A recap of the week that was for the Green Bay Packers

By Os Davis | Monday, April 24, 2006 | ( 0 )

Got something to say?

One departure, one failure, one lock, one unknown.

That pretty much sums up the past week for the Green Bay Packers.

Gone is last year's second round choice, receiver Terrence Murphy. Sadly, the WR's abbreviated first season may in fact turn out to be the sum total of an abbreviated NFL career. After taking a brutal helmet-to-helmet hit by Thomas Davis of the Carolina Panthers in October, Murphy has quite literally not been the same since. Suffering from a bruised spinal cord due to the hit, he was told by team doctors that he would not be cleared to play and was subsequently cut from the roster. Murphy caught five passes and returned five kicks in the 2005 season.

Monster LB LaVar Arrington, ex- of Redskins and one of the serious game-breakers up for grabs in the 2006 offseason, decided not to sign with the Pack, going with the Giants instead. Arrington also passed on Miami and Jacksonville, but much speculation had Arrington moving to Wisconsin after his visit with the Packers staff. Of all those playing the waiting game for Arrington, though, none watched more intently than A.J. Hawk's agent. The non-signing of the Giant virtually locks Hawk into that number five spot, even if DE Mario Williams is passed on all the way to Green Bay's pick. Unfortunately, Packer backers' have been awoken from wanton fantasies of a linebacker corps featuring the former All-Pro.

Meanwhile, across the ocean, Amsterdam Admirals WR and Green Bay assignee Chad Lucas is still making a few waves. Two weeks ago, Lucas started his offense's side off with a bang, navigating a 33-yard reception to set up the Admirals first touchdown. Lucas later caught a TD pass in the game and racked up nearly one hundred yards, afterward making him the number one scorer in the NFLEL and the number three receiver in the league. Unfortunately, Lucas was a non-factor in Sunday's game at Rhein, catching only one pass; with the way Lucas has been looked for in the clutch, however, surely he's earning extra coverage.

This is a bit of a speculative leap, but with Murphy gone, Green Bay Packers brass must be considering filling the hole in the depth chart with the recently impressive Lucas. (Heck, perhaps the Pack should trade for certain-to-be NFLEL MVP QB Gibran Hamdan as well.) The downside on Lucas, playing ability and will to win aside, would appear to be attitudinal. Lucas has some of the all-time shortest relationships with teams and these aren't entirely due to lack of interest in the man's talent. In a blog entry, Lucas describes how things "weren't working out" for him at his first school, Troy University; speaks of "things" with the Miami Dolphins getting "mixed up" and again "not working out." The Pack, seemingly hoping to brush a little chip off the shoulder of this diamond in the rough, put Lucas to work on their practice squad last year and in Amsterdam this.

With only four players involved and much speculation, playing roster shifting is becoming as fun as Rubik's Cube. Who said the preseason was dull? That wasn't me, was it?

Got something to say?

	About Os Davis Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's...
	read more