With a mere two blocks separating their offseason homes in Orlando, Fla., Packers safety Nick Collins and cornerback Charles Woodson see a lot of each other when they aren't here for minicamp or OTAs.
Their conversations over lunch or dinner invariably deal with the Packers' fortunes. After the 2009 season -- which started slow and ended strong before a bitterly disappointing 51-45 shootout playoff loss to Arizona -- the talk centered on being within striking distance of the Super Bowl and having enough of the right ingredients to get there.
In a nutshell, Collins and Woodson concluded the following: "We've got the team; we've got the ability to be that team this year."
And that's the level of confidence the Packers carried into the start of training camp Friday. They aren't afraid to embrace the notion that they can be a strong contender, worrying that they might sound too brash and provide unnecessary bulletin-board material. You don't get much "take it one game at a time" dribble from this bunch.
In fact, their veteran leaders see it as their responsibility to make certain that everyone in the locker room is on board with the same optimism that Collins and Woodson routinely expressed to each other during their offseason chats.
"You've got to talk it to believe it, so we've been talking about it," Collins said. "And you've got to get other guys to believe in it."
It shouldn't be too much of a struggle.
The Packers have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Aaron Rodgers. They have one of the league's most talented groups of receivers, led by Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, and a rising star at tight end in Jermichael Finley.
Despite making the difficult transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4 scheme, their defense soared from 20th in the NFL in 2008 to second last year. Woodson's spectacular play earned him NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. Linebacker Clay Matthews made the Pro Bowl and was in the running for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
In free agency, the Packers concentrated on keeping their own. Collins received a three-year extension that will reportedly pay him $14 million in the first year. Defensive lineman Ryan Pickett received a new deal worth a reported $25 million over four years, while offensive tackle Chad Clifton got a reported $7.5 million guaranteed to stick around for another season. In the draft, the Packers addressed a huge need in the first-round with former Iowa offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga, who signed in time for the start of camp.
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