The Packer Pundit

'4' certain to attend weekend minicamp
Favre reverses decision to stay in Mississippi
By Lori Nickel / journalsentinel.com
Posted: May 16, 2007
Not only has Brett Favre changed his mind about the mandatory minicamp this weekend, but he's even coming to Green Bay with the intent to practice. Favre's agent, Bus Cook, told ESPN.com that Favre has reversed an earlier decision not to attend the Green Bay Packers' mandatory minicamp this weekend. Initially, Favre told a Mississippi newspaper Monday that he wasn't going to come, in part because of preparations for his daughter's upcoming graduation and also because he was still rehabilitating his ankle. He had surgery on bone spurs on his left ankle on Feb. 26. The team would not make any formal announcement on whether Favre specifically was excused from camp and wouldn't say whether he would be fined if he didn't attend. Favre had been in the middle of controversy when he criticized the team last weekend for not signing receiver Randy Moss. Now, the 17-year veteran famous for his record 257-game starting streak has concluded that coming to camp was simply in everyone's best interests. "Brett's going to camp because it's the right thing to do . . . he's going up there for his teammates, to check out some of the new guys and he expects to do everything everybody else does," Cook told ESPN's Chris Mortensen. -- More



He's caught in shuffle of player trading cards
By Lori Nickel / journalsentinel.com
Posted: May 17, 2007
Rookie running back Brandon Jackson got on a plane Thursday, but he wasn't bound for Green Bay anticipating his first handoff from Brett Favre and running behind Chad Clifton. Instead, he was going to Los Angeles to flash his best smile. And he isn't happy about it. The Green Bay Packers' second-round draft pick from Nebraska should be coming to Green Bay to get an eye-opener at his first full squad minicamp, and then enjoy the spoils - promotions, photographs, fame and money - if and when he ascends the depth chart. Instead, Jackson is forced to choose the glitz of Hollywood over the grit of Green Bay. According to Jackson's agent, Gary Wichard, a mandate handed down from the National Football League Management Council this week has barred Jackson from attending the Packers' mandatory minicamp today through Sunday because Jackson is expected to attend the "2007 Reebok NFL Rookie Premier, presented by EA Sports" to start working on his endorsement deals and player cards. His only real choice is either to go to Los Angeles or stay at home. But he can't come to minicamp. "They literally locked him out of camp," Wichard said. "The team is not allowed to have him. I think it's ridiculous." -- More



Rayner Ready To Battle For Job
By Mike Spofford / Packers.com
Posted 05/17/2007
When the Packers drafted kicker Mason Crosby out of Colorado in the sixth round late last month, incumbent kicker Dave Rayner didn't even know about it until five days later. That's because Rayner was on vacation and out of the country, with his cell phone turned off. Then he got a message the Friday following the draft notifying him about the fight he would have to keep his job, a battle that officially kicks off with the full-squad minicamp this weekend. But don't mistake Rayner's disconnect at the time of the draft with a laissez-faire attitude toward the upcoming competition for the kicking job. He's ready, as well as confident he can improve on his 2006 performance. "I'm getting stronger and better now than I was last season," said Rayner, who made 26 of 35 field goals (74.3 percent) in his first season as a full-time kicker. "I'm going to go into this season like he's going to have to kick really, really well to beat me out. "Competition is never a bad thing. It's not going to hurt anybody." -- More