The Packers would JC Tretter to be the starting center this fall. Credit: Mark Hoffman

By of the

Orlando, Fla. — Any time the Green Bay Packers have allowed one of their free agents leave, they've felt they had someone waiting in the wings to take his place.

They let Cullen Jenkins go because they had Mike Neal.

They let Greg Jennings go because they had Randall Cobb.

They let James Jones go because they have Jarrett Boykin.

The times they haven't had a replacement, they've panicked and paid premium contracts. Ryan Grant, A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones can all attest to that.

So when the Packers let center Evan Dietrich-Smith go to Tampa Bay for a deal they could have easily afforded (four years, $14.25 million), it spoke volumes about their confidence in 2013 fourth-round pick JC Tretter. They want him to be their starting center in 2014.

This week, they hosted Indianapolis free agent interior lineman Mike McGlynn on an official visit, which is a sign they're not standing pat after losing Dietrich-Smith. McGlynn is a low-level free agent even though he has started 48 games for three teams and would appear to be a veteran option were he signed.

At the NFL owners meetings, coach Mike McCarthy wouldn't commit to Tretter as his starter, but he admitted that if Tretter hadn't suffered torn ankle ligaments doing a fumble drill in organized team activities in June, he would have given Dietrich-Smith a run for the starting job.

"Good question," McCarthy said when asked if Tretter might have been the starter last season if he had stayed healthy. "We obviously were very excited about him when we drafted him."

The thing the Packers really like about Tretter is that he's as athletic as Dietrich-Smith yet stands 1¼ inches taller, weighs about the same and tested slightly better in combine drills coming out of college. He would be quarterback Aaron Rodgers' fourth center in four years, but there doesn't seem to be any concern about the Ivy Leaguer's ability to handle the mental challenges of the job.

"Mentally, everything that he could possibly do to this standpoint based on the medical situation that he went through, you'd be very pleased with now," McCarthy said. "He hasn't played a snap in a game, and I get all the concerns and I understand that, but he's another young man that's in there early in the morning every day working out, voluntarily."

Tretter spent most of the season on the physically unable to perform list, but he was added to the 53-man roster so that he could get in valuable practice time. He was able to start practicing Nov. 19 and got in seven weeks of work.

Tretter is aware there are high expectations for him this season. Those weeks of working at center in practice gave him confidence he can make the move from college tight end and tackle to NFL center.

Other veterans such as Don Barclay and T.J. Lang will get consideration, but Tretter should top the depth chart when off-season workouts begin April 22.

McGlynn, who has played more guard than center in his career but may be better at center, has a visit with Tennessee ahead. McCarthy talked about other "player acquisition opportunities still in front us" when discussing the center position, so it's likely a veteran will be added at some point.

If it isn't McGlynn some of the other options are: Brian de la Puente, Ryan Wendell, Will Montgomery, Kyle Cook, Jonathan Goodwin, David Baas, Samson Satele, Fernando Velasco and Chris Spencer.

Clean slate: There's a good chance 2012 first-round pick Nick Perry will be working with the "elephant" group when he returns in April.

The 270-pound Perry fits the body type the Packers want at that position. He played with his hand down at USC, but has two injury-shortened years of experience playing outside linebacker. McCarthy still has hopes for him.

"He does have ability. He's a smart, instinctive player," McCarthy said.

Off center: In detailing his plan to use nose tackle B.J. Raji right over the center more this season, McCarthy admitted Raji wasn't in a position that best fit him.

Defensive coordinator DomCapers liked having Ryan Pickett on the nose, and Raji at a three-technique (tackle) position where the two could be used to plug the run in the middle.

Other than saying Raji would be at nose more often this year, he would not say how much he would play as a nickel pass rusher or in other positions.

"I'll just say this, his role will increase," McCarthy said. "We're going to have some functional changes in how we utilize our defensive front."

Fully covered: When the players come back, McCarthy expects cornerback Casey Hayward to pick up where he left off at the end of 2012.

Hayward missed all but a couple of games last year with a torn hamstring and couldn't build off his rookie season. McCarthy is hopeful he'll be cleared to do everything when he comes back.

"He had a heck of a rookie year," McCarthy said. "He missed all of last year with an injury. My understanding is he'll be full go once he comes back. But I won't know until we put those guys through physicals when they come back the 22nd."

McCarthy said he understood that cornerback Tramon Williams is getting older, but he said it was clear that a bruised knee he suffered in training camp bothered him the first half of the season.

"He struggled in training camp with his knee and I felt that affected him early," McCarthy said. "And I felt once he hit his stride the second half of the season, I thought he played very good football for us."

Williams suffered nerve damage in his shoulder in 2011 and finally started to feel whole again when he hurt his knee.

Spot open: McCarthy said he would still like to have quarterback Matt Flynn back.

However, the team may be waiting to see if there are better options in free agency or the draft, knowing they can wait because Flynn isn't highly sought after. They may also be waiting for his price to come down.

"I thought Matt was a good addition to our football team," he said. "I have great respect and admiration for him, just being around him a lot on a positional basis. Yeah, I'm hoping financially it works out."

More on JSOnline

Read more notes as well as a story about the receiving corps without James Jones at www.jsonline.com/packers