Odds and Ends
Harrell in line for early action
First-round draft pick Justin Harrell played with the second and third units in the Packers' first two preseason games. His first action in the regular rotation could come Thursday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars. "He'll be in there pretty early in the game," defensive tackles coach Robert Nunn said Tuesday. Harrell, who missed most of his senior season at Tennessee because of a ruptured biceps tendon, has a sack and has assisted on three tackles in the preseason. But so far, he hasn't broken into the four-man rotation of Ryan Pickett, Corey Williams, Colin Cole and Johnny Jolly. Williams is expected to get part of his work Thursday at end, where he played six snaps last week after Michael Montgomery left with a knee injury. That would free up some snaps at tackle for Harrell.
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Packers tribute in Bears country
Walk around the downtown in Lisle, Ill., one of Chicago’s western suburbs, and you'll find a little bit of Green Bay. When you find the Packers bench in front of the LaSalle Bank building at 4733 Main St., you can sit down and relax, safe and secure in the heart of Bears Country. This Packers bench — "Big Cheese: The Mean Green Sitting Machine" — is part of a community art project in Lisle. It was designed and painted by staffers from the Ray Graham Association, which works with people with developmental disabilities. Painted on the bench seat are replica tickets from Packers championship games. It's one of 36 benches in the art project. There's only one Packers bench, but two Bears benches, including one right next to the Packers bench. The benches will be auctioned at 3 p.m. Sept. 15 to benefit local charities during the Depot Days celebration at the Lisle Station Museum Park near downtown. For information, call the Lisle Area Chamber of Commerce at (630) 964-0052 or e-mail
[email protected]. m Althoff, who is president of the Lisle Chamber of Commerce, sponsored the Packers bench. He's a Packers fan from way back, born in Beloit and raised just over the border in South Beloit, Ill., during the Packers' glory years of the 1960s.
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McCarthy: Morency 'definitely' ready for Philly
Vernand Morency insisted he wasn't sprinting, but the injured running back appeared to be moving well when he jokingly chased a teammate across the field at the Don Hutson Centeron Tuesday. After practice, coach Mike McCarthy said he thinks Morency, out since July 28 with a knee injury, will "definitely be ready for Philadelphia" in the regular-season opener Sept. 9. "Whether he goes against Tennessee (in the preseason finale Aug. 30) is something we'll look at in the middle of the week," McCarthy said. "I'm very hopeful that he'll be close for that game." Morency was the Packers’ starter-by-default at running back before he strained the patellar tendon in his right knee during the first practice of training camp. P.J. Pope has been out since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery Aug. 5, while rookie DeShawn Wynn hasn't practiced since suffering a quadriceps injury Aug. 7. Herron and rookies Brandon Jackson and Corey White will be the only healthy halfbacks on the roster for the third straight game Thursday.
