Regarding: Ex-Packer smells Green Bay move | Greg Caldwell's Blog

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Ex-Packer smells Green Bay move
If George Koonce's nose is right, the Packers' offense might get an upgrade. Koonce, who recently resigned his position as the Packers' director of player development to accept a job with Marquette University, has caused a stir on blogs and Internet message boards with his remarks to a Milwaukee radio station Friday.

For the Packers to bring in a "big name" offensive player before or even during training camp, I have to believe that a trade is in the works. If you scan the free agent list, there aren't any "game changing" free agents available. In fact, this year's crop of free agents was, by standard, much weaker than years past.

Larry Johnson - Kansas City Chiefs?

Johnson has been looking for a new contract for some time and is vastly under paid when you look at his performance and workload. He's also threatening a holdout if he doesn't get a new contract.

This and taking into consideration that the Chiefs are having a fire sale to try and get younger, I don't believe a trade for Larry Johnson is out of the question.

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June 28, 2007 03:41 PM ET

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Who can they add on offense? There aren't any real "upgrades" at WR out there that are likely available, and the Packers organization has been pretty emphatic that Rodgers is the QB of the future. Besides, adding another QB isn't really upgrading the offense if Brett is able to play all year. You can't upgrade the O-Line significantly because too few veterans can quickly adapt to the zone blocking scheme unless they've been in it before -- and frankly, the O-line was beginning to gel near the end of last season. I really don't think they want, need, or should touch it now.

I think it has to be a running back (HB or FB) or a Tight End. TE has nearly the same problems as O-Line unless you're looking for just a receiving tight end -- which the Packers clearly weren't or they would have chosen Greg Olsen, the TE with WR speed, hands, and moves in the draft. I don't think there are any other TEs out there they can get either.

SO... If you're going to bring in a Running Back, they have to be familiar with Zone Blocking and even more so if it's a FullBack. Are there any Running Backs in the NFL of high quality with zone blocking experience who might be available?

WHY YES, THERE IS!

New Orleans has aging and possibly injury-prone (but still valuable) Deuce McAllister on its roster. Reggie Bush is emerging, the Saints took Antonio Pittman in the draft (and JUST signed him late last week) and both young backs are going to have limited reps with Deuce also on the roster. Maybe (and I'm just saying MAYBE), New Orleans wants to see if they can get some serious value out of Deuce while they can. New Orleans has Aaron Stecker on the roster -- who is a great return guy and who isn't a bad RB in his own right... so either you cut your mid-round RB pick (listed as a "draft steal" by SI, by the way), your cut your great returner (a month after cutting your popular hero returner), you keep 4 RBs into the regular season -- or you start looking to trade Deuce. Who might want Deuce? Yeah... the Packers just might. And they MIGHT pay a lot for that muffler. I think this is the most logical candidate for a dark horse GB pickup.

Also, he's under a long-term contract, so the Packers know exactly what they'd have to pay him... unless he balks at the cold weather or something.

I don't think Deuce is going to want to be fighting for a starting job, though... and in GB he wouldn't have to. In New Orleans, he MIGHT end up fighting to be the #2 RB.

I think it's Deuce.