Diondre

Borel

Previous reports had Driver due a $1.5 million roster bonus on the first day of training camp. Wilde writes, however, that there is no “trigger” in Driver’s contract that “demands a decision on his future.” Highly-regarded practice squad receivers Diondre Borel and Tory Gurley will have a hard time making the roster if Driver remains with the team past the opening of camp.

Don’t expect the Packers to pick it up. James Jones and Randall Cobb need more snaps in 2012, and the Packers gave raises to Tori Gurley and Diondre Borel to prevent other teams from poaching them from the practice squad. Picking up Driver’s bonus would lock him in at $5 million overall for 2012, a prohibitive number.

In exchange, the Pack bumped Borel’s weekly salary from $5,700 to $22,059, which corresponds to the minimum salary for rookies on a team’s 53-man roster. Borel will sign a reserve/future contract at the conclusion of Green Bay’s playoff run, and compete for a spot on special teams in training camp.

Along with the 6'4" Tori Gurley, converted quarterback Borel was given a hefty bump in pay to turn down offers elsewhere while staying on the Packers practice squad. The two promising projects could end up competing for one roster spot with Donald Driver likely moving on from Green Bay.

Per the Press-Gazette, the smaller Borel “has made a bigger impact across the board.” He’s working both inside and outside while also getting a look as the backup to Randall Cobb on returns. “You see (improvement) as a route runner,” receivers coach Edgar Bennett said. “You see it with his level of competition as far as competing on each and every play. You see it with his hands, the little things like that.”

Borel, a college quarterback at Utah State, spent last season learning the wideout position on the Packers’ practice squad. With Donald Driver on his last legs and James Jones possibly on the trading block, we can’t rule out Borel eventually getting a look. Anyone potentially catching passes from Rodgers bears watching.

Of the two promising receiver projects awarded practice squad bonuses last season, Borel appears to have nudged Tori Gurley in the pecking order. McCarthy also joined in CBs coach Joe Whitt in praising Davon House’s improvement.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, unsure of Driver’s roster security two weeks ago, now believes the veteran is “entrenched.” The question is whether Randall Cobb overtakes him as the primary slot receiver. Gurley and Borel will vie for one roster spot if the Packers do indeed decide to keep six receivers.

It’s the fallout from Donald Driver’s restructuring. Smithson is more of a return specialist while Gurley and Borel were both awarded pay hikes to stay on the practice squad last season. The final spot will likely come down to the 6'4" jump-ball specialist Gurley versus the converted QB Borel, with the loser joining Smithson on the waiver wire in early September.

The Journal-Sentinel was previously on the record as expecting the Pack to keep only five wideouts, as they’ve done every season since 2007. Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Donald Driver and Randall Cobb are locks, leaving Tori Gurley, Diondre Borel and Shaky Smithson to battle for the final spot. Borel is considered the favorite for the job. It’s possible Jones will be dealt during camp.