him."  Al Harris, get your seat cushion ready...

It appears Matt Flynn has held onto his No. 2 QB spot on the depth chart, practicing with the second-string offense while Brian Brohm saw a bit of action with the third-stringers. That certainly does not help the possibilty of getting any value for Brohm in a trade. I still feel the Packers need a more experienced backup.

Ryan Pickett said the coaches have not talked to him at all about possibly playing some defensive end. It sounds like Pickett is the primary NT and BJ Raji will be used at several positions on the defensive line.

Aaron Kampman is not talking. Since Dom Capers was hired, he has turned down several opportunities to talk to the media, specifically about the 3-4 defense and how his conversion to OLB is going. Speculation is running rampant that he's not happy and trade rumors are even beginning to surface.

On a sad note, Willie James Collins Sr., the father of Packers safety Nick Collins, passed away on May 16 at age 56 after a long battle with cancer. This was the serious family issue Collins has been dealing with.

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You can find more of Jersey Al Bracco's articles on several sports websites: NFL Touchdown, Packers Lounge, Packer Chatters , Jersey Al's Blog and, of course, Bleacher Report.

I told myself I wouldn't weigh in on this argument. I said it was hardly relevant until the guy actually makes up his mind to play or not play—once that happens, we can all make our collective arguments as to how he will or will not make the Minnesota Vikings a better team.

However, some recent comments by Fran Tarkenton on 790 The Zone in Atlanta, Tarkenton's current place of residence, has some people questioning Tark's loyalty.

You can hear the interview here if you are interested, but a pretty good recap of it can be seen here.

Some are saying that it could be Fran's jealousy that a former Packer could likely lead his former team to a Super Bowl and win. Hogwash!

On the contrary, it's nice to see that someone has finally come out to present the not-so-rosy side of this situation. The side that doesn't have Favre as the possible savior of the Vikings.

It's a fact that Brett Favre is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. His spot in the Hall of Fame is there and waiting when the time comes for him to be inducted. He's a first-ballot guy. No doubt.

However, that does not make him untouchable in terms of criticism or disdain for the way he has allowed this situation to play out.

The fans, the media, and to some extent, the NFL world are all waiting on Brett.

Brett Favre apologists like to talk about how Brett is a tough guy. He played through pain. He was a fearless leader—the guy is a god in some circles. So, he deserves the right to be prudent and take his time in making a life/legacy-altering decision.

That's nice and all, but not everyone sees Favre through those lenses.

Favre also was the guy who for several years before actually deciding to "retire", flirted with the idea of retiring—holding the Packers hostage to his decision and delaying the development of Aaron Rodgers (the guy the Packers drafted because Favre continually made overtures towards retiring).

Even more than that, instead of being a bit classy and playing the mentor, he chose to publicly state his intention to not help Rodgers in his maturation into the next Green Bay starting quarterback.

Favre is not an angel. He was as much the architect of his treatment by the Packers as he was the victim.

Sure, the Packers weren't blameless towards the end there either, they went a little too far with delaying his release despite repeated requests by Favre. That was unfair to Favre and left room for the resentment that has likely led to this most recent flirtation to play again for the rival Vikings.

However, that has nothing to do with the Vikings. He's strung them along for nearly a month now and should know at this point if he will or won't play for them—bad shoulder or not, he knows if he can play.

Therein lies the problem with this situation. Brett is the only guy who knows anything and he's the only guy not talking. He hasn't come forward to end the speculation which has led to even more speculation—leaving news outlets no choice except to spin it how they choose.

Does that mean that Favre has been unfairly portrayed as a self-centered, publicity seeking, monster by the media? No.

Brett Favre has a radio and a television like the rest of us. If not, his agent has a mouth to tell him what the general view of this continuing saga has been—if that fails, his circle of friends is likely large enough that someone may have asked the question, "what's going on?".

The point is, if Brett wanted to clarify his position and explain why he has handled this situation in this manner, he could and would have.

Since he has not, he has left himself open to criticism. Period—he is not above reproach simply because he is Brett Favre.

Fran Tarkenton may have been out of line to share his thoughts on Favre in the way he did, but he is hardly alone.

There is a segment of the population that feels that Favre has tarnished his Green Bay Packer legacy simply by flirting with the idea of playing for the Vikings.

There are also those who believe that his last season with the New York Jets should have been a wake-up call to him that he can no longer be effective as a starting quarterback—I'll say that I disagree with that because the Jets did not run an offense Favre was familar with, unlike the Vikings who would be nearly identical to the Packers.

Favre would probably be substantially better if he played for the Vikings, provided he is healthy, and would be a great addition to the Vikings who are in need of a passing game to balance out their offense.

The Vikings already have a pretty solid defense and if Favre played like many know he can, it  would be difficult to deny the possibility of them making a run at the title next season—say what you want about age, Kurt Warner is nearly 39 coming off his Super Bowl appearance, and John Elway was 37 when he won his championship.

Age ain't nothing but a number.

However, Favre's insistence on letting the decision take this long is not making him a popular guy.

Everyone has something to say about Favre. Tarkenton's own teammate has stated he doesn't agree with Fran's take and offered one of his own:

if Brett Favre was here with the Vikings it automatically makes them a contender for a Super Bowl. We have everything. We have a defense, we’ve got Adrian Peterson. … Now don’t misunderstand, I respect and I care a lot about Fran and all that. But I don’t agree with his statement.”-Chuck Foreman

It's called having an opinion, we all have one, we are all entitled to have one. If you are in the camp that feels that Brett is not doing anything wrong. then there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

However, there are some of us who feel that Brett is milking this and acting like a prima donna in the process. Until he comes out and does something other than that, we can't truly believe anything else except that...at this time.

Booze, Poor Decisions Taking Down A Potential Hero

When Jeremy Shockey was in New York, he was one of Giants' owner Wellington Mara's favorite players.  The wild, impressionable Shockey who grew up without a father became a surrogate son to the great man they called "The Duke".

After the Giants made the Miami TE the 14th overall selection in the 2002 NFL Draft, Mara took the 6'5". 250 lb manchild under his wing. He saw great things for the unbridled Shockey; and for awhile instilled a pride and work ethic that turned this misguided kid from Ada, Oklahoma into a budding NFL superstar. 

Shockey became invaluable to his new 'family'. His demostrative, vocal style infused life into the sagging Giants.  He immediately became a favorite target of another player the Giants took a gamble on - QB Kerry Collins.  He caught 74 passes in 2002 for 894 yards - good enough to make 1st Team All Pro as a rookie.  The Giants went 10-6 and were back in the playoffs.

The next season, 2003, Shockey only played 9 games due to injury.  The Giants fell to 4-12 and Jim Fassel was fired as head coach. Somehow, Shockey was voted to the Pro Bowl.  He would be voted to the Pro Bowl twice more in his Giant career.  He had become the one star the team could hang its hat on.

The change in Jeremy Shockey began in 2004 when the Giants hired Tom Coughlin and drafted Eli Manning. He seemed to resent the attention being heaped upon the young quarterbacking scion. He felt hindered by the stringent regulations enacted by Coughlin.

More dissent came in 2005, with the death of Wellington Mara.  It was public knowledge that Shockey took Mara's death hard.

Wellington Mara was the only father figure that Jeremy Shockey had in his life. In 2003, when the injured Shockey partied too hard in New Orleans the night before a game, Mara was not happy, and Shockey knew it.  He vowed to atone. 

At the time of Mara's death, Shockey had just signed a $26.38 million, six-year extension to stay a Giant. With Mara gone, he would lose his mentor and protector - and his way.

In 2006, Shockey would openly criticize the coaching staff after games and scream at QB Eli Manning on the field and on the sidelines. His vow to Mara to act like a Giant and play like a Giant was suddenly a thing of the past.  He had stopped attending voluntary practices and team activities.  He had become a prima donna.

In 2007, humility would come knocking.  On his way to another trip to the Pro Bowl, Shockey broke his leg in a December game against the Redskins, ending his season. The Giants would lose only one more game without him in their stretch run to becoming Super Bowl Champions.

Shockey did not travel to the Super Bowl with the team. It was said that he needed extra space because his leg was in a cast.  He did not participate in may team meetings and activities. During the game, he sat in a luxury suite because it was deemed 'too hazardous' for him to be on the Giants sideline.

TV scans of the booth showed empty beer bottles and cups in front of Shockey and others in the booth. Had Mara been alive, that would not have been permitted. When the Giants won, Shockey did not attend the parade through the Canyon of Heroes.

He also opted out of the Super Bowl ring ceremony at Tiffany's and the team celebration at The White House. He apparently was upset the team succeeded without him. His understudy, rookie Kevin Boss, filled in quite nicely - even making a key reception in the Super Bowl.

His detachment from the club had been years in the making.  Rumors circulated that the Giants wanted to trade Shockey.  Instead of looking to make peace, he fought back in the media. The last straw was a shouting match in training camp with GM Jerry Reese. The blowout made Shockey look like a spoiled child. Resse asserted his authority and traded Shockey to New Orleans for two future draft choices.

New Orleans was the worst place for Shockey, who has always shown poor impulse control. He loves to party,  in case you haven't heard.

The 2008 season turned out to be a waste for the hulking tight end. Reunited with former Giant OC Sean Payton, Shockey seemed to be on the verge of having a breakout season.  After a great opening game, it appeared he and QB Drew Brees hit it off.  But that changed quickly when Shockey was sidelined for 5 weeks with a sports hernia.

Of course, he looked for someone to blame, pointing fingers at the medical staff for not providing the proper treatment.  During his time off, he slunk back into his depression - or paranoia - whichever you prefer. When Shockey returned to the lineup, he did little to impress. Brees rarely called his number.

What he needed was for Mara to come along with some words of encouragement. Unfortunately for Shockey, Mara had done that years before. Apparently, it did not take.

Now we see him back in the news for another off-field incident. Dehydrated in Las Vegas and hospitalized.  That can only happen one way.  He drank too much in the sun.

I hate writing articles such as this one.  The type about fallen heroes. In this case, Jeremy Shockey may not have even been a hero.  Some say he never reached his potential, so his fall isn't really that far.

I hope he succeeds. I hope he reaches back in the recesses of his memory and revisits those moments Mara spent with him.  He needs to grow up.  It turned out that he was never meant to be a lifelong Giant. 

Right now, all we can ask is that he live up to the potential that Wellington Mara had seen in him seven years ago. I hope he will.