Packers coach Mike McCarthy and GM Ted Thompson have already addressed the media this morning in Indianapolis, so let’s round up some of the highlights from their respective sessions….
- McCarthy indicated that a report suggesting Green Bay wants to get lighter on the defensive line isn’t necessarily accurate. McCarthy conceded that the defensive front may look a little different next season, but said he never wants his line to get smaller (Twitter links via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com).
- Asked about a few pending free agents, McCarthy expressed interest in bringing back quarterback Matt Flynn, as well as pass-catchers James Jones and Jermichael Finley (Twitter links via Demovsky and Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).
- Thompson deflected questions about his team’s biggest draft need and whether the Packers would use the franchise tag on cornerback Sam Shields (Twitter links via Dunne).
- While some execs and experts have been lavish in their praise of this year’s draft class, Thompson was more restrained, telling reporters, including Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette (Twitter link), that it’s hard to evaluate draft classes in the moment. In Thompson’s view, it won’t be possible to know how strong or deep this year’s group is until several years down the road.
- Much has been made of the Packers’ cap flexibility, but Thompson says the team tries not to approach the offseason focusing too heavily on cap space: “We don’t talk much about the cap. We try not to make decisions based on the cap. We try to make football decisions” (Twitter link via Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin).
- Thompson added that there are always “surprises” during free agency, but that Green Bay is approaching the free agent period intent on keeping their own players (Twitter links via Dougherty).