Pack past, present and future

By Os Davis | Sunday, June 04, 2006 | ( 0 )

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The Green Bay Packers are in the zone - the twilight zone. The Pack has entered that nether space between up and down, between contending and rebuilding, between featuring all-stars and fostering young talent. Even the front office is in transition announced the news this week, as John Jones has taken over Bob Harlan's title of team president. Clearly, this year Packer backers are thinking in three ways about their team: past, present and future.

The past ended up being symbolized later in the week as well with the ceremonial "signing" of Dorsey Levens. The well-tenured running back racked up eight years of playing time for Green Bay in his eleven-year career, including the Super Bowl seasons of 1996 and 1997. Levens got a third appearance in the Big Game with the Philadelphia Eagles, but his heart remained in Wisconsin. Levens officially retired a Packer on Friday.

Meanwhile, in the present, Green Bay looks more impressive than many had predicted (and/or feared). On paper, that is. And while you're looking at that paper, be sure to pen a large red question mark next to Ahman Green. After five straight thousand-yard seasons and no apparent slowing in sight, Green missed most of last season with an injury. He's also missed mini-camp, and officials have released no hard details about the extent of that problem. You have to wonder about Bubba Franks as well, with a concussion that managed to knock him out of the last four weeks of play. And what of those high-profile free-agent signings, struggling Rod Gardner and much-injured Charles Woodson? If these guys are as good as their career stats, the present could present a present of a 10-6 season. If not...

Solidly in the present, but potentially the team's future leader, is A.J. Hawk. Even if the Pack see more casualties than a M*A*S*H unit and Brett Favre's arm is sawed off, this guy will be worth watching all year. Hawk is set to be in the top slot at weak side linebacker and, though Brian Urlacher comparisons have not yet been made, well...those are probably in the future, too.

Green Bay brass and Cheeseheads alike have got to like the young, young pool of receivers they've got to pick and choose from as well. As present, they've got no slouch in the recently resigned (with an audible sigh of relief coming from roughly Milwaukee away) Donald Driver. But the future is bright, potentially represented here by this year's second-round draft pick Will Blackmon, along with Vincent Butler, Greg Jennings, Chad Lucas, Ruvell Martin, Cory Rodgers, and Andrae Thurman.

Then there's Favre. His fingerprints are all over the glorious Packer past of the 1990s. He is the present. Favre, above everything in the Green Bay locker room and front office, will most likely determine the path of this team's near future.

And that's something that hasn't changed since 1992, making for a trace of stability in the unpredictable green and gold twilight zone.

Follow the future of the Green Bay Packers in the Realfootball365.com crystal ball.

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	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 ...
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