OFFICIAL 2008 UNDRAFTED FREE AGENCY THREAD!!!

[Lurker64]

I'm seeing the following as the list of UDFAs we picked up (but I haven't been able to verify it, so take this with a grain of salt):

Packers TE Michael Peterson (Northwest Missouri State)

Packers LB Danny Lansanah (UConn)

Packers RB Kregg Lumpkin (Georgia)

Packers WR Taj Smith (Syracuse)

Packers LS J.J. Jansen (Notre Dame)

Packers P Ken Debauche (Wisconsin)

Packers RB Justin Beaver (UW-Whitewater)

Packers LB Marcus Riley (Fresno State)

Packers C Brennen Carvalho (Portland State)

Packers WR Jake Allen (Mississippi College)

It's good to see Beaver, DeBauche, and Jansen on there. I'm surprised we didn't pick up any DBs, maybe they're happy with Peprah, Culver, and Rouse as the backup safeties and Williams, Blackmon, Lee, and Bush as the backup Corners, or maybe they just didn't like what was out there.

[The Leaper]

I'm surprised we didn't pick up any DBs, maybe they're happy with Peprah, Culver, and Rouse as the backup safeties and Williams, Blackmon, Lee, and Bush as the backup Corners, or maybe they just didn't like what was out there.

Probably a little of both. I think Green Bay is content to let the guys currently on the roster have a fair chance to show their skills in camp. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Give the kids a lot of reps, and keep the ones with promise. Hopefully, some of them can stay healthy this year...or we will need to do some dumpster diving before the season.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I like our depth in the DB group. We likely aren't going to find guys that are available who are better prospects than our guys. Our group was young last year (they should be better this year), we didn't lose anybody, and we added Lee. I feel pretty good about that group. Lee, Williams, and Blackmon all look like good, young prospects. (Blackmon needs to stay healthy.) Even Bush has some skills to work with (nice size/speed combination) and has a year under his belt, so I'm not ready to write him off completely. Rouse looked intriguing, and I kind of liked what little I saw of Peprah last year.

[Lurker64]

Shaping up the roster, we cut Babb, Bell, and Dougherty today. Babb and Bell are likely casualties of the QBs we took, and we apparently think more of DeBauche than Dougherty.

Anybody know how big the roster should be/can be at this point in the season?

[Charles Woodson]

Packers | Team signs Mapp
Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:30:31 -0700

Josh Buchanan, of NFLDraftBible.com, reports the Green Bay Packers signed undrafted rookie free-agent LB Durell Mapp (North Carolina) Monday, April 28. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

[swede]

Anybody know how big the roster should be/can be at this point in the season?

I thought I heard the number 80.

I also heard, though, that a few guys are working out without actual contracts. That would bring the number of bodies up without adding to the roster number.

With that many noobies around people must have a hard time keeping track. It would be fun to sneak in a la George Plimpton...

"Ah yeh...Ahm DeWayne Arcadia from Louisiana Tech. Ahm the new long snappuh. Ya'll know where Ah can get a jersey and find the long snappuh coach?"

[run pMc]

Lurker64 wrote:
I'm surprised we didn't pick up any DBs, maybe they're happy with Peprah, Culver, and Rouse as the backup safeties and Williams, Blackmon, Lee, and Bush as the backup Corners, or maybe they just didn't like what was out there.

Probably a little of both. I think Green Bay is content to let the guys currently on the roster have a fair chance to show their skills in camp. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Give the kids a lot of reps, and keep the ones with promise. Hopefully, some of them can stay healthy this year...or we will need to do some dumpster diving before the season.

I agree. I think one reason they cut Dendy was to give the rest of the group more reps. The battles for roster spots on the OL and the secondary should be very interesting to watch in training camp.

[Lurker64]

I agree. I think one reason they cut Dendy was to give the rest of the group more reps. The battles for roster spots on the OL and the secondary should be very interesting to watch in training camp.

I think that may be one of the reasons we're going to have about 12 WRs standing around when minicamps start, give the DBs a lot of reps against a lot of different WRs. Unless they plan on converting Taj to a DB (which he played in college), I can't really think of a lot of reason to have a ton for camp like we have now, other than "to help the other guys get reps."

With 12 WRs you can practice four WR sets for each of our 3 QBs at the same time!

[SkinBasket]

I agree. I think one reason they cut Dendy was to give the rest of the group more reps.

The other reason being he sucked complete cock.

Anyway, more on the Mapp signing:

Mapp Inks Deal With Green Bay

Tar Heel linebacker headed to Packers.

April 28, 2008

Chapel Hill, N.C. ---- North Carolina linebacker Durell Mapp has signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers. Mapp was a second-team All-ACC performer who led Carolina with 132 tackles in his senior season. He also led the Tar Heels in tackles in 2006.

"I think it's a good situation for me, because Green Bay didn't draft a linebacker," said Mapp, a native of Burlington, N.C. "I talked to the Packers throughout this process and I like their linebackers coach. He reminds me a lot of Coach (Tommy) Thigpen. They love their football in Green Bay, so I'm excited about this opportunity."

In 2007, Mapp ranked second in the ACC and 10th in the nation with 11.0 tackles per game. He earned ACC Player of the Week honors three times and had a career-high 23 tackles vs. NC State. Mapp began his career as a walk-on, but earned a scholarship prior to his sophomore year and became one of the top contributors on defense in the next three seasons.

[Lurker64]

From the JSOnline blog, here's the current list of UDFAs:

* Jake Allen, WR, Mississippi College: 6-4, 185, 4.56 seconds. Left as the Div. III school’s career leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches after catching 61 passes for 1,254 yards and 12 touchdowns.
* Brennan Carvalho, C, Portland State: 6-1, 294, 5.00. He was not invited to the combine, but did take part in the Hula Bowl. Three-time first-team all-Big Sky Conference selection and two-time all-American was not invited to the combine but played in the Hula Bowl. Has played both guard and center.
* Ken Debauche, P, Wisconsin: 6-1, 218, 4.95. Averaged 42.5 yards, which ranks second all-time at Wisconsin. Only 115 of 231 attempts were returned. Can also hold.
* Tierre Green, S, Nebraska: 6-1, 198, 4.32. Cousin of former Packers RB Ahman Green made 54 tackles last season and finished his career with 35 kickoff returns for a 20.6 average and a 114-yard rushing game as a redshirt freshman in 2004.
* Rod Harper, WR, Murray State: 6-1, 208, 4.45. Learned in January a problem with his JUCO transfer would cost him his senior season. Was MVP of powerhouse Southeast (Bradenton, Fla.) High School team when 25th overall pick Mike Jenkins (CB) of South Florida was a senior.
* Joey Haynos, TE, Maryland: 6-8, 259, 4.87. Mammoth former prep basketball standout was second on Terps with 27 catches for 287 yards. Invited to combine and Hula Bowl.
* J.J. Jansen, LS, Notre Dame: 6-3, 254, 4.79. Took over at long snapper for the Irish midway through the 2005 season and has never had a botched snap on any of his 300-odd attempts between punts and field goals.
* Danny Lansanah, LB, UConn: 6-0, 243, 4.72. Was an all-Big East choice after totaling 121 tackles (14 for losses) in 13 games with two sacks and four interceptions.
* Kregg Lumpkin, RB, Georgia: 5-11 1/2, 242, 4.64. After rushing for 798 yards and six touchdowns on 162 carries as a junior, was stuck in a rotation and only had 44 yards on 12 carries in 2007.
* Durrell Mapp, LB, North Carolina: 6-1, 277, 4.71 in 40. Second-team All-ACC player that led the Tar Heels in tackles each of the past two seasons (132 in ’07).
* Marcus Riley, LB, Fresno State: 6-0, 224, 4.66. WAC defensive player of the year with 132 total tackles (64 solo), including 15 tackles for a loss. Cousin of former Pro Bowl receiver Henry Ellard (Rams, Redskins). Highlight-reel hit on Hawaii QB Colt Brennan is a YouTube sensation.
* Mike Peterson, TE/FB, Northwest Missouri St.: 6-2, 247, 4.59. Walked on at the Div. II school after five years away from the game. Will be 26 in November.
* Taj Smith, WR, Syracuse: 6- 3/8ths, 187, 4.58. Turned pro after just one year at Syracuse, where he had 44 catches, 822 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Will turn 25 in September.

We're at 78 players on the roster, not including Grant and the 9 draft picks.

[HarveyWallbangers]

* Tierre Green, S, Nebraska: 6-1, 198, 4.32. Cousin of former Packers RB Ahman Green made 54 tackles last season and finished his career with 35 kickoff returns for a 20.6 average and a 114-yard rushing game as a redshirt freshman in 2004.
* Marcus Riley, LB, Fresno State: 6-0, 224, 4.66. WAC defensive player of the year with 132 total tackles (64 solo), including 15 tackles for a loss. Cousin of former Pro Bowl receiver Henry Ellard (Rams, Redskins). Highlight-reel hit on Hawaii QB Colt Brennan is a YouTube sensation.

Family connections. Even a Packers connection. Plus, the usual Wisconsin connections.

The punter from NDSU signed with the Patriots.

[Tarlam!]

The punter from NDSU signed with the Patriots.

Oh my Lord. We fucked up, big time. There goes the season.

[Lurker64]

Another Article on the FA guys we just picked up, including some emphasis on Lumpkin, who should probably be upset at being compared to Wynn.

[Gunakor]

I'm seeing the following as the list of UDFAs we picked up (but I haven't been able to verify it, so take this with a grain of salt):

Packers TE Michael Peterson (Northwest Missouri State)

Packers LB Danny Lansanah (UConn)

Packers RB Kregg Lumpkin (Georgia)

Packers WR Taj Smith (Syracuse)

Packers LS J.J. Jansen (Notre Dame)

Packers P Ken Debauche (Wisconsin)

Packers RB Justin Beaver (UW-Whitewater)

Packers LB Marcus Riley (Fresno State)

Packers C Brennen Carvalho (Portland State)

Packers WR Jake Allen (Mississippi College)

It's good to see Beaver, DeBauche, and Jansen on there. I'm surprised we didn't pick up any DBs, maybe they're happy with Peprah, Culver, and Rouse as the backup safeties and Williams, Blackmon, Lee, and Bush as the backup Corners, or maybe they just didn't like what was out there.

I'm comfortable with Peprah, Culver, and COLLINS as the backup safeties. I'm truly hoping that Rouse wins the starting job over Collins.

Williams and Lee should be the primary backups at CB. Barring injury, Bush should only see the field in the quarter defense. Blackmon won't stay healthy, so he isn't even part of this discussion.

[Tarlam!]

(...) and COLLINS as the backup safeties. I'm truly hoping that Rouse wins the starting job over Collins.

I'm not. I hope Collins finally makes the quantum leap. I love our "9 on the Wonderlic" Safety. The BC-Beast!

No, I love Collins. I love Rouse, but, I love Collins more.