Packers Notebook: B.J. Raji floats idea to improve Pro Bowl selection

Packers DL B.J. Raji was named a 2012 Pro Bowl alternate, despite subjectively having a better season than the one that got him selected as a starter last year. But he said Thursday that he harbored no bitterness.

He did, however, offer his opinion on how to improve the selection process, which is based on fan, player and coach voting: give a ballot to the pro personnel men around the league who spend their days evaluating players.

“There won’t be any bias there,” Raji said. “The pro scouting department, they look at so much (video) tape, they know what they see, their eyes don’t lie. Like, you played against a guy, he cheap-shot you, so you don’t like him, so you’re not going to vote him type thing. There’s no hard feelings (with the scouts).

“But this way is fine with me. It works. Last year I was in, I was happy. This year I didn’t get in, I’m not really upset but, obviously, as a player you’d like to get in. It happens. In the NFC, some years you’re going to have a good year and not make it, I’ve been through that, and some years you’re like, ‘OK, I did all right,’ and you wind up in the Pro Bowl.”

Raji, whose 2012 stats (22 tackles, zero sacks) aren’t equal to last year’s numbers (22 tackles, three sacks), has quietly had a very strong fourth season. But it’s difficult for fans and even some fellow players to be aware of a player’s impact if he’s not a household name or putting up big stats.

“Reputation has a lot to do with it,” Raji said. “I think also nationally televised games, as I alluded to earlier. It depends. Some guys I’ve heard they’ll vote for the worst guy on the list because they want one of their teammates to get on there. A lot of things that go into that shouldn’t.”

Still, Raji was perfectly at peace with his alternate status. In any event, he’s hoping neither he nor the three Packers named to the NFC squad -- QB Aaron Rodgers, C Jeff Saturday and LB Clay Matthews -- will be able to play in the game because of other obligations.

“I’m blessed. I don’t have anything to complain about. I’ve been there before,” Raji said. “I’ve got bigger sights this year. I’m trying to get to the Super Bowl and win that again. That’s where my mind is.”

In a related story, Saturday’s selection -- his sixth in 14 seasons -- came as a surprise and seemed to underscore the faultiness of the process. The 37-year-old’s play had noticeably declined and he was benched last week in favor of Evan Dietrich-Smith. But Saturday’s name and reputation earned him the nod.

On Thursday, coach Mike McCarthy stood behind Saturday and the other Packer Pro Bowlers (they had six alternates).

“We’re proud of all of our guys that made the Pro Bowl selection,” McCarthy said. “This is the lowest we’ve been represented since 2008. But I will say this for Jeff Saturday -- you don’t ever apologize for anything in this league. Everything is earned. He was voted in by the fans, his peers and coaches, so that’s the process.”

That remark came a few days after McCarthy made comments about the NFL needing “to do something about (the selection process).” He coached the NFC team after the 2007 season and said on Monday, “There’s clearly a drop-off in the game-day performance. It’s definitely an issue and there’s something that needs to be done.”

Rodgers an artful scrambler: Rodgers hasn’t scored as many rushing touchdowns (two) as he has in past years (five in 2009, four in 2008 and 2010), meaning fewer championship-belt scoring celebrations.

But McCarthy said the surprisingly fleet quarterback, who looks for every opportunity to showcase -- and talk about -- his underrated athleticism, has become adroit moving around in the pocket. That’s evidenced by his 259 rushing yards and by his flawless, laser-beam touchdown pass last week to WR Randall Cobb while rolling hard to his right.

“The true art of it -- and it's a great credit to Aaron -- is the transition from the in-the-pocket training to out-of-pocket training," McCarthy said Thursday. "He's very unique in his ability to do that. It's a trained skill set, it's something that's part of our passing game, it's something that's coached and he's exceptional at it.”

White waived off IR: According to the NFL transaction wire, the Packers waived RB Johnny White (concussion) off injured reserve. White was claimed off waivers in mid-October and played exclusively on special teams. He was placed on IR three weeks ago.

Follow Packers reporter James Carlton on Twitter: @CBSPackers and @jimmycarlton88.