Packers releasing Al Harris

[Cheesehead Craig]

But think about it: the Packers prefer Jarrett Bush to Al Harris.

Wow.

I guess Patler is right - we'll see how he plays once he's picked up elsewhere. Like so many others, I see Minny making a grab for him. At least he won't bitch about the catered food.

To my untrained TV eye Jarrett Bush actually looked decent last night. He had the "strip" on the kickoff return that led to Collins's TD. He tackled well and prevented several hitch routes from turning into first downs. I didn't see him get toasted even once.

Given that Minnesota plays even less man press coverage than the Packers I don't know if Al is a great fit there.

They blitzed him how they did Woodson and I saw him flying into the backfield and hurrying Kitna and helping out on run support. Perhaps he's actually getting better?

[Little Whiskey]

670 the score out of Chicago has quoted Lovie Smith saying that the bears are not interested either.

[denverYooper]

Maybe he's about at the same level as the others for dime and 5th CB, but he's old, expensive, injured, and doesn't play special teams, so he wouldn't be activated unless there were more injuries at CB.

He wants to play, so he wouldn't be happy just making a paycheck for sitting inactive week after week. The Packers would be wasting money if he doesn't get on the field, and yes it IS a lot of money. They let him go to a team that can use his bump and run man coverage skills, and he gets to play a couple more years, instead of sitting on the bench in GB.

I think this is a good observation. One of the articles mentioned that MM/TT had discussed the options with Al. Perhaps one option was like your hypothetical and Al and the Packers both agreed it was not a good one.

JSO's blog had that blurb about discussing all of the options. My guess is that one of them was to IR him for the season if he wanted a chance to stay with the team and that they couldn't guarantee they'd activate him on Monday if he didn't want to do that.

Sam Shields INT to steal what little momentum the Cowboys D had gained and set up the Pack's first score probably sealed the deal.

[denverYooper]

Several of you have made mention of the $2M that Al is owed in relation to the reason he was cut. Unless he is claimed on waivers (doubtful), the Packers will be paying Al the 2M - vet minimum. This was not a cost saver, this was a situation were he must not have been good enough in practice to be the nickel back, and was of no use on ST.

Unfortunately right now there is no good place for him on the team. Obviously injuries could change that, but you risk not having an important ST player for the possibly that one of the top CB's gets hurt. The Packers made their choice and hopefully it is the right one.

Good bye Al. You were great for a while.

edit: Apparently they don't have to pay him because he wasn't on the active roster for week 1. I still think money was not an issue i his release.

They don't owe him any salary because he was not active for the first game of the season.

[Patler]

The good things to take away from the Packers releasing Harris are:

1. It says they really have confidence in Sam Shields.
2. It suggests that Lee and Underwood may have taken a step up, unless of course they have been kept strictly for ST work.

[pbmax]

Harris, who’ll turn 36 on Dec. 7, tore the anterior cruciate ligament, the lateral collateral ligament, the IT band, the fibular collateral ligament and the lateral hamstring in his left knee and leg last Nov. 22 and underwent reconstructive surgery by team physician Pat McKenzie eight days later.

I'm surprised, but I'm not. All the experts, and previous examples of this type of injury pointed to him not being able to come back that fast, if at all.

I would guess he thinks he's ready, the team doesn't. With injuries, etc, I have trouble believing they wouldn't want to keep him around as insurance, and I can't see the $2mil being the problem. I agree with some that they put the question to AH, and he asked to be released to see if he could catch on elsewhere.

This reminds me so much of Hendo's last days, when no one thought he was done, except the GB staff...and it turned out he was done. Which he realized after passing through Minnesota, of course.

Did I miss the details of his knee surgery? I don't remember hearing that it was that different from a normal ACL repair. Did this come out during the season or just when Al made the videos of his rehab?

Some of those injuries I have not seen frequently in reports of knee surgery (in fact, I am surprised by the entire list except ACL and lateral collateral). The other two I recall being associated with severe damage (PCL, medial collateral) aren't listed.

Was this unusual?

[Patler]

Harris, who’ll turn 36 on Dec. 7, tore the anterior cruciate ligament, the lateral collateral ligament, the IT band, the fibular collateral ligament and the lateral hamstring in his left knee and leg last Nov. 22 and underwent reconstructive surgery by team physician Pat McKenzie eight days later.

I'm surprised, but I'm not. All the experts, and previous examples of this type of injury pointed to him not being able to come back that fast, if at all.

I would guess he thinks he's ready, the team doesn't. With injuries, etc, I have trouble believing they wouldn't want to keep him around as insurance, and I can't see the $2mil being the problem. I agree with some that they put the question to AH, and he asked to be released to see if he could catch on elsewhere.

This reminds me so much of Hendo's last days, when no one thought he was done, except the GB staff...and it turned out he was done. Which he realized after passing through Minnesota, of course.

Did I miss the details of his knee surgery? I don't remember hearing that it was that different from a normal ACL repair. Did this come out during the season or just when Al made the videos of his rehab?

Some of those injuries I have not seen frequently in reports of knee surgery (in fact, I am surprised by the entire list except ACL and lateral collateral). The other two I recall being associated with severe damage (PCL, medial collateral) aren't listed.

Was this unusual?

Yes, it was discussed in the videos and has bee written about a few times since. His therapist, who specializes in working with pro athletes, said it was the most devastating knee injury he had ever seen. He said that basically, the surgeon had to rebuild the entire joint.

I was shocked, because it was a very innocently looking injury. He planted his leg and turned, and everything seemed to let go in his knee.

[Deputy Nutz]

First, the Packers know more about Al Harris's recovery than anyone else does. nobody has seen Al Harris practice or play in close to a year now. I can't believe that Thompson or McCarthey could be foolish enough to cut Harris if he was conditioned and performing well enough in practice to crack the depth chart as 5th defensive back. The coaching and medical staff at this point probably think that he is not ready, therefore he does not factor in the plan for 2011 so instead of putting him on IR or taking a roster spot from a special team's player, they cut him.

The only way that the Packers will look foolish if Harris catches on with another team and performs close to the caliber of his former self. Harris is 35 years old, with a busted knee. The odds are not in his favor of returning to a pro bowl level.

I have blamed Thompson in the past for being looking to deep into the future with keeping younger players on the roster, versus picking up solid veterans that could push this team into the playoffs, I simply don't think this is the case with Harris otherwise he would be on the roster with the team going into the bye at 6-3 and still being touted as one of the favorites to win the NFC Championship.

[Patler]

A few articles about the extent of the injury. Even Harris called it "career ending":

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/95477594.html

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/86780217.html

[Fritz]

I wish Al Harris all the best...unless he's on a team playing the Pack. Then I hope he gets burnt like toast all night long.

[sheepshead]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzpowxGfVFE

Classic(sorry if was already posted)

[MJZiggy]

AAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gbgary]

i'll say it again...we're a lessor team without him. his character and leadership will be missed. maybe he can get into coaching sometime down the road.

[steve823]

Al is the man. I don't care where he goes, I wish him well. This is more painful to me then Brett Favre leaving. I always looked up to Al and wanted to be a physical corner like him when I was in high school. Guy is a class act and a good role model and will be missed.

[Fritz]

I found it interesting that Capers classified both Underwood and Lee as ascending.

They must believe, between their special teams play and their (supposed) improvement, that those two are worth more to the team than Harris.

If Lee gets healthy soon, perhaps he can by season's end be as good a 4th corner as Harris would have been.

But again, it'll be interesting to see how Harris plays. Not only will he have to test his knee, he'll have to shake some rust off, much like Barnett had to last year.

That might have entered into the thinking, too - by the time Harris shook the rust off, Lee and/or Underwood might have been able to gain enough experience to be as good as a 35 year old Harris.

Still, Harris was a pro's pro. I have great respect for him.