Michael Rodney

Writing about the Packers since the 80s.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

Jones played for DC Jonathan Gannon in Arizona.

If GM Brian Gutekunst was willing to sign Mazi Smith, he should at least consider Jones.

[Tom Pelissero @TomPelissero]

The 49ers are releasing veteran DT Naquan Jones, per source.

San Francisco needed a roster spot, and now Jones -- who's vested and not subject to waivers -- is a free agent.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

I'm guessing Parsons isn't quite as big a fan after actually watching Smith play in the NFL.

[Bill Huber @BillHuberNFL]

Nobody was a bigger fan of new Packers practice squad defensive tackle Mazi Smith than Micah Parsons. ⬇️

https://t.co/AJDKPxwebI

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

With two games between now and October 29, there's little chance of seeing Micah Parsons back on the field before Week 9, and even that's beginning to feel too optimistic.

[Matt Schneidman @mattschneidman]

Micah Parsons will not practice this week, Matt LaFleur says.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

According to @RobDemovsky, the Packers are adding DT Mazi Smith to the practice squad.

The former No. 1 pick has been awful with the Cowboys and Jets and couldn't even stick with the winless Dolphins this season, but I guess it can't hurt to give him a look.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

Even with a few uncharacteristic shanks, Dan Whelan still has a career-high net punting average of 45.6 yards through 6 games.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

How bad has the running game been this season? In 1990, slow-footed Michael Haddix averaged 3.2 yards per carry behind an offensive line that looked like this:

LT- Ken Ruettgers/Alan Veingrad
LG- Billy Ard
C- James Campen
RG- Keith Uecker
RT- Tony Mandarich

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

Josh Jacobs averaged 3.97 YPC last season, with Aaron Banks at LG and Zach Bako-Bewele at RT for a combined 27 games. I guess it's not surprising that MarShawn Lloyd, Kaleb Johnson, Chris Brooks, and Pierre Strong Jr. are averaging 3.09 YPC this season, with Banks and Bako-Bewele playing a combined 2 games.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

Sean Mannion, the Packers' QB coach in 2025, was much closer to becoming a head coach than Sean Mannion, the Eagles' OC in 2026. Sometimes, patience really is a virtue.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

At this point, just put flags on the QB. Either that or get new officials, because this is beyond a joke.

[Barstool Sports @barstoolsports]

Welcome to the year 2026

This is roughing the passer now

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

Pierre Strong Jr. is a fringe NFL player; last night, he looked like Emmitt Smith compared to the Packers' other running backs.

[Bill Huber @BillHuberNFL]

MarShawn Lloyd think he's got 4.30 speed and he's going against some West Coast college's defense. He does not have 4.30 speed and this is not a college defense.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

No team would want Isaiah McDuffie as a starter, but every team would be thrilled to have him as a backup. He's doing as well as can be expected, filling in for arguably one of the league's top handful of linebackers.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

Karl Brooks has been the team's best DT through six games. The Packers need more from Devonte Wyatt and rookies Chris McClellan and Anthony Campbell.

Campbell was a great story this summer, but you have to wonder how much of his success came from facing Jacob Monk and Donovan Jennings every day in practice.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

Young DEs Dani Dennis-Sutton, Barryn Sorrell, and Brenton Cox Jr. combined for 10 pressures last night. The Packers couldn't ask for more from a pair of Day 3 draft picks and an undrafted free agent.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

Hopefully, Tucker Kraft will look more like himself as the season progresses, because right now he looks like just another pretty good tight end.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

Kudos to backup CB Carrington Valentine for stepping in and making an immediate impact. His interception was a thing of beauty, and no bullshit from the officials diminishes that play.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

The number of drops in six games is ridiculous and needs to be fixed fast. The Packers won't beat good teams while they're this sloppy, and they have a lot of good teams coming up on the schedule.

[Matt Schneidman @mattschneidman]

Jordan Love ranks third in the NFL in passing yards, 110 yards shy of Matthew Stafford for the league lead.

The Packers also have 18 drops, seven more than anyone else in the NFL.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

Coleman Owen looked confident fielding punts last night, which was impressive for a young player making his Packers debut.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

Starting OGs Laken Tomlinson and Travis Glover were OK last night, but it's hard not to wonder whether putting Kevin Zeitler into the lineup would help the run game. There hasn't been much space to maneuver over six games, though getting Josh Jacobs back should help to a degree.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

I'm not going to crown Jonathan Gannon after only six games, but so far Matt LaFleur's defensive coordinator pick looks like a good one. Meanwhile, Christian Parker and Jim Leonhard, my preferred choices, are stinking it up in Dallas and Buffalo, respectively.

[Michael Rodney @PackersNotes]

I give Jordan Love a lot of credit for how calmly he handled three dropped TD passes by his receivers. Aaron Rodgers would've gone ballistic as he realized what those drops did to his QB rating.