photo from bleacherreport.com

This time of year for football is the most exciting part for me outside of the actual season with everything from free agency and the use of the  franchise tag, and I love the anticipation that comes with it. (Free agency is set to start Tuesday, March 12 at 4 p.m. eastern time…yes I am counting down the minutes!)

Last week, the Packers opted out of using the franchise tag on WR Greg Jennings. As much as I love Greg, it really does make perfect sense to me. First of all he isn’t getting any younger, but more importantly, Aaron Rodgers has a lot to work with that doesn’t include Jennings. With WR’s Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and James Jones, in addition to TE Jermichael Finley, there are still a great amount players to work with on offense.

And when it comes to free agents, RB Steven Jackson from the St. Louis Rams is a name that we keep hearing in association with the Packers. Although nothing has been said by Jackson or the Rams on if he is staying, going, or what his situation is, he is continually being linked to either the Atlanta Falcons or Green Bay Packers.

photo from helmet2helmet.com

With the release of Michael Turner from the Falcons, that would leave room for Jackson, but Green Bay could use the extra help at RB . If Green Bay were to take that route, they would have to pay Jackson the $7 million he is set to make in the last year of his contract. Coming from someone who has lived their entire life in St.Louis and lived through the Steven Jackson era, he is most definitely a player that any team would be happy to have on their roster. In addition to having 8 consecutive seasons of over 1,000 rushing yards, his work ethic, drive, and ambition is through the roof. He is a truly talented player and works so hard to achieve greatness. He has said he wants to play for a winning team and get a ring, and Green Bay just may be a place to get that done!

 While every football fan in America is waiting around for Peyton Manning to make his decision about what team he is going to play for and how that will affect their team, the Matt Flynn situation has been somewhat overlooked…but today that may have changed.

There has been constant talk of Manning visiting and talking to Arizona, Miami, Tennessee, and Denver, but today it was announced that the 49′ers are just as interested in him, and that Miami is pretty well out of the mix, according to ESPN’s Adam Shefter.

Miami however, is one of the teams that Matt Flynn may very well end up at. To me that makes the most sense, but Flynn has also been meeting with the Seattle Seahawks. But with Miami not a front runner for Manning, it could definitely end up being Flynn’s new home.

Also today Packers former Pro- Bowler, center Scott Wells, signed with the St. Louis Rams.

Of course any team should be proud to sign Flynn or Wells, but Green Bay has been pretty quiet thus far during free agency…but when you think about it, you can’t blame them.

They were the champs of last years Super Bowl XLV, and went 15-1 on the regular season this past year…definitely nothing to complain about.

Although Green Bay hasn’t made any huge moves yet during free agency, it’s not over…so for now just sit back and enjoy watching other teams negotiate, sign players to huge contracts, and soak in all the exciting things happening around the league.

 Green Bay Packers defensive end, Mike Neal, has been suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the upcoming season for use of performance enhancing drugs.

However, Neal will be allowed to participate in all pre-season games and practices as well as in the offseason.

According to ESPN, team officials did not want to make any comments on the issue, and Neal’s Twitter account seemed to have been deleted.

Neal has been with the Packers for two seasons now after being drafted in the second round, number 56 overall, from Purdue.

The day after the Packers fourth regular season game, Neal will be able to return to the active roster.

Definitely not the news we want to hear in the off season, but we must carry on. On a much more exciting note, free agency has begun! Excited to see what it has in store for the Pack!