The Green Bay Press-Gazette reported April 24 that Collins isn't happy with the status of his contract and isn't in a hurry to leave his offseason home in Florida to report for the voluntary activities.

On the heels of a breakout season that ended with a starting spot on the NFC team in his first Pro Bowl appearance, Collins is seeking an extension to his existing rookie deal, which expires after this year. Collins was a second-round draft pick in 2005.

The only portion of the team's offseason program that is mandatory for players to attend is minicamp, which will be June 22-24.

--General manager Ted Thompson resisted the temptation to take perhaps the best player in this year's draft -- Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree -- by addressing a need with the selection of Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji with the No. 9 overall pick.

"I didn't expect the board to look like that when we got to 9," Thompson said. "So, I had to kind of take it all in and talk it over with some of the guys (in the team's draft room).

"These players were rated about the same, (Raji) and a couple other guys. It was a difficult call, but we feel confident that we did the right thing."

--The pick of Raji also earned Thompson rare applause from Packers fans who gathered at a draft party at Lambeau Field.

"They're getting soft," Thompson quipped.

Attendees roundly booed Thompson after he picked defensive tackle Justin Harrell in the first round in 2007 and chose wide receiver Jordy Nelson with the first of three second-round selections after trading out of the first round last year.

--In trading up to take linebacker Clay Matthews III with the 26th pick in the first round, the Packers landed a third-generation pro football player.

Matthews' grandfather, Clay, was a lineman for the San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s. In turn, brothers Bruce and Clay, father of this year's rookie, played in the league 20 and 19 years, respectively. Bruce was a Hall of Fame offensive lineman for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans. Clay Jr. was a Pro Bowl linebacker for the Cleveland Browns and the Atlanta Falcons.

"I think everybody knows his genealogy and bloodlines," Packers outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene said of Clay III. "But, just listening to him talk, he's on a mission that he wants to stand on his own and be considered a great player in his own right."

--Green Bay last had two first-round draft picks in 1993. Then-general manager Ron Wolf took linebacker Wayne Simmons at No. 15 and safety George Teague at No. 29. Both players started as rookies.

By giving away their one second-round pick and their two third-round choices in a trade with the New England Patriots to get the No. 26 overall selection this year, the Packers didn't pick in Rounds 2 and 3 for the first time since 1974.

--The Packers announced that players will report for training camp July 31, and the first practice date is Aug. 1.

A sequence of on-field offseason workouts for players will start with rookie orientation camp May 1-3. The full squad will convene for organized team activities from May 26 to June 18, followed by the mandatory minicamp June 22-24.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's genuinely a powerful, powerful man, especially in his lower body. He has the ability to take people backwards where they don't want to go. He also has the quickness to go around 'em. He's a very powerful player against the run. It's unbelievably hard to find the combination of skill sets that he brings. The good Lord just didn't make many people like this." -- Packers general manager Ted Thompson on defensive tackle B.J. Raji, whom Green Bay selected ninth overall in the NFL Draft.