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One of my arguments against the Jaguars selection of punter Bryan Anger in the third round of the draft was that it was an area of the draft where the team could likely have upgraded its depth on the offensive line.

See the previous year, when the Jaguars found Will Rackley, the starting left guard when healthy, in the third round.

It has not taken long for the Jaguars depth on the line to come into play.

Rackley’s recovering quickly from a high ankle sprain, but is out at least another week.

Rackley’s backup, Jason Spitz, is now out for about six weeks with a foot injury.

Backup center John Estes (knee) is a having surgery, which means right guard Uche Nwaneri is the emergency third option at the spot.

The Jaguars moved right tackle Eben Britton to left guard and inserted Cameron Bradfield at right guard for their preseason opener, and that construct remains in place on the revised, unofficial depth chart released Monday in advance of preseason game No. 2 on Friday in New Orleans.

"That’s a difficult thing when you get (multiple injuries at) the same position," coach Mike Mularkey told Jaguars reporters. "We’ve got some guys that can move around though, and not totally put you in a bind. It’s not the same as having the guys.”

Drew Nowak played defensive tackle at Western Michigan and was on the team's first depth chart as a defensive tackle. He's now a backup guard.

"He played fifty plays the other night," Mularkey said Sunday. "He’s been a guard for five days. He wasn’t perfect. He had five mental errors. But you talk about a guy that has a chance to be a player. He’s smart, he’s tough, it’s just amazing what he did. There’s another one. And he can work at center.”

While Britton is versatile, the team is looking to play better on the line, and his return from a back injury that cost him most of last season was the most significant change. Now he’s not where they had planned for him to be.

The Giants might be the best defensive front the Jaguars see, but they got pushed backwards a lot.

Jacksonville’s line is a better run blocking group than it is in pass protection, and pass protection has got to be better for quarterback Blaine Gabbert to be better. Gabbert has to be better for the Jaguars to be better.

General manager Gene Smith believes in foundation building, and his early high picks were left tackle Eugene Monroe and Britton in 2009, and defensive tackles Tyson Alualu and D'Anthony Smith in 2010.

He took Rackley in the third round last year, and Rackley quickly moved into the starting lineup.

But the Jaguars started out camp with Bradfield, Spitz, Estes, Daniel Baldridge and Guy Whimper as their primary backup linemen.

Spitz was originally a third-round pick in Green Bay in 2006, and Whimper originally a fourth-rounder by the Giants in 2006. The rest were undrafted.

Did Smith give the Jaguars enough depth and enough options to get better at protecting Gabbert if their first five aren’t all in place?

It’s an early second-guess, but it sure would have been nice if they’d found one more lineman to have in the mix back in the draft.

Initial depth charts are like all of them -- unofficial and not always accurate.

Still, they are teams putting players and slots on the record.

The Jaguars' release for their preseason debut is out, and a depth chart is a required part of it.

No major surprises, but here’s stuff of note:

• Jason Spitz is the starting left guard ahead of rookie third-rounder Will Rackley.
• Aaron Kampman is at right end with Austen Lane at left end.
• Dawan Landry is at free safety, with Courtney Greene at strong safety. Rookie fourth-rounder Chris Prosinski is Landry’s backup, and Mike Hamlin is behind Greene, ahead of Don Carey.
• D’Anthony Smith is a third-string defensive tackle behind Leger Douzable and C.J. Mosley.
• Fifth-round draft pick Rod Issac ranks as a fourth-string cornerback.
• Mike Thomas is the top punt returner with Deji Karim the top kick returner. Scotty McGee is behind both.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jaguars aren’t looking for parades or pinwheels as congratulations. But in the two years since Gene Smith took over as general manager, they’ve basically gutted the roster. And while setting about a major rebuilding project, they remained competitive with a 7-9 season and an 8-8 campaign.

After another draft and an active free-agency period, they now feel the rebuild is complete.

“There is an expectation level in this league to win, and I think having some horses makes us all smile in this building,” Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said. “I think we went out and acquired some guys for the second and third level of our defense where we talked about needing some help. ... It’s going to help us be a whole lot better.

“The pressure, the demands, that’s part of what we do, and I love that part of it. It becomes a little more enjoyable when you know you’re getting closer to being on equal footing."

Del Rio’s not buying that the Colts are slipping, and he’s not waiting for them to. The in-house expectation is that this team is capable of competing for the AFC South crown no matter what any other team in the division has going for it.

Bolstered by four upgrades among the top 12 players on defense, Jacksonville is a team that should be much improved. The Jaguars won’t be a popular pick, but they could be a surprise, emergent team.

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Will there be a quarterback controversy? The team stands firmly with David Garrard and intends to bring first-round pick Blaine Gabbert along slowly. But Gabbert has looked great early, while Garrard tends to be inconsistent. There are bound to be times during the season when there is some pressure to make a change from inside team headquarters, not just from media and fans.

“If we ever get to the point where we think Blaine is better than Dave, that’s good for the Jaguars,” offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said. “Because I think Dave is good enough to win with; I think we can win our division with Dave Garrard at quarterback. If Blaine is better than Dave, shoot, that’s good for us.”

Del Rio and Koetter could have a complicated job managing how and when to play Gabbert if they feel he’s forcing his way into the lineup.

“I’ve got a healthy appreciation for the desire out there to make it a story,” Del Rio said. “For us, we’re about maximizing our opportunities as a football team, playing the guys who give us the best chance to win games and working on the preparation. ...

“Through the course of competition and exposure and based on health, those factors kind of take care of themselves. I don’t think we have to get ahead of the story. I think we can just let it play out, and at least we are doing so from a position of strength. There is no reason to make it dysfunctional, make it unhealthy. What purpose does that serve? It’s not going to help us win more games.”

It sounds good, but it can get complicated. Garrard’s the guy right now, and the team and the quarterback need to do a better job of making sure he gets hit far less so he can make consistently good decisions with the ball.

Factor tight ends Marcedes Lewis and Zach Miller and running backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Rashad Jennings into the mix with the receivers, and the Jaguars have sufficient weapons to complement a run-based offense. Mike Thomas, Jason Hill and Cecil Shorts could be a better three-pack of receivers than many people think.

2. How much better can the revamped defense be? If this defense doesn’t improve from 32nd against the pass, 28th overall and 27th in points allowed, Del Rio will lose his job.

The team shelled out $37 million guaranteed to three prime free agents: linebackers Paul Posluszny and Clint Session and safety Dawan Landry. The Jags also added nickelback Drew Coleman.

That group, plus rookie defensive backs Chris Prosinski and Rod Issac, should vastly improve the defensive production and depth.

Smith wanted to build foundations early and spent his first two drafts working on the lines. Defensive tackles Tyson Alualu and Terrance Knighton should take up all kinds of blockers and create space for the two new linebackers and the underrated Daryl Smith to make a lot of impact plays.

“Jacksonville’s interior D-line really stood out,” Posluszny said about his research as a free agent. “They’ve got two studs in the middle that are very active, get to the ball a lot and certainly are going to take up a lot of blockers.”

Safety play last season was horrific, and Landry will be a significant upgrade even though he didn’t bring Ed Reed with him from Baltimore.

“I’m not looking for any grace period to assemble this defense,” Del Rio said. "Guys we’re assembling and counting on for the most part are veterans. ... We’re going to expect to play coming out of the gate as a winning football team, and defensively we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

3. Can they play well late in the season? December is a debacle for this team.

In the past three seasons in games played in December and beyond, the Jaguars are 4-11. They need to learn to finish games and seasons better. What can change it?

“I think in Week 13 or something, we had a better record than the Packers did last year,” Daryl Smith said. “They got hot, and who would have thought they would go on to win? That could be us. Why not? We have to try to stay off of that roller coaster, try to be consistent, just get better each week. Steady, steady, steady, then come late November or December, get hot.”

“I’ve been in the playoffs twice since I’ve been here and that’s been the formula. … We can’t feel like we arrived when we have a good game or played well and won a couple games.”

Del Rio says that with a more talented roster, he has to guide it to better work in the last quarter of the season.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Beat writers and fans call Austen Lane “The Bringer of Pain.” It’s funny. But he looks like a guy who will make it hard for the team to look anywhere else for its second starting defensive end. He can be a ball of fury, and that will fit right in with the tone and tempo of the rest of the defensive front.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Right tackle Eben Britton came in with a reputation as a nasty player, and the team missed him last season when he was lost with a shoulder injury. I’ve picked him as a breakout-caliber guy this season. But word is he has not been great so far. Perhaps he’s still being cautious and easing his way back, but he needs to take things up a big notch soon.

OBSERVATION DECK

• Two years ago, people were writing off center Brad Meester. But defenses were taking advantage of weak guard play to get to him. He rebounded well last season and is a guy whom coaches love as a reliable offensive line leader.
• Knighton’s weight always will be an issue. The defensive tackle is a great player and superlikable guy. The team cannot hold his fork for him. The more he can control it, the more impact and money he will make.
• Prosinski could well be in the opening day lineup as the free safety. He worked with the first team early in camp and might be up to a pairing with Landry in the middle of the secondary. Rashean Mathis and Derek Cox need to play better at corner, but the Jaguars will improve from the safety upgrades and from the presence of veteran nickelback Drew Coleman.
• Looking for an underdog to root for? How about undrafted free agent Marc Schiechl? He set a Football Championship Subdivision record for sacks at the Colorado School of Mines.
• Scotty McGee isn’t working with defensive backs regularly anymore. Can he stick as strictly a punt-return specialist? He caught 185 punts on one day of camp. And the team should move away from using Thomas in the role, although McGee is hardly the only alternative.
• I like Miller, and the team raves about his potential. But he’s been inconsistent early in camp with too many drops. He’s got great hands, so it seems to be a focus issue.
• Larry Hart may be in the doghouse for coming back from the lockout overweight. At defensive end, he currently ranks behind Aaron Kampman, Lane, Jeremy Mincey and Aaron Morgan.
• Fourth-round receiver Cecil Shorts was great in camp early, and I bet the undrafted crop of wideouts has at least one NFL-caliber guy. Keep your eyes on Armon Binns, Jamar Newsome and Dontrelle Inman.
• Third-year receiver Jarett Dillard is running well after a couple of injuries cost him the bulk of his first two seasons.
• Watch how much better punter Matt Turk gets now that he will be a beneficiary of the Jaguars’ topflight cover guys, Montell Owens and Kassim Osgood.
• The Jaguars may be content to use Jones-Drew, coming off a knee operation, very minimally in camp and preseason games.
• Veteran Jason Spitz has not been on the field yet, but I think the team would like for third-round pick Will Rackley to win the open left guard spot.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- We've already covered the extent of the Pittsburgh Steelers' injury report, so let's move straight inside the Green Bay Packers' final injury and practice report of the 2010 postseason:

To assuage any concern, it would be "shocking" if receiver Donald Driver (quadriceps) does not play in Super Bowl XLV. That's the exact word coach Mike McCarthy used when asked Friday. He listed Driver as probable on the injury report, despite a second consecutive day of limited practice.

"I would be shocked if Donald Driver does not play Sunday," McCarthy said. "He would practice today if I would let him. He tweaked it in Wednesday's practice, and frankly I just do not want to take any chances at this point. ... Donald's played a lot of football, he knows the offense, he's had a whole week of preparation with the plan last week, so this is clearly just being safe with him."

Meanwhile, McCarthy listed linebacker Erik Walden (ankle) as questionable after another day of limited participation. Frank Zombo would start if Walden can not, but McCarthy said: "We'll take Erik up the game and see what happens. I have a good feel for what he can and cannot do. Sunday, I'm going to trust him and the medical staff to make that call."

The rest of the players on the Packers' injury report -- left tackle Chad Clifton (knees) and offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf) -- were listed as probable.

Getting inside the Wednesday practice report for Super Bowl XLV, culling from the injury and pool reports of Wednesday's activities:

Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers practiced in the unheated TCU indoor practice facility for about two hours. Center Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) did not practice, and coach Mike Tomlin appears to be targeting Friday as a day for Pouncey to test his ankle. The Steelers' only limited player was defensive end Aaron Smith (triceps), whose chances of playing Sunday are "fading," Tomlin said.

Green Bay Packers: Players and coaches got a nice tour of the Dallas-Fort Worth area Wednesday. They conducted the preliminary portion of their practice -- what coach Mike McCarthy calls a "jog-thru" -- at the team hotel. Then they bussed to their designated practice facility at Southern Methodist University, where they put on their pads, and then took a short trip to Highland Park high school's indoor facility. The Packers seem likely to follow the same drill Thursday and Friday. All Packers players participated in at least a portion of Wednesday's practice. That includes linebacker Erik Walden (ankle), offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf) and left tackle Chad Clifton (knees). Walden will start Sunday if healthy. "How Erik responds to this practice will be big," McCarthy said. "He practiced and took reps in every team drill. That was the high end of what we were going to try to give him today. It'll be great if he feels good tomorrow."

Explaining the first practice report of Super Bowl XLV bye week:

Pittsburgh Steelers: Center Maurkice Pouncey (left ankle) has the most significant injury among the six players who sat out Wednesday's practice. Doug Legursky replaced him Wednesday and would start for him if necessary. AFC North colleague James Walker broke down the injury and Pouncey's chances of playing earlier Wednesday. Also sidelined were safety Will Allen (knee), cornerback Bryant McFadden (abdomen), safety Troy Polamalu (Achilles), receiver Emmanuel Sanders (foot) and tackle Jonathan Scott (ribs). Defensive end Aaron Smith, who is hoping to make it back from a triceps injury, participated on a limited basis.

Green Bay Packers: As we noted earlier this week, the Packers won't practice until Friday. But the NFL still required a practice report Wednesday for injury updating purposes. Had they practiced Wednesday, linebackers Erik Walden (ankle) and Frank Zombo (knee) would not have participated. Linebacker Desmond Bishop (ankle), tackle Chad Clifton (neck), linebacker A.J. Hawk (neck), receiver Greg Jennings (knee) and offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf) would have been limited. Meanwhile, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said Wednesday he did not suffer a concussion in Sunday's NFC Championship Game, as has been speculated. He was not listed on the Packers' practice report.

CHICAGO -- We don’t yet have the Chicago Bears’ gameday roster decisions, but the Green Bay Packers were prompt this morning.

Safety Atari Bigby is active and so is offensive lineman Jason Spitz. Cornerback Pat Lee is inactive, meaning he isn’t a candidate to return kickoffs. Here are the rest of the Packers’ deactivations:

• Quarterback Graham Harrell
• Running back Dimitri Nance
• Cornerback Josh Gordy
• Linebacker Frank Zombo
• Offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith
• Offensive lineman Nick McDonald
• Defensive lineman Jarius Wynn

Getting inside the Friday practice report:

Chicago Bears: With temperatures hovering in the single digits for most of the day, the Bears wisely practiced indoors. The only limited player was safety Chris Harris (hip), who was able to participate in part of practice but is questionable for Sunday's NFC Championship Game. Harris has vowed to play but hedged a bit Friday. Harris: "We'll see. I think I'll be fine. I'm hoping to be fine. I was able to get a little work in here today indoors, so we'll definitely see before the game. ... You got to be smart, you definitely have to be smart about it. If it happens to bother me to a significant extent, then absolutely, I'd come out of the game. I wouldn't play tough guy for my own gratification to say I played in the NFC Championship Game." If Harris can't play, rookie Major Wright would make his first NFL start.

Green Bay Packers: It was even colder in Green Bay on Friday, with temperatures just above 0. With the doors of their indoor facility open, the Packers practiced in 18-degree weather, according to coach Mike McCarthy. Only two players among the Packers' 53 are an injury question for this game. Linebacker Frank Zombo (knee) was ruled out, while offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf) sat out Friday's practice and is listed as questionable.

Getting inside Thursday's practice report:

Chicago Bears: For the second consecutive day, the Bears practiced outdoors. Conditions in Lake Forest, Ill., were partly sunny and 20 degrees. Receiver Earl Bennett and cornerback Zack Bowman, who missed Wednesday's practice for personal reasons, were returned Thursday. Safety Chris Harris (hip) again missed practice but continues to insist he will be ready for the game. Finally, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa didn't practice. He has struggled with a knee injury during the second half of the season. ESPNChicago.com's Jeff Dickerson suggests the move was precautionary, noting Tinoisamoa also sat out last Thursday's practice.

Green Bay Packers: Practice took place in an indoor facility with the doors open, which brought the temperature to 29 degrees, according to coach Mike McCarthy. Linebacker Frank Zombo (knee) again was the only player to sit out practice. Limited participants included defensive end Cullen Jenkins (calf), running back John Kuhn (shoulder), linebacker Clay Matthews (shin), defensive end Ryan Pickett (ankle), offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf) and cornerback Charles Woodson (toe). Everyone but Zombo remains on track to be available Sunday.

Because we're at the Epicenter of Humanity and all, we'll be elevating to daily injury and practice reports. Let's get right to it, pulling from a variety of media sources:

Chicago Bears: Coach Lovie Smith took his team to its outdoor practice field in Lake Forest, Ill., where the conditions were partly cloudy and 24 degrees. The only player who missed practice for injury reasons was safety Chris Harris, who has a hip pointer. Harris is insisting he will be ready for this game. Receiver Earl Bennett and cornerback Zack Bowman also missed practice for non-injury reasons -- both are expecting babies this week, according to ESPNChicag.com's Jeff Dickerson.

Green Bay Packers: Coach Mike McCarthy had the Packers on their outdoor field, where the conditions were cloudy and 16 degrees, and also in their indoor facility -- where McCarthy said the temperature was between 29 and 32 degrees. Linebacker Frank Zombo (knee) was the only player who sat out practice. Limited were left tackle Chad Clifton (knees), defensive end Cullen Jenkins (calf), running back John Kuhn (shoulder), cornerback Pat Lee (hip), linebacker Clay Matthews (shin), defensive lineman Ryan Pickett (ankle) and offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf). At this point, Zombo appears to be the only player on the Packers' 53-man roster who is a health question for this game.

I just received the final injury reports on the Falcons and Packers for Saturday night’s playoff game. Let’s take a look.

Atlanta. Cornerback Brian Williams (knee) is doubtful and did not practice all week. That means Christopher Owens likely will work as the nickel back. Atlanta has six other guys on the injury report and they all are listed as questionable. They are defensive end John Abraham (groin), defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux (shoulder), safety Thomas DeCoud (ankle), linebacker Curtis Lofton (knee), center Todd McClure (ankle) and receiver Roddy White (knee). But I think you’ll see all six of those guys playing Saturday. They all went through the full practice Friday after being limited on Wednesday and Thursday.

Green Bay. The Packers are listing safety Atari Bigby (groin), fullback Korey Hall and offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf) as questionable, and have declared linebacker Frank Zombo (knee) as out. They have eight other guys on the injury report, but all of those are listed as probable.

Getting inside the Friday injury report a day before Packers-Falcons:

Green Bay Packers: Linebacker Frank Zombo has been declared out. Safety Atari Bigby (groin) is questionable but has a good chance to be available. Offensive lineman Jason Spitz would have returned to practice Friday if the Packers had held one, and for that reason he is listed as questionable. Fullback Korey Hall (knee) is questionable, but seems to have a decent chance of being available. All other members of the 53-man roster should be available.

Atlanta Falcons: Cornerback Brian Williams (knee) is doubtful. The Falcons listed six players as questionable, but all of them participated in Friday's practice and appear on track to be available Saturday.

Updating the injury situations for this weekend’s pair of division playoff games:

Chicago Bears: Cornerback Charles Tillman didn’t practice Wednesday because of an illness. All other players participated in at least a portion of practice.

Seattle Seahawks: Linebacker Lofa Tatupu (concussion) didn't practice and was the only player listed on the Seahawks injury report. Coach Pete Carroll told Chicago-area media that Tatupu is on track to play Sunday.

Green Bay Packers: Two players missed practice Wednesday: Linebacker Frank Zombo (knee) and offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf). The guess is that neither will be available Saturday night. Safety Atari Bigby (groin) participated on a limited basis and has a chance to play. The Packers don’t seem to have any other significant injury concerns.

Atlanta Falcons: The only player who sat out practice was cornerback Brian Williams (knee). My NFC South colleague Pat Yasinskas suggests that most everyone else on the roster is healthy.

ESPN.com NFL Power Ranking (pre-camp): 6

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The battalion of satellite trucks was long gone when the Green Bay Packers reported to training camp this summer, having vacated the premises shortly after quarterback Brett Favre was traded in August 2008.

Every player was signed and accounted for, making a distant memory of holdouts that have disrupted training camp in each of the past two seasons.

All that remained was the type of tranquility that allows a team to come of age. Many of us believe the Packers have the makings of a special group, one that is already off to a good start with a productive and --- more importantly -- quiet training camp.

"We determine our path that we're going to take," coach Mike McCarthy said. "Maybe we have less obstacles going into the year than we've had in the past for people to evaluate. If they think that and like us more this year, that's fine. But in reality, if you don't come here and put in the time and put in that foundation, it doesn't matter. These are our foundation days, and I like the work our guys have been putting in."

Quiet and determined, the Packers have been busy implementing some second-year wrinkles into defensive coordinator Dom Capers' scheme. They're facilitating the continued growth of tight end Jermichael Finley and are literally working overtime to rectify their special teams and kicking problems from a year ago.

These Packers are thinking big -- as big as it gets. So are their fans. I spotted more than a few "Super Bowl or bust" signs in the training camp bleachers last week. Those expectations are deserved and embraced in Green Bay.

"We have the right pedigree," quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. "... I like the way we're practicing. But a lot of things have to happen between now and the end of the season. You have to have a couple things go your way, you have to be able to stay healthy, and you have to execute down the stretch and win some games in the end."

Make no mistake, however. The building blocks are in place.

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Have the Packers done enough to address the pass defense that let them down in losses to Pittsburgh and Arizona last season? Three focal points jumped out during my visit to camp.

First, McCarthy has instituted mandatory tackling drills every day, an effort to limit yards after catch. You might not think that tackling is directly related to pass defense, but the Packers determined their problems stemmed as much from broken tackles after modest catches as they did from a lack of pass rush or poor coverage. So it's been back to the most basic of fundamentals this summer.

"If you're a high schooler," McCarthy said, "this is the practice you want to learn from."

Second, the Packers are committed to leaving second-year defensive lineman B.J. Raji at nose tackle rather than shifting him between tackle and end in their base scheme. Raji was unstoppable in an inside role at Boston College, and while the Packers' 3-4 scheme is not entirely comparable, this arrangement represents the Packers' best opportunity for collapsing the pocket.

Finally, there were some encouraging signs from two young cornerbacks the Packers are counting on for improved depth. Pat Lee grabbed an athletic interception by jumping over receiver James Jones during one practice, and second-year player Brandon Underwood has caught everyone's eye. Most recently, he returned an interception for a touchdown during a live period of Saturday's Family Night scrimmage. Rodgers and McCarthy went out of their way to mention Underwood during recent interviews.

"He's had a great camp," Rodgers said. McCarthy added: "Brandon is clearly a much more mature player. He has all the skills. ... The thing about him, he's a tough, smart guy, too. He's got a chance to be a really good player."

2. Can Finley continue his path to stardom? Rodgers picked up the phone shortly after the Pro Bowl, where he worked with tight ends Vernon Davis and Jason Witten, and called Finley. "I firmly believe Jermichael Finley is in their class," Rodgers said. "He is a Pro Bowl-caliber tight end. And that's what I told him. I said, 'You've got a lot of work in front of you, but you've got the talent and ability to be recognized as a Pro Bowl tight end every year.'"

As I noted during the offseason, Rodgers threw more toward Finley than any other Packers player during the second half of last season. He changed the way opponents approached the Green Bay offense, and he spent much of the offseason working to upgrade his blocking skills to give the Packers more of a run-pass option when he is in the game. After dabbling in boxing and mixed martial arts to improve his hand quickness, Finley said: "I'm still a work in progress with my blocking and stuff. I just need to maintain and stay consistent. If I get that straight, the sky is the limit for me."

3. Can the Packers straighten out their special teams? Rankings for combined coverage and return performance in the NFL are elusive, but Football Outsiders provides a reliable independent analysis. FO gave the Packers the worst special-teams rating in the league last season, and McCarthy has reacted with a number of measures that suggest the analysis is spot on.

The Packers are now devoting an extra 10 minutes to special teams per practice, a significant number considering how regimented modern-day NFL practices have become. They are holding an open competition to replace punter Jeremy Kapinos, for now pitting former Australian rules player Chris Bryan against Tim Masthay, and they welcomed a newly conditioned place-kicker Mason Crosby this summer.

Special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum is using the extra time to run coverage drills that emphasize controlled engagement with opponents. As for the punting competition, I couldn't say there was much separation between Bryan and Masthay. "Those guys are kicking it high and kicking it long," Slocum said.

As for Crosby, who struggled during the second half of last season, Slocum said: "Physically, I think he's at his best since I've been with him. He really put in some work in the summer and spring to increase his core strength. I think you're going to see that in his kickoff distance and from a field goal standpoint." Crosby missed five of his first 11 training camp kicks, but Slocum acknowledged that rotating Masthay and Bryan as holders probably played a role.

"We're working right now to build the cohesiveness of the hold, the snap and the kick," he said. "We missed a couple field goals, but I think his mentality is right where it needs to be, and we're working to get that together."

As if on cue, Crosby was lights-out during Saturday's Family Night scrimmage, drilling seven of eight attempts -- including shots from 47, 51 and 53 yards.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

I would never have guessed receiver Donald Driver would have a contract extension by the end of the first week of camp. From the outside, you could have put two and two together and wondered if he wasn't entering his final season with the team. After all, Driver has already set the franchise record for career receptions. He turned 35 in the offseason, was entering the final year of his existing deal and would need to hold off a hard-charging young receiver in Jordy Nelson. But it didn't take the Packers long to realize Driver is rejuvenated after having both knees cleaned out this spring. "I feel so much better," he said.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

To this point, the Packers have been unable to find a spot for veteran linebacker Brady Poppinga in their scheme. During a midweek shakeup of the linebacker depth chart, Poppinga found himself behind Brandon Chillar, Clay Matthews and Brad Jones. He was later sidelined by a concussion. Poppinga is a good player who might be better suited as a 4-3 linebacker -- or, if he bulked up, a 4-3 defensive end.

OBSERVATION DECK

• Although there is a long way to go, it appears incumbent Daryn Colledge is holding off Jason Spitz for the starting left guard spot. Spitz has also been working behind center Scott Wells and would seem to be an ideal multi-position backup. The rest of the offensive line appears healthy and set: Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher at tackles, with Colledge and Josh Sitton at guards.
• Although the Packers dramatically cut down their sack totals during the second half of last season, pass protection remains a point of emphasis. "We've got to do a better job of cutting down sacks and negative yardage plays," Rodgers said. He added that Finley's presence "opens up the field" for the offense and, in turn, makes it more difficult for defenses to mount a pass rush. I thought it was an interesting, if not direct, correlation and will take a closer look at that in the coming weeks.
• From the outside, cornerback Al Harris appears to be in phenomenal condition as he completes his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury. McCarthy said Harris is "champing at the bit" to begin practicing, but he simply hasn't been cleared medically. Still, the Packers are much more optimistic about Harris' future than they were a few months ago. McCarthy said Harris was "a big question mark" at the end of spring practice but said there is "no reason to think" Harris won't return to the field in 2010. "I just don't want him to do too much too fast," McCarthy said. "I don't want him to have a setback."
• The Packers made a number of experimental adjustments to their base linebacker group, most notably moving Matthews to the left side and inserting Chillar on the right side. The move was prompted by a minor injury that caused Brad Jones to miss several days of practice, and the switchback has yet to occur. "Brandon is sort of a multi-purpose guy for us last year and we've liked what we've seen from him," Capers said. One way or the other, Chillar is going to play a lot this season.
• Safety Atari Bigby will miss about a month of practice because of ankle surgery, and it's quite possible the Packers will open the season with rookie Morgan Burnett in the starting lineup. While the Packers are excited about Burnett's future, it's always a tough task to get rookies ready to start in Week 1. Understandably, Burnett is swimming in the playbook right now. "By the end of training camp," he said, "I'll have everything that I need down."
• McCarthy has installed a sign on the office wall of each coordinator. It reads: "Less volume, more creativity." McCarthy said it applies mostly to his own offensive play-calling, but it's also appropriate to keep in mind as the Packers enter their second year in Capers' scheme.
• The early-camp understanding has been that Will Blackmon will resume his role as the primary kickoff and possible punt returner, but Blackmon's surgically-repaired knee has been sore and cost him a number of practices during the first week. He didn't participate in the Family Night scrimmage, but McCarthy attributed his absence to normal post-surgery soreness.

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Falling

Competition for the left guard spot in Green Bay: When the dust settled from the Packers' 2009 season, there was some sense that left guard Daryn Colledge's left guard position could be turned over. Colledge hadn't played well enough to guarantee a starting role in 2010, and he sat out the early part of the offseason program after refusing to sign his restricted free-agent tender. The Packers were looking for a place to play promising backup T.J. Lang, and they also would like to find a place for center/guard Jason Spitz if he returns healthy from a back injury. But this week, two revelations diminished that sense of competition -- at least for the time being. Colledge signed his tender and Lang was revealed to have undergone surgery on his left wrist, putting him on the sideline until training camp. That turn of events could give Colledge enough time to lay important groundwork during organized team activities to retain the starting job in 2010.

Rising

Chicago's reputation in the Cutler-Orton swap: Those who wanted to take a short-term view of the Jay Cutler-Kyle Orton trade last season noted the Bears probably wouldn't have done much worse with Orton at quarterback in 2010. But any notion that Denver had stumbled into a steal should be alleviated by now. The Broncos have done nothing this offseason but collect quarterbacks, including a draft-day trade for future starter Tim Tebow. It's clear the Broncos want no part of a future with Kyle Orton as their starter. Despite his struggles last season, Cutler remains the Bears' starter for the foreseeable future.