Packers releasing Al Harris

[Tony Oday]

Or is Al Harris just another "name" that used to be good...Dallas and Minnesota rely on those guys and they are not having what you call great seasons.

Harris was dominate but with a shredded knee I will have to side with the coaches and the front office in their thinking that he is done.

[get louder at lambeau]

Oh, brother! <facepalm> I can't believe all the belly aching about losing Al Harris. He was the #2 choker and the reason we lost all the playoff games we did, right behind #1 choker Brett Favre.

Do you guys not remember him getting lit up by countless recievers in critical games?? wtf?

Plaxico Burress in 2007 should be enough for this to be a non issue. I'd take anyone, and I mean anyone over Al the overrated cb Harris. Good riddance and thanks for all the blown coverages.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzpowxGfVFE&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmOHfLFG2K4

Only 15 seconds in!

...and at 20 seconds in Woodson misses a tackle and is laying on the turf as Brandon Jacobs runs by him.

I'm surprised as anyone that they cut Harris, and when I think about it, this is the best I can come up with-

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.

[sheepshead]

When are we gonna get rid of TT? How dare he have a bench SO good that Al freikin Harris has to be cut!!????

FIRE TT NOW

This is asinine. No one except you has said this.

Ok, asinine I get maybe. What does the second part even mean?

(it was sarcasm I hope you know)

[Patler]

I think I will just wait and see if Harris really does have anything left before getting too concerned about him not having had a chance with the Packers.

Shields seems to show up in a play or two every game, even in run support. He reminds me of the way Tramon Williams broke in. Sort of came from no where to leapfrog others with better credentials, and win the nickel spot. Then just seemed to get better and better with more and more playing time.

[Bossman641]

I like to save scorched for guys like Carroll and Hawthorne.

fair enough. Can we just agree that the guy has a ways to go? Some veteran talent might be a benefit down the stretch and Pat Lee doesn't give me a "we've got it covered feeling".

Harris is a loyal, cheap, reliable option (if he's ready to play, and I believe if he wasn't he wouldn't have passed the physical, nor been released)

On the surface I agree with you.

At this time though, I'm not sure Harris would be any better than Shields. Then you have a 36 year old 4th string corner getting paid $2m to play a handful of plays who doesn't play ST. For all we know, the Packers gave him this option and Harris said he would prefer a chance elsewhere.

If a DB gets injured or Harris is effective there will definitely be second-guessing and I will be right there. Based on how effective the defense has been, the staff gets the benefit of the doubt at this time.

Oh, and MM said in his press conference today that Lee is not going on IR.

[sharpe1027]

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.

[Old School]

Last week the DB coach talked about how difficult it would be for any player to come back from the injury Al had. He went on to say it is harder for a CB to do than any other position because of the torque on knees as CB's react to WR's who know where they are going.

He also stated that there was an area or two - like sudden stops - in which Al was still not up to speed as far as the game is concerned. He said it was with things that can't really be replicated in practice.

Sorry I don't have a link. I don't remember where I read it. I'm twice Al's age. LOL

[hoosier]

Oh, brother! <facepalm> I can't believe all the belly aching about losing Al Harris. He was the #2 choker and the reason we lost all the playoff games we did, right behind #1 choker Brett Favre.

Do you guys not remember him getting lit up by countless recievers in critical games?? wtf?

Plaxico Burress in 2007 should be enough for this to be a non issue. I'd take anyone, and I mean anyone over Al the overrated cb Harris. Good riddance and thanks for all the blown coverages.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzpowxGfVFE&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmOHfLFG2K4

Only 15 seconds in!

...and at 20 seconds in Woodson misses a tackle and is laying on the turf as Brandon Jacobs runs by him.

I'm surprised as anyone that they cut Harris, and when I think about it, this is the best I can come up with-

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.

That may be what has happened. But there is one thing posted in the JSO blog today that isn't entirely consistent with that scenario: according to Harris the coaching staff had been prepping him for the last three weeks to be ready to play nickel back each week, and then come Saturday they would always tell him he wasn't being activated after all. Why would McCarthy's staff lead him to think that he was about to be activated and play if they really think he is no better than Jarrett Bush? It's not like Al is a rookie or a slacker who needs external motivation. If what Harris says is true then I suspect that the coaching staff may not all be on the same page re. Harris.

[Fritz]

Wishing for a 36year old average to less than average cornerback, coming off severe recontructive knee surgery, to start for your team???

As we sit at 6-3.

After pitching a shutout and only giving up 7 in the last 2 games?

Start? Nope.

Play for Pat Lee? Yes. But it has to work with Special Team numbers.

The great unknown, of course, is whether he is healthy enough to play.

These are both good points. The first - special teams. Why didn't the team consider having Al play special teams? It's a question I've pondered.

The second - we'll only know this once
Al hooks up somewhere else.

Third - MM said Pat Lee is improving, so maybe he's not headed for IR after all...

I'm sad. I really liked Harris. But I get that there may be more to this story than we know.

[Guiness]

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.

[MichiganPackerFan]

Great Packer. Al did everything the right way, and I even liked the way he want about complaining. He's one of my all time favorite players and I'm going to really miss him.

My thoughts exactly. An emotional good-bye for me. Thanks Al!!!!!!

[RashanGary]

I think I will just wait and see if Harris really does have anything left before getting too concerned about him not having had a chance with the Packers.

Shields seems to show up in a play or two every game, even in run support. He reminds me of the way Tramon Williams broke in. Sort of came from no where to leapfrog others with better credentials, and win the nickel spot. Then just seemed to get better and better with more and more playing time.

Good comparison. Both great athletes too.

[MadScientist]

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 in his release.

[Fritz]

I would like to have seen them keep Harris as insurance, as say the fourth corner, but then again if he can't or won't play special teams, then you have a problem with having enough ST guys since the guy he'd be bumping - Lee - plays special teams.

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.

[hoosier]

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.