Green Bay Packers

Christian Ponder doesn't appear to have such a firm grip on the starting quarterback job for the Minnesota Vikings. He might get passed by Matt Cassel.The post Vikings Laying the Groundwork to Bench Christian Ponder appeared first on Total Packers.

In this 'Video Ask Vic,' packers.com editor Vic Ketchman is in the bowl at Lambeau Field talking about the position he loves to see athletic superiority take over.

We're going to something new (to us) in covering the second day of the Minnesota Vikings' mandatory minicamp. If all goes as planned, or anything close to it, we'll us this template as much as possible during training camp. Here's how it will work: At 2:45 p.m. ET, I'm going to jump into the live blog module below to answer questions, discuss what I saw at the Vikings' first practice Tuesday and preview what I'll be looking for Wednesday. Then, I'll head out to practice -- which starts at 3:10 p.

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports The Green Bay Packers released veteran inside linebacker Desmond Bishop because they did not want to pay $3.464 million for a player who missed all of last season with a torn hamstring. Even though all signs point to Bishop being healthy enough to perform at a high level, the Packers decided it was better to go in a different direction. However, Green Bay keeping inside linebacker A.J. Hawk over Bishop is a huge mistake. Bishop is beside himself after the team cut him. He loves the Packers so much and even went as far to say that he will always be a member of the green and gold. “It’s kind of like you’re first love and how you never really quite get over your first love,” Bishop said, according to USA Today Sports. “In my heart, I’ll always be a Packer. I loved it there and I appreciate the opportunity the Packers gave me. I’m forever grateful. At the same time, I understand it’s a business. I’m still going to be me no matter where I go, so if somebody else wants my services, I’ll be happy to perform, and whatever other color or team I play for, that’s what I represent.” Bishop recorded 103 total tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception in 15 games for Green Bay during the 2010 season. As the team went on their incredible playoff run, Bishop posted 26 total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries as he helped lead the Packers to a win in Super Bowl XLV. The soon-to-be 29-year-old followed up his stellar performance with a career-high 115 total tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles during the 2011 regular season. There is no question the Packers had a rising star on their hands, but that star faded when he got hurt in a preseason game against the San Diego Chargers prior to the 2012 season. Bishop has put up far better numbers than Hawk has over the past two seasons, and he is considered the better draft selection considering where he was picked. Bishop was selected in the sixth round (192nd overall) in the 2007 NFL Draft, whereas Hawk was the fifth overall pick in the 2006 draft. There is no question Hawk has underperformed considering where he was selected. Even though Hawk restructured his contract to take a pay cut, I would still rather pay Bishop what he is owed to have a better product on the field. Granted, there is always the chance that he re-injures his hamstring, which is why Green Bay released him, but getting hurt is an occupational hazard that can happen to anyone at any time in the NFL. The worst part about the entire ordeal is that Bishop will probably land with the Minnesota Vikings or a legitimate contender that could come back to haunt the Packers. Not to mention, if something were to happen to one of the team’s linebackers, or Brad Jones does not deliver, it will be too late for Green Bay to get back Bishop.

I love negotiating! Whether it’s with a seasoned NFL salary cap manager, a friend, a car dealer, or a vendor in a foreign country, I’m always ready to get the best deal I can and have some fun doing it. I just returned from a twelve-day trip to Turkey where I spent some time in the Grand Bazaar haggling over some leather goods, jewelry and other items the Turks are known for. If you’ve never been to the Grand Bazaar in Turkey, imagine a swap meet with over 3,000 shops spread over 61 tightly woven covered streets in no particular pattern. In essence it’s a shopping maze where you can purchase old maps, diamonds, silver, gold, daggers, robes, spices, purses, lamps, hookahs, art work and thousands of other quality and imitation items. Selling these items are most likely the best negotiators and salesmen on the planet. If you’ve been an NFL agent as long as I have, you have negotiated against some shrewd individuals. However, the Turks were as formidable as the toughest NFL exec I ever went up against. Here are two tips on how to negotiate what you want: 1) Get to know your opponent: When you show interest in a product in Turkey and present yourself as a legitimate buyer, the Turks will take their time in getting to know you. They will offer you a Turkish coffee or some of their favorite tea. They disarm you with some hospitality and take some time to chat with you on a personal level before they go in for the kill. When Andrew Brandt first got the job as team negotiator and salary cap manger with the Packers in 1999, he did something very wise. He hit the road and visited all of the agents of his team’s core players. He bought lunch, dinner and/or had drinks with all the agents he would eventually negotiate with. I know getting to know him made my dealings a lot easier. Trip MacCracken, salary cap manager of the Chiefs, did the same thing when he started with the Browns. He later told me it really helped to speed up his dealings with agents. When Bill Parcells was Czar of the Patriots, there was a window of time where he was without a cap manager and was handling some of the player negotiations. I was having a rocky time getting a second deal done for starting Guard Todd Rucci, and I knew there would be a showdown with Bill and I in the near future. So before I got in the ring with him I had a few chats with him on a personal level. Then I called some people who worked with him in the past to see what made him tick. I was told by people who knew him well that he would try to intimidate me, that he has to “win” a negotiation, and that he respects fighters and people that won’t back down from him. So when the time came to do a deal, sure enough he tried bullying me. So I told him to, “call me back when he wants to be more professional”, and hung up on him. The next day he called me back and said the only reason he was calling me back was because Linda, his secretary liked me. It was his way of apologizing. After a quick chat I got right to the point and told him I will fax him three contract options for Rucci. In the fax, I pointed out that “Todd deserves the 1st option. That the 2nd option would be a compromise. And the 3rd, well, I don’t like it but I would settle for it.” Knowing that Parcells had to win, I knew he would pick the 3rd option, which was a shorter-term deal we really wanted. I got what was best for my client and Parcells felt like he won. He has been an ally for me in this business ever since that deal. CONTINUE READING ABOUT NEGOTIATING ON PAGE TWO... 2) Have fun: Most people take negotiating, and themselves, way to seriously. If you have fun with the process, you will soften your opponent and they will enjoy doing even more business with you in the future. When you have fun with it, it makes it a positive experience for all involved. Even though negotiating NFL contracts can get abrasive at times, a sense of hu

We started the conversation last month about the connection between the Green Bay Packers' sack totals and how long quarterback Aaron Rodgers holds the ball. As we noted in the chart reproduced below, Rodgers spent more time in the pocket last season than 34 NFL quarterbacks who made at least two starts and also had the division's highest rate of sacks per drop-back. At the time, I thought it was important to consider those figures part of a larger problem rather than its sole cause.

Here's a possibility none of us blockheads have considered regarding the Minnesota Vikings' pursuit of linebacker Desmond Bishop: What if they are evaluating him as an outside linebacker in their 4-3 scheme? Bishop played inside in the Green Bay Packers' 3-4 alignment, and we all assumed the Vikings were targeting him to play the middle linebacker position -- where Erin Henderson has been working to make the transition all offseason. But instead of a scenario where Bishop plays the middle and Henderson plays outside, what if it's the other way around?

The Green Bay Packers get no respect according to Aaron Rodgers, but he likes it. Rodgers says the Packers are under the radar this season.The post Aaron Rodgers Says Packers Are Under the Radar appeared first on Total Packers.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings center John Sullivan didn't miss a play last season in what many considered a Pro Bowl-caliber performance. Yet offseason microfracture surgery on his left knee has cost him every snap of offseason workouts so far, and he is not expected to participate in the final two days of mandatory minicamp this week. The nature of Sullivan's surgery and his extended layoff makes it fair at least to ask if he will be ready for training camp.

We're Black and Blue All Over: Some of you have asked how the Detroit Lions' unique camp leg fared during the offseason. Here's what we can tell you about Havard Rugland, a.k.a. "Kickalicious:" He apparently did well enough to earn a trip to training camp. Even that minor accomplishment wasn't a given for a place-kicker who rose to fame with a viral YouTube video of trick kicks. There is a big difference between those maneuvers and actual NFL success, but Rugland had plenty of opportunities as presumed 2013 starter David Akers sat out most of the offseason because of a hip injury.