The Packer Pundit

Bigby among practice squad additions
The Green Bay Packers have brought back at least four players they released over the past week, including safety Atari Bigby whose broken hand kept him from vying for a spot on the 53-man roster. In addition to Bigby, the Packers have agreed on practice squad contracts with defensive end Dave Tollefson, tight end Zac Alcorn and wide receiver Calvin Russell, agents for all four players said. The Packers can have as many as eight players on their practice squad, which is made up of players who have less than a year of experience and have passed through waivers. The Packers haven't announced any of their agreements and it's likely they have others in place.
Bigby broke his hand in the team's intrasquad scrimmage and missed all but the final couple of days of training camp. He underwent surgery to repair the hand and practiced with his hand in a large, cumbersome padded cast. The Packers kept only three safeties on their active roster and might be stashing Bigby until his hand heals. Bigby was told the injury would take four to six weeks to mend, which means he should be near full strength in a couple of weeks.


Packers claim three; waive Horton
By Tom Silverstein / journalsentinel.com
The Green Bay Packers took fliers on youth Sunday, claiming three rookies off waivers for their 53-man roster. With two roster spots available, the Packers had to make room and they chose to release veteran cornerback Jason Horton. Claimed on waivers were guard Tony Palmer, from St. Louis; safety Charlie Peprah, from the New York Giants; and cornerback Jarret Bush, from Carolina. Peprah was a fifth-round pick, Palmer a seventh-round pick and Bush a rookie free agent.

With only eight offensive linemen on their roster the Packers decided to take a look at the inexperienced Palmer rather than bring in a veteran. The 6-foot-2, 330-pound guard from the University of Missouri saw only limited action during the exhibition season. It's unclear whether the Packers claimed simply to bring him in for a workout or if they think he's someone that can help them down the road. "They wouldn't claim him just to bring him in," said Palmer's agent, Peter Schaffer. "He's a great young man with a great family. He has a lot of talent. Six teams wanted to put him on their practice squad. It's an indication the kid has talent." (MORE)


Packers Claim Three On Waivers
Packers.com / Posted 9-3-2006
Continuing to shape their season-opening roster, the Green Bay Packers Sunday claimed three players on waivers - cornerback Jarrett Bush (from Carolina), guard Tony Palmer (St. Louis) and safety Charlie Peprah (N.Y. Giants) - and released cornerback Jason Horton. Ted Thompson, Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations, announced the transactions.

Bush, a 6-foot, 194-pound rookie out of Utah State, signed as a free agent with Carolina following the 2006 draft. In four preseason contests, he had 13 tackles, three passes defensed and a fumble recovery for the 4-0 Panthers. An All-Western Athletic Conference performer in college, Bush started two years at Utah State after beginning his career at American River Junior College. A three-sport athlete, he also lettered in wrestling and track as a prep.

Palmer is a 6-foot-2, 326-pound rookie who earned All-Big 12 honors each of the past three seasons at Missouri, including first-team recognition in 2005 when he did not allow a sack. A mainstay on the Tigers' offensive line, he started his final 42 games in succession. The Rams' final selection in the 2006 draft, Palmer was a compensatory, seventh-round choice (243rd overall).

Peprah, a 5-foot-11, 202-pound rookie from Alabama, was selected by the N.Y. Giants with the 158th overall choice in the fifth round of the '06 draft. In four preseason contests, Peprah notched five tackles, one special-teams stop, one interception which he returned 19 yards vs. the N.Y. Jets Aug. 25, and one pass defensed. A four-year starter at Alabama, where he played both corner positions, safety and nickel back, he recorded nine career interceptions, two of which he returned for TDs, and broke up 24 passes. As a senior running back at Plano (Texas) High School, he averaged 9.7 yards per carry with nine TDs. The three additions, as well as the release of Horton, bring the Packers' active roster to 53 players.
STORY LINK

Thompson favors youth movement
By Jason Wilde / madison.com
Ted Thompson continued tweaking his roster Sunday. And the Green Bay Packers general manager did it not by adding big-name players like Ron Dayne or Charles Rogers, or even a few lesser-known veterans, but by adding more of what he already has: Youngsters. After cutting to 51 players on Saturday's NFL-mandated roster reduction - two fewer than the league's requirement - Thompson claimed three rookies off waivers: Cornerback Jarrett Bush from Carolina, guard Tony Palmer from St. Louis and safety Charlie Peprah from the New York Giants. Thompson also released veteran cornerback Jason Horton, who was beaten for a pair of touchdowns during Friday afternoon's loss to Tennessee in the preseason finale. The Packers now have 14 rookies, three first-year players and 10 second-year players, meaning 27 players - over half their 53-man roster - has less than two years of NFL experience. (MORE)


Line drive
Packers expect good things from Philbin
as position coach of offensive front
By Lori Nickel / journalsentinel.com
When tight end Donald Lee arrived in Green Bay after training camp last season, he thought he was behind everyone else. The Packers offense was entirely different from the one he'd worked with in Miami. His position coach at the time, Joe Philbin, jumped right in to help. While the players left Lambeau most days by 4:30 or 5 p.m., Philbin tutored Lee some nights until 10 p.m. After only a short break for dinner, Lee would walk back to Lambeau from his hotel room and find Philbin in the gym with offensive and defensive linemen props lined up on the floor. "We would actually run all the plays that we were going to run in the game," said Lee. "No matter how long it took, he would call all the plays out. Going into the game I felt very confident. I wanted to make every play." (MORE)