NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Senior writer jclombardi reports Packers preseason schedule.

Assuming the lockout does not affect the preseason, the highlighted game for the Packers is a nationally televised contest at the Colts. The other specific dates and times are not yet announced:

Aug. 11-15: at Cleveland, time TBA.

Aug. 18-22: Arizona (Gold package; Midwest Shrine Game), time TBA.

Aug. 26: at Indianapolis, 7 p.m. (CBS).

Sept. 1-2: Kansas City (Bishop's Charities Game), time TBA.

Illinois defensive tackle Corey Liuget: Available at #29?  Doubtful.

The Bears are in desperate for an impact 3-technique tackle who can anchor the front in their Tampa 2 system

"He's as good as Gerald McCoy but for some reason he's not getting the same exposure," said the scout. "He's not far off from where Tommie Harris was with the Bears when he was healthy. Liuget is maybe stronger. This player is for real." Liuget's stock has skyrocketed since he was given a third-round grade by the draft advisory board. He has a legit chance to be a top-15 pick.

Round 1, Pick 29: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado – With a rising prospect like Liuget off the board, I believe it's likely we will see Smith continuing to drop, and if he's there I select him.  Best Player Available.  Despite not addressing either side of the line with the first pick, this choice still fits a need in a very average secondary.  One word to describe the defensive back from Colorado: playmaker.  I don't know how much longer Tim Jennings can start opposite of Charles Tillman.  None of the offensive tackles at this spot are thrilling and worth using a first rounder.  You can find linemen later in the draft, not another player of the caliber of Smith.  He's a borderline Top 15-talent.  Bonafide athlete who will allow the Bears to bypass the line early on at 29.  Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford aren't going anywhere.  Calvin Johnson and Greg Jennings are staying in the NFC North for two visits a season.

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2011 NFL preseason schedule (All times ET)

Hall of Fame Game

Aug. 7 Chicago vs. St. Louis in Canton, Ohio, 8 p.m. (NBC)

Week 1 (Aug. 11-15)

Aug. 11 Seattle at San Diego, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
TBA Arizona at Oakland
TBA Baltimore at Philadelphia
TBA Buffalo at Chicago
TBA Cincinnati at Detroit
TBA Denver at Dallas
TBA Green Bay at Cleveland
TBA Indianapolis at St. Louis
TBA Jacksonville at New England
TBA Miami at Atlanta
TBA Minnesota at Tennessee
TBA N.Y. Giants at Carolina
TBA Pittsburgh at Washington
TBA San Francisco at New Orleans
Aug. 15 N.Y. Jets at Houston, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Week 2 (Aug. 18-22)

Aug. 18 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, 8 p.m. (FOX)
Aug. 19 Atlanta at Jacksonville, 8 p.m. (FOX)
TBA Arizona at Green Bay
TBA Buffalo at Denver
TBA Carolina at Miami
TBA Cincinnati at N.Y. Jets
TBA Detroit at Cleveland
TBA Kansas City at Baltimore
TBA Minnesota at Seattle
TBA New England at Tampa Bay
TBA New Orleans at Houston
TBA Oakland at San Francisco
TBA San Diego at Dallas
TBA Tennessee at St. Louis
TBA Washington at Indianapolis
Aug. 22 Chicago at N.Y. Giants, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Week 3 (Aug. 25-28)

Aug. 25 Washington at Baltimore, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Aug. 26 Green Bay at Indianapolis, 8 p.m. (CBS)
TBA Atlanta at Pittsburgh
TBA Carolina at Cincinnati
TBA Chicago at Tennessee
TBA Cleveland at Philadelphia
TBA Dallas at Minnesota
TBA Houston at San Francisco
TBA Jacksonville at Buffalo
TBA Miami at Tampa Bay
TBA N.Y. Jets at N.Y. Giants
TBA San Diego at Arizona
TBA Seattle at Denver
TBA St. Louis at Kansas City
Aug. 27 New England at Detroit, 8 p.m. (CBS)
Aug. 28 New Orleans at Oakland, 8 p.m. (NBC)

Week 4 (Sept. 1-2)

TBA Baltimore at Atlanta
TBA Cleveland at Chicago
TBA Dallas at Miami
TBA Denver at Arizona
TBA Detroit at Buffalo
TBA Houston at Minnesota
TBA Indianapolis at Cincinnati
TBA Kansas City at Green Bay
TBA N.Y. Giants at New England
TBA Oakland at Seattle
TBA Philadelphia at N.Y. Jets
TBA Pittsburgh at Carolina
TBA San Francisco at San Diego
TBA St. Louis at Jacksonville
TBA Tampa Bay at Washington
TBA Tennessee at New Orleans

ESPN 1000′s Carmen DeFalco has reported that the Bears and Bucs will play in the annual featured game in London, England.

This seems a little tough on Tampa Bay, as this will be the second time in three years that they have had to take the exhausting trip. It will be nice for British fans to see a match-up of two teams that finished last year with double-digit wins as well as the most statistically impressive QB’s from the 2006 and 2008 drafts.

It is rumored that it would even moreso be a pain for Tampa Bay and take away a home game from Raymond James Stadium. The Glazers – who own the Bucs – also own the Manchester United soccer team.

It’s also worth noting that Chicago left the country to play Buffalo in Toronto just last year.