Rodgers had a phenomenal 2009 season and knows he is now considered among the best quarterbacks in the game.

Some believe he may have even already leaped over the likes of Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, while others think he can accomplish that in 2010.

One thing Rodgers will have to do to earn recognition as the league’s top quarterback is win a playoff game.

He came up just short last year, while Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees all have Super Bowl rings.

The suspension could be even longer than that for Jolly, who has violated the league’s substance abuse policy with regularity.

He will be eligible to apply for reinstatement following the Super Bowl, but there will likely be terms and conditions sent down from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

It’s a tough loss for the Packers, but at least one that they had been anticipating for quite awhile.

The team said that there is a lot of stuff going on in his personal life and that they wish him the best getting it straightened out.

The Green Bay Packers are looking into the possibility of adding 8,000 seats to the historic stadium.

The addition would mean a closed south end of the stadium, which would create a louder environment as well.

The stadium as is currently seats just under 73,000 fans, so another 8,000 seats would push it to over 80,000.

That would make it one of the largest stadiums in the league, though Washington and Dallas still hold significantly more fans.

Harris tore ligaments in his knee on November 22 against the San Francisco 49ers and was out for the season.

There were doubts that Harris might return this year, but the veteran has been at the team’s OTA’s.

He said the hardest thing about his injury was standing on the sidelines watching their overtime playoff loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

At the same time, he said those memories have helped to fuel him as he works his way back from the knee injury.

Getting back to the playoffs won’t be a cinch for the Green Bay Packers in 2010.

The Packers will have to weave through a tough schedule of road games this season, including four visits to face teams that made the postseason party in 2009.

The National Football League has released its tentative schedule of road and home games for 2010 (dates and times have not been finalized).

On the road, half of Green Bay’s games are against postseason teams from 2009, including defending NFC North champion and NFC runner-up Minnesota, AFC runner-up the New York Jets, AFC East champ New England and NFC wild-card qualifier Philadelphia. The rest of the road slate features trips to Chicago, Detroit, Washington and Atlanta.

At home, the Packers welcome in the Vikings and Dallas, the NFC East champion. The remainder of the home schedule features games again Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, Miami, San Francisco and the New York Giants – none of whom made the playoffs last season.

The Packers’ schedule ranks tied for 22nd with Kansas City, based on opponents’ win percentage from last season.

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Re-signing Clifton was one of the team’s most pressing needs in free agency, but it looked like they were going to fall short of their goal.

Clifton was being courted by the Washington Redskins, and even flew into D.C. to meet with the front office and coaches about a potential deal.

Once players are flown into Washington, owner Daniel Snyder usually opens up the checkbook and doesn’t allow the free agent to leave without signing deal.

This time, though, Clifton got away. He said he would be crazy to go elsewhere with the very young and talented team the Packers have assembled.