FanHouse EdgarBennett

There's been so much talk about how disappointing Green Bay Packers 2007 first-round draft pick Justin Harrell has been that people may be forgetting how disappointing Packers 2007 second-round pick Brandon Jackson has been.

But Jackson, who carried just 75 times for 267 yards and one touchdown as a rookie, knows he needs to improve. And he says that by spending more time in the weight room and the film room over the last five months, he's done just that:

"Mentally and physically," Jackson said. "I put on a little weight. It's great. I can run with it and everything. And on the mental side, I know my plays, I study a lot, just to stay refreshed on everything."

Packers running backs coach Edgar Bennett refers to Jackson as "Tremendous, in the weight room as well as in the meeting rooms."

With starter Ryan Grant and the team still far apart on contract negotiations, Jackson has a golden opportunity to earn some playing time -- and show Packers fans that they got something for their 2007 draft.

Other than last week's Monday night game in Denver, the Packers haven't had much of a running game this season. It's kind of odd -- Brett Favre has almost always had a reliable back, whether it was Edgar Bennett, Dorsey Levens, or Ahman Green.

With Green now in Houston, Green Bay had been relying on rookie DeShawn Wynn until he landed on injured reserve, and now it's up to Ryan Grant and Vernand Morency. But that'll likely change this off-season.

Unless new starter Ryan Grant takes off in the final half of this season like Dorsey Levens in the second half of 1996 or Green in the second half of 2000, finding a franchise halfback has to be among [GM Ted] Thompson's priorities. Coach Mike McCarthy wants to run the ball, and to do it he needs a big-time back. ...

Thompson .... [and] the entire college scouting department, have been visiting college campuses each week all season looking at prospects in person and on videotape and doing background research for next year's draft. They'll continue to until the college regular season ends in the next two to three weeks.