NFL

Cobb caught 80 passes last year despite losing some reps to Greg Jennings and resting during Week 17. Now Jennings is gone and Rodgers is counting on Cobb to emerge further. "He can clean up certain areas and be even more fundamentally sound and be even more productive," Rodgers said. As one of the game's most dynamic slot receivers playing in an ideal offensive scheme, Cobb is going to be a PPR monster in fantasy circles.

"Trust me. It's better than last year. But last year I was good," Williams said Tuesday. "The structure was good. But when it comes to nerves, it's time. And there's nothing at all you can do about it. It's time. Time passes and it gets better, so I'm better." Williams made waves in a March radio interview when he said the shoulder was a hindrance in 2012, but he now claims he was talking about 2011. The Packers haven't guaranteed Williams a starting job for 2013. Casey Hayward and Sam Shields were both better last season.

It would have been surprising if Shields did report, as he's yet to sign his tender. "Sam Shields is a young player and our program speaks for itself and how young players develop year to year," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I wish Sam was here." Coming off a solid, if injury-marred, campaign, Shields is a candidate for a long-term deal.

Worthy tore his left ACL in Week 17. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel gave him "long odds" of playing this season in a January article. The 2012 second-round pick notched 2.5 sacks in 443 snaps as a rookie. He'll almost certainly begin 2013 on the reserve/PUP list.

Neal is reportedly "surprised" by the development, but it doesn't appear a position switch is afoot. Standing in at 6-foot-3, 294 pounds, Neal would have to slim down to see regular snaps at outside linebacker. Despite drawing a four-game ban for violating the league's PED policy last season, Neal notched a career-high 4.5 sacks in 266 snaps across 11 games.

"Frankly, I thought Franklin handled the ball on the punt and the kickoff," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I was excited about that, too, so he seems very natural." The Packers are looking for someone to step up at returner so that Randall Cobb can focus on being a receiver. Franklin never returned kicks at UCLA, but his agility, quick feet, and ability to make defenders miss make him a good candidate.

Bishop missed all of 2012 with a torn hamstring. Going on 29, Bishop is one of the Packers' better defenders when healthy, but has never flirted with All-Pro status. In other words, his DPOY talk is just aimless chatter. Bishop was bandied about as a trade candidate during the draft, but is locked into a starting job at inside linebacker.