Thursday Cheese Curds: Jaire Alexander & Elgton Jenkins get ready for new Pro Bowl events

Feb 2, 2023 - 1:45 PM

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It took until Monday for it to happen, but the Green Bay Packers got a second player into the 2023 Pro Bowl this week. Elgton Jenkins’ addition to the roster — replacing Super Bowl-bound Landon Dickerson — gives the Packers multiple Pro Bowlers for the ninth straight season after Jaire Alexander made the team on the initial ballot.

That’s a pretty impressive run of success for the franchise, especially considering that several of the Packers’ recent perennial selections did not garner the honor this year. Aaron Rodgers had a significant down year, while Davante Adams made the game as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders. David Bakhtiari could have been considered, but his gradual return from a torn ACL and his absence for a few weeks after an emergency appendectomy probably meant he did not play enough games to get strong consideration.

Still, it will be intriguing to see how the two Packers fare in various events around this year’s new-look Pro Bowl, which has officially done away with a “real” football game in favor of a focus on the Skills Competition and a flag football game. Events start up Thursday evening, with the NFL surely hoping to drum up interest with the new format of the event.

If you’re interested, you can find details on tuning in for the Pro Bowl events below, along with some other news from around the Packers’ media world.

How to watch Pro Bowl 2023 | ESPN
The Skills Competition is tonight, featuring dodgeball, a longest drive competition, precision passing, and more. Then another set of games, including the flag football contest, is set for Sunday.

Four ways Tom Brady’s retirement shifts the NFL quarterback market - The Athletic ($)
It's not just Rodgers' impending decision that Brady affects; here's how his retirement will affect several other teams, from the Buccaneers to the 49ers to the Raiders.

Speedy Bo Melton thrilled to follow Christian Watson’s lead to Green Bay | Packers.com
The Packers' rookie receiver trio became a quartet late in the season with Melton's addition. He and Watson were among the fastest receivers at the Combine, perhaps in part because they pushed each other in training.

Aubrey Pleasant provides candidate to replace Jerry Gray on Packers defensive staff | Packers Wire
The former Wisconsin Badgers cornerback might be an internal possibility, but there's another former Badger DB who fans would probably prefer. Whether Jim Leonhard would accept anything less than a coordinator job is questionable, however.

Buddies from Wisconsin score a Packers win on 'NFL Tailgate Takedown' | Packersnews.com
The Packers didn't beat the Bills on the field when the two teams played this season, but they did beat them in the kitchen and on the grill.

Tom Brady retires from the NFL, 1 year after retiring from the NFL | NPR
Yes, we discussed this in Wednesday's curds, but this headline -- and the fact that it comes from NPR, of all places -- is too good not to point out.