I like Welch too but the truth is he is older and he is playing a position the Packers would rather keep other players. I am afraid they wont keep him because of the numbers.

Maybe it is time for MLF to make the rule you drop a pass that he believes should have been caught you sit until he allows you back in. I know his plate is already full with calling offensive plays and being a parttime HC so maybe he will have to put that on his in name only OC.

"Romeo Doubs, Kenny Clark, Lukas Van Ness. and Aaron Banks." I thought I heard Jenkins' back was acting up too? Maybe it was something else.

This is the time of year I wish we could hang onto all these players somehow. Get to know and like them all, and then their dreams are crushed. What a brutal business.

Al must have gotten his info on Deslin Alexandre from packers.com, which should be a good source, but in this case it isn't. Alexandre spent all of last season on the Packers practice squad. About a week ago, Andy Herman mentioned that he's been seeing Alexandre making great plays all through training camp. He still seems to be buried on the depth chart, though.

Julian Hicks made the play of the game against the Colts with that one-handed catch, which unfortunately was called back due to a penalty. I'm starting to wonder if he has a chance to make the team over Hardman and Heath. Probably not.

Five penalties for Anthony Belton was awful, no doubt, but it's hard to see that happening again. The late hit was really stupid. Rookie mistake. I did not see the facemask penalty, but it was probably legit. The false start is something that's bound to happen once in awhile. The two penalties for lining up wrong may not have even been Belton's fault, as he may have been basing his alignment on a guard who was lined up wrong next to him. Or maybe the refs chose to make alignment a point of emphasis, so they got picky about it all of a sudden. Anyway, I'd rather see those penalties than a bunch of holding penalties because he had poor blocking technique or was getting beaten repeatedly.

Never mind just being polluted, let’s poke the tiger:

Players that are getting overlooked based on what they are doing in camp: Lumpkin TE and Micah Robinson at CB. Possibly even Herring at CB too.

I agree with you on Johnson and Hicks at WR, but I want to see more of Neyor. He just gets open. Unfortunately too deep for Clifford particularly.

I like Belton’s upside but not his technique. He’d be a great extra OL man TE in the running game at this point, but his feet are slow laterally. His technique looks awful if that is tested and it affects his balance. If Tom were to go down I hope they have prepared Morgan or Walker this year. Time for a U71 type revival with Belton as the TE? Is LaFleur really not that imaginative after Belton’s downfield prowess on show?

I liked what I saw in protection from Amar Johnson. Perhaps not surprising given he was good at that in college, but there’s a level jump. An adventurous coach might go with that over Brooks because Johnson can make plays Brooks can’t, if Lloyd can’t in fact go. Sadly I think LaFleur will again lobby for the safe option. Safe doesn’t look bad but it seldom yields great rewards.

If Welch didn’t make the roster last year having had a stellar preseason that eclipsed McDuffie for one, will he ever? I don’t care about his age. 2 or 3 years of consistent ILB depth play and good STs is a good career in the NFL and the cost likely reasonable. The same applies to Deslin Alexander, who, as you rightly pointed out, played well again. Simmons sadly seems to lack instincts at this point. On merit Hopper looks to be be significantly better and is perhaps being stunted.

Fitzpatrick is a poor blocker and isn’t very physical. That’s all our 3rd TE does, yet none of the chattering classes seems to have picked up on that dichotomy. Sims is the same. Good PS injury replacements, but not going to free Kraft up to do more offensively and not going to improve our run game. Change the offense or start judging fit by what will actually make a difference.

I wish commentators would stop assuming Brinson is a run stuffing force just because he’s 315 pounds. He’s not. Check out his film for what he did and didn’t do folks. Nor over the season is Wooden going to be or Brooks. If we go into the year with Kenny Clark as our biggest force in the run game then we waste Kenny and will likely get what we deserve. Not that the others can’t help, but it’s a ridiculously light line to stand up for a season against starting OL and RBs.

I hope we give the bubble players time earlier, even intermixed with the starters. Let’s have the best test we can of the ones that might make a difference, regardless of the currently perceived depth chart as much as possible.

I wouldn’t mind seeing more of unheralded OL like Lecitus Smith (C/G), Lippe (G) and Banks (RT). All 3 played pretty well last week and might just be better now (Smith) or better future investments than just hanging on to players like Telfort who lack upside and we all desperately hope we don’t need to see out there.

Let’s be adventurous not overly conservative at the back end. Better is, well, just that. Don’t be afraid to find it. Only play should matter.

Welch reminds me a little bit of Frank Zambo.

Reliable, dependable, not flashy, but somehow in the right place more often than not.

Good post CW. Lots of good points.

One of the players you didn't comment on was Stackhouse and he is a run stuffer. The Packers do need someone to replace Slaton and Stackhouse appears to be the only player currently on the roster who could fulfill that role. I get that the Packers want more pass rush, but a pass rush will be of little use if the other team can run the ball down their throats (think Philly and Detroit). You have to stop the run too and Stackhouse is a great fit to do that.

PS: Apparently I'm not awake yet. I meant to reply directly to CW's post and managed to just post a separate comment. Sigh......

Off topic, but did I hear correctly that the Vikings have male cheerleaders now. If true, that's a bit polluted.

Gotta address the elephant in the room--I look forward to Al's articles but the unaddressed noise re: foundational
issues distracts me from thinking about roster spots and who may or may not be chosen.

The Offense is and will continue to be compromised by an over whelmed HC who refuses to off-load play-calling, has no real back-up offensive mind with whom to share the load when he inevitably runs into a brick wall (3rd/4th Qtr) and continues to keep an 'in-name' only OC who is not up to the task of competing against authentic OCs.

I refuse to be sympathetic to MLF when he starts to wear the inevitable 'I'm about to cry' expression when he goes into battle with Dan Campbell. He has had all off-season and either can't or won't make necessary personnel and system changes that serve the team and not his personal comfort.

We only have 2.5 weeks left-

He had the 'about-to-cry' expression on his freshly scrubbed face while facing the Jets. It was surreal and was as if he
was seeing the lack of discipline and sloppy play for the first time? Why can't a higher-up (whomever that is), hold him more accountable and insist on a more successful approach which will require fundamental change? And, why can't fans discuss this openly w/o harsh push-back?

Nice job AL. Your polluted thoughts are always appreciated. My sense at this point is that with one preseason game left to go the Packers still have more questions than answers. Some of this is due to numerous injuries and some is to unexpected performance from players like Hicks, Johnson and Alexandre.

Cutdowns should be interesting. GPG! Thanks, Since '61

Pulling for Julian Hicks. Liked him when the Packers got him as an UDFA. Made some nice plays, in preseason, but had some called back due to OL penalties. I like Welch, too, Tough and dependable! GO PACK, GO!!!

Simmons has been a boom bust kick at the tires. So is Hardman. Both guys possess tantalizing athleticism, former high draft picks, showed out some early in their careers, and both began a steady fade from being play makers to being journeymen.

Welch is a football player. He reads and reacts, gets to the ball, and tackles like a pro. He won't start, but if need arises, you can trust him to play solid LB...kind of like McDuffie. Ready and steady. Both Welch and McDuffie are going to be supplanted on the depth chart by Hopper as it is: One of the biggest surprise risers on the team.

Simmons gets to the ball too...albeit, 3 seconds later than Welch as he contemplates what's going on. Simmons had a bunch of tackles Saturday and none of them were difference makers. His athletic talent is mostly erased by his poor football IQ. Very disappointed as I expected some lighting in a bottle. Nope.

Heath is a football player too. He blocks like Watson, runs the correct routes, and fights like a Rottweiler for the ball. He's not flashy...but team knows what he has to offer and he will consistently show it on the field.

Hardman has track speed but not WR football skills displayed by Wicks and Johnson, and both should receive roster consideration before him. If a player is on the 53 as a returner, you better be very special at the the job...Hardman is not at all special as a returner now.

In the crowded, talented RB room I expect 4 chairs to remain to staff the 53...JJ, Wilson, Brooks, and Amar Johnson (while Lloyd embarks on yet another rehab assignment).

Really some difficult decisions on the DL. Do they roster 8, 9, or 10?

On OL, the 7 not on the bubble are Morgan, Walker, Banks, Jenks, Rhyan, Tom, Belton. Monk might stick but I would think about Smith (who I thought might make the 53 last year) to take his spot. And then shop for another big man or two on cutdown day.

Butkus raised my eyebrows when he complained about the OL depth. Is he intimating Gutey has sent him subpar talent? If I were Gutey, I'd be concerned about subpar OL coaching. Could be both. Been awhile since we have seen a steady dark horse OL riser like Nijman and Walker.

Insiders are saying MarShawn Lloyd's doting mother brought clementines into the locker room just for him, but Walker was able to snitch one for Belton. Now there's a guy taking care of his teammate.

Wonder what Dan Campbell is thinking about Packer messy state of affairs right about now?

Simmons smart guy works hard enough to get a paycheck and doesn’t mind moving from team to team to get a paycheck. I figure once he knows that’s going to run out he will play good ball.

I'm going to be pissed if they don't keep Welch, because I don't know what more he can do to show he deserves a roster spot. He's still relatively young, too (the same age as Simmons), so it's not like we're getting an old guy on the decline. It's time the Packers prioritized this kind of player (not overly athletic, but smart and effective) over some of the other types they have tried in the past.