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Green Bay Packers 2009 Season Preview: No Excuses Anymore

Packers quarterback Aaron RodgersTraining camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. " We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Injuries are not an excuse. It's also not permissible to point fingers at guys on the other side of the ball when your team has problems. No one in Green Bay will do this, despite the way things went down last year. The Packers lost eight of their ten games by a combined total of 30 points. Despite this, no one in the locker room pinned the blame on the three-ring circus in training camp, major injuries on defense, or anything else.

NFL Draft Picks' Contract Statuses

Offensive tackle Andre Smith became the 31st 2009 first-round draft pick to sign, coming to terms with Cincinnati. Find all the signed picks' contract details below:

Packers Look for Right Linebackers

Packers linebacker Desmond BishopGREEN BAY, Wisc. -- When head coach Mike McCarthy hired Dom Capers as defensive coordinator, it was all about changing the culture. What had been a passive defense under former boss Bob Sanders would be passive no more.

Capers installed the 3-4, which puts the onus on linebackers to make plays in space. While not everyone on last year's Green Bay roster will end up a perfect fit in this new defense, it's clear that the team is high on a few young guys who could become major players.

With Top Two Spots Set, Packers Receivers Try to Impress

GREEN BAY, Wisc. -- For Green Bay Packers wide receivers Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, there is little left to prove. They've already established themselves as top receivers, and easily the best on this Packers team. They've developed an impressive rapport with second-year starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

However, there are seven other wide receivers at training camp who aren't so lucky. With no more than four of them set to make the 53-man roster, they're all working hard to secure a spot.

Packers Get Physical and Brawl at Green Bay's Fast-Paced Camp

Green Bay PackersGREEN BAY, Wis. -- Practice pace in training camps varies from team to team. Most are in the throes of full contact by now, although the "teaching" Oakland Raiders went through eight full practices and a day of team meetings at the Napa Marriott before even donning pads this week.

Green Bay, the attitude is hit somebody, and hit 'em hard. Head coach Mike McCarthy has instructed his retooling Packers to go full-bore every play, every workout. The pace is swift as the team switches from individual to team drills at Nitschke Field.

And fiery new defensive assistants, such as outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene -- the former five-time Pro Bowler and pro wrestler -- and defensive line coach Mike Trgovac, who spent the past six seasons as the Panthers' defensive coordinator, have the green light to push, shout and generally stoke their players into a near frenzy on the practice field.

Fantasy Football Team Preview: Packers

Aaron RodgersWith Fantasy Football season ready to kick in high gear, FanHouse is here to preview each and every team -- one per day until we've done them all.

Meet The ...
The team that happily doesn't have to wonder if Brett Favre is coming to camp. Following a future hall of famer and face of the franchise isn't east. But, Aaron Rodgers make it look that way. In his first full year, Rodgers started all 16 games and threw for 4,038 yards and 28 touchdowns. Rodgers spread the love to two 1,000 yard receivers in Greg Jennings and Donald Driver and enjoyed a 1,203 yard campaign from his running back Ryan Grant, who battled through injuries and a somewhat slow start to the season. The key players from 2008 are still around heading into 2009 and there's no reason to think Rodgers shouldn't grow as a quarterback and the rest of the crew around him benefit from his experience.


Packers Eschew Quantity for Quality

Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 2009 Draft Grades.

By dealing up into the last part of the first round for Clay Matthews, Ted Thompson may have forever changed his image in Green Bay. He went from being consistently ripped for his trade-downs and seemingly passive nature during the draft to being branded a genius. Of course, if either of his first-round selections fail, he'll be back to being an idiot again.

Packers Show Unusual Aggression

Ever since Ted Thompson took over as the Packers' general manager in 2005, he has developed quite the reputation. In four drafts since he got the job, Thompson became known as the master of the trade-down.

In his defense, Mike Sherman didn't exactly leave a loaded roster behind when he got canned. Because of that, Thompson felt the need to stock up on extra picks to build depth. Now that Thompson has built some depth with the Packers, he appears to be more comfortable being aggressive in the draft.

Day 2 at the NFL Draft

NEW YORK -- Just arrived back at Radio City Music Hall for the second day of the NFL Draft, and let's just say there's a little more room to spread out today. The NFL says nearly 750 members of the media showed up to cover Day 1, but looking around this room now I think we'd struggle to get near 75. Maybe everybody's sleeping in. Or maybe people don't actually come and cover Day 2, and I'm in the wrong place. Hey, we're learning.

Regardless, there are a couple of things worth mentioning here in the moments before the third round begins. The Jets need somebody for Mark Sanchez to throw to. The Lions need people who can stop the other team from scoring and get Matt Stafford and Brandon Pettigrew on the field. And a number of folks seem to have the wrong idea about the way I feel about the Patriots. So let's look ahead and clear a couple of things up with four Day 2 Questions.

Does the Brian Cushing Pick Signal a Run on (USC) Linebackers?

NFL Draft Photos

    Wide receiver Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech University stands with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the San Francisco 49ers as the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York April 25, 2009. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (UNITED STATES SPORT FOOTBALL)

    Reuters

    New York Jets fans react after the Jets selected quarterback Mark Sanchez from the University of Southern California as the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York April 25, 2009. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES SPORT FOOTBALL)

    Reuters

    Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree speaks to the media after he was selected as the 10th overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall Saturday, April 25, 2009, in New York.(AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

    AP

    In this pool photo provided by the Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano, left, general manager Jeff Ireland and Bill Parcells, executive vice president of football operations, look on during NFL Draft day, Saturday, April 25, 2009 at the team's training facility in Davie Fla. (AP Photo/Miami Dolphins, Pool) ** Pool Photo **

    AP

    Defensive end Brian Orakpo from the University of Texas stands with his family on stage after being selected by the Washington Redskins as the 13th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York April 25, 2009. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (UNITED STATES SPORT FOOTBALL)

    Reuters

    Defensive end Brian Orakpo from the University of Texas reacts on stage after being selected by the Washington Redskins as the 13th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York April 25, 2009. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES SPORT FOOTBALL)

    Reuters

    Detroit Lions football fans had access to Ford Field while watching the NFL Draft on the big screen on Saturday, April 25, 2009 in Detroit. The Lions chose Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford with the No. 1 overall pick in the first round of the draft. (AP Photo/Jerry S. Mendoza)

    AP

    NEW YORK - APRIL 25: Tampa Bay Buccaneers #17 draft pick Josh Freeman poses with his family at Radio City Music Hall for the 2009 NFL Draft on April 25, 2009 in New York City (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Josh Freeman

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - APRIL 25: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell poses with Tampa Bay Buccaneers #17 draft pick Josh Freeman at Radio City Music Hall for the 2009 NFL Draft on April 25, 2009 in New York City (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Roger Goodell;Josh Freeman

    Getty Images

    NEW YORK - APRIL 25: Tampa Bay Buccaneers #17 draft pick Josh Freeman poses for photographers at Radio City Music Hall for the 2009 NFL Draft on April 25, 2009 in New York City (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Josh Freeman

    Getty Images


NEW YORK -- San Diego just took Larry English with the No. 16 pick. They apparently didn't get the memo. English went to Northern Illinois. Which is not USC. Which is, as everybody knows, where the linebackers come from.

When the Texans picked Brian Cushing at No. 15, it felt like there was about to be a run on USC linebackers. Cushing, as you know if you got this week's Sports Illustrated, is one of three Trojan linebackers projected to go in this year's first round. And if you think that sounds unusual, that's because it is.

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