D J Smith waived

[rbaloha1]

Wow - not good. I had a feeling Jolly would be out of shape. When you're removed from the type of conditioning the the NFL requires and have a history like Jolly does, you can't expect him to be doing the "right thing" and then just pick up where he left off. I'm not as optimsitc as some that Jolly would be able to contribute this year or ever again. I'll be surprised if he makes the team. Even with that said, as a Packer Fan, I hope I'm wrong.

As for Pickett and Raji - Again, I'm not too surprised, but dissappointed. But it's early and they have time to get into shape. I guess you could say the same for Jolly too, I but I have my doubts in his case.

Even before this, I was expecting TT to focus on Defense again in this draft, specifically the D-line. Looks like he might not have a choice.

Nah according to other posters its propaganda -- please dismiss McGinn's stuff since the naysayers have inside info.

[run pMc]

I don't know if McGinn has a better inside source these days and we're getting the real scoop (they admit they're too soft, they're paranoid about injury now), or if he's just whipping the readership into a frenzy.

I think he's working the readers. These guys are all 300+ pounders not svelte greyhounds. Raji and Pickett play a lot of snaps and know how to prepare, and most people don't have high expectations for Jolly after 3 years out of football. If GB is going to take anyone with injuries off their board there won't be anyone left to draft. Football is a violent sport, duh. I go back and forth on McGinn...sometimes he's good, other times he's Chicken Little. This story about injuries is even crazier than his soft/small story.

As for Saine, I'm not too suprised there -- if Starks and Green are healthy, Harris got Saine's roster spot.

Smith was a surprise to me...I thought he could be a decent backup and play ST, and giving up on him after 2 years is unusually impatient...look at Harrell, Zombo or Sherrod in contrast. Smith had size and coverage limitations, but I think Brad Jones' big contract and Smith not being available for camps had more to do with his release. I don't think Smith played Hawk's position, which IIRC has different responsibilities, and if he's hurt he can't compete for Hawk's spot anyway.

D.J. Smith is not going to beat out Bishop or Jones -- TT is letting him go now to give him a chance to catch on somewhere.

[denverYooper]

I think some of the new guys at Lombardi Avenue are friendlier to McGinn than the old guard. Highsmith is on Twitter a decent bit and they already have had to gag Eliot Wolf once for things he was talking about on his Twitter account.

We'll see if the new source is accurate as the last big prediction, Finley not being retained, failed to materialize.

Maybe their new strategy is misinformation rather than no information.

[smuggler]

look at Harrell, Zombo or Sherrod in contrast.

Harrell and Sherry were both 1st rounders. Investing a 1st rounder dictates more patience, really.

Now, Zombo was a UDFA, but he also played a weaker position. At the time, we had Walden (eww) starting.

[denverYooper]

Nah according to other posters its propaganda -- please dismiss McGinn's stuff since the naysayers have inside info.

The Packers clearly let DJ Smith go because they were concerned about Bob's spot-on size analysis.

[denverYooper]

Harrell and Sherry were both 1st rounders. Investing a 1st rounder dictates more patience, really.

Now, Zombo was a UDFA, but he also played a weaker position. At the time, we had Walden (eww) starting.

That and they were (are) positions of need. They can afford to spend a little more time waiting for a planet-sized LTO to heal up.

[rbaloha1]

Maybe their new strategy is misinformation rather than no information.

where is the misinformation?

[rbaloha1]

The Packers clearly let DJ Smith go because they were concerned about Bob's spot-on size analysis.

which midgets do you like in the draft?

[rbaloha1]

The Packers clearly let DJ Smith go because they were concerned about Bob's spot-on size analysis.

bmcginn@journalsentinel.com

[pbmax]

Could it be that the $1 million in cap space (roughly) saved by these two is needed for Rodgers deal?

I know that two players will still need to be signed to take their spot on the 53, but is it possible that in the interim, that million dollars in space helps them do Rodgers and then buys them time to make a decision elsewhere (Raji)?

[smuggler]

Cool story, bro.

[MadScientist]

What isn't here is the context of their conditioning. They are big big guys, so they will likely get out of shape faster than smaller guys. The question is how are they compared to how they have been at the start of the off season workout programs in years past. As long as they are in the range where they can get themselves back into condition with reasonable training, everything should be fine. That doesn't mean that taking a NT with pick #26 is a bad idea. This is likely Pickett's last year, and even Raji too, given the amount of cap tied to Rodgers and Clay.

[run pMc]

What isn't here is the context of their conditioning.

Agree. I don't think anyone expect these guys to be able to run down Kaepernick in the open field. It's April. They'll be in shape when TC starts.
If this was about Tramon or Nick Perry being out of shape then I'd worry.

Agree with posters who pointed out that mgmt was patient with Harrell and Sherrod because they were R1 picks...I'm hoping Sherrod can come back from that injury, but not holding my breath.
There's got to be more to the story of Smith being released than just for the cap space...the front office and coaching staff obviously know more and are ok moving on without him.

Let's say they know they are in love with Ogletree and somehow know for a fact that he'll be there at 26...would you feel sad if he was drafted and then they cut Smith?

[wist43]

I liked Smith as a player... even though he is undersized.

We have to get bigger and faster at LB - we have Matthews, question marks, and pedestrian everything else. At least Zombo and Walden are gone - so that's progress. Hawk needs to be replaced next.

The front seven is just a colossal mess.

[MadScientist]

There's got to be more to the story of Smith being released than just for the cap space...the front office and coaching staff obviously know more and are ok moving on without him.

Here's the quote from the agent:

“I can only tell you what they told us, and that’s they needed to create some space for things they thought was coming,” said Smith’s agent, Lamont Smith. “From our perspective, he was ahead of schedule. If you watched the rehab and the conditioning, he was running and lifting. It was curious to us what caused this.”

Cap space doesn't make a lot of sense, but roster space is limited. I suspect that he may have been released so an extra UDFA could be signed right away. This is supposed to be a strong UDFA year, and given TT's history with them, it makes sense to have more shots at finding the diamond in the rough.

The quote came from this article:
http://www.packersnews.com/apps/pbcs...dyssey=refresh