The Packer Pundit

Jones is good to go
By JASON WILDE / madison.com
GREEN BAY — The Green Bay Packers' wide receiver situation was never as grave as coach Mike McCarthy thought. In fact, rookie James Jones is still trying to figure out what all the hullabaloo was all about. "It was Coach just being scared and nervous," Jones said of his departing Thursday's practice with an alleged hamstring injury. "I'm 100 percent right now." You can't blame McCarthy for being worried, though. No. 2 receiver Greg Jennings missed the first two games with a hamstring injury he suffered in practice before the Sept. 9 opener against Philadelphia, and had both Jones and Jennings not been available for Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers at Lambeau Field, the Packers would have been down to Donald Driver, Ruvell Martin and Chris Francies and would have needed to add another receiver either from the practice squad or off the street. "I told Coach I'm never telling him anything again," Jones said. "I was out there in warmups (Thursday), and I said, 'Coach, it's a little cold out here, I'm going to go over here and stretch, my hammy is a little tight.' The next thing I know, all the trainers are running up on me, and Coach is like, 'Get him out, get Jones out of practice.' I'm like, 'I'm 100 percent, I just need to stretch.' It was crazy. "(The other day) Greg told him he was a little tight and the next thing you know Greg pulls his hammy, so (he) was just being cautious." Said Jennings: "I didn't help his cause there, when he says he's hurting and I'm out with the same injury." Not anymore, though, as Jennings went through the entire practice and pronounced himself ready to play against the Chargers. "I'm definitely playing on Sunday," Jennings said. "It's been too long, too long. I feel good, I feel fresh. Now I have to stay out there." It'll be Jennings' first game since Dec. 21, having missed last season's finale when his wife gave birth. "I'm not really concerned about having anything to prove because of my health; it comes with the sport," said Jennings, who played through an ankle injury during the second half of last season. "I don't feel like I'm injury-prone because I had an ankle — I played through that, although I wasn't the same. I just need to continue to stay healthy." To that end, Jennings had ice packs on both hamstrings during a post-practice dominoes game with Martin and backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers. "This is precautionary. I'm on it now," Jennings said. "Once you pull one, you take care of both of them."

More injury updates
Of the 15 other players on the Packers' injury report, only halfback Vernand Morency (knee, doubtful, limited participation), defensive end Mike Montgomery (knee, out) and backup middle linebacker Desmond Bishop (shoulder, questionable, limited) figure to miss the game. Listed as probable are left tackle Chad Clifton (ankle); tight end Bubba Franks (knee); defensive linemen Cullen Jenkins (wrist), Johnny Jolly (heel), Aaron Kampman (rib) and Corey Williams (ankle); cornerbacks Al Harris (elbow) and Charles Woodson (hip); offensive linemen Tony Moll (neck) and Jason Spitz (calf); and safety Aaron Rouse (hamstring). Bishop was injured on a kickoff Sunday and aggravated the injury in practice Thursday.

Jackson still the starter
While rookie seventh-round pick DeShawn Wynn has been getting all the attention after running for two touchdowns in last Sunday's win over the New York Giants, second-round pick Brandon Jackson remains the starter. "Things don't always work out for you individually, but as a team we're having success right now, and that's No. 1," said Jackson, who has rushed for 75 yards on 32 carries (1.9-yard average) in the first two games. "Things are going to come for me. I just have to tough it out until it happens. "My confidence level is still high. When you see a guy doing good at your position, of course you want to do the same. What he's done, I would love to do. It's just not going that way for me right now. I'm not worried."

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Packers reward Tauscher / Rework his contract
He gets $2.8 million in additional bonuses
By BOB McGINN / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Sept. 21, 2007
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers have renegotiated the final two years of tackle Mark Tauscher's contract, giving him an additional $2.8 million in roster and workout bonuses, sources told the Journal Sentinel. General manager Ted Thompson declined to confirm or deny the report, saying, "That's between us and Mark Tauscher." Tauscher wasn't available Friday during the period when the locker room was open to reporters, and then didn't return a request for a telephone interview. "Whatever it is, he deserves it," said cornerback Al Harris, who received a similar type of pay increase from the club in February. "I'm so happy for 'Tausch.' He's a very, very good and underrated football player." More >>