Packers safety Nick Collins underwent neck surgery Thursday night in New York City to have a herniated disk in his neck repaired, according to a league source. It will take about six months to determine whether he will be able to resume his NFL career.

Packers running back Ryan Grant has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Broncos because of a bruised kidney. Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said the medical staff didn't believe Grant's kidney passed enough tests to put him on the field.

Southern Miss has announced that Brett Favre will serve as the color analyst for the school's Oct. 1 game against Rice. Before reaching the NFL, Favre played quarterback for the Golden Eagles from 1987-1990 and set several school passing marks in the process. Favre said in a statement that this move does not mean he's committing himself to a career in the broadcast booth. "I'm excited to be back at Southern Miss with the Golden Eagles," he said. "I'm not committing to a new career in broadcasting, but just wanted to support Southern Miss and check out the view from the press box. It should be fun and I hope the fans enjoy it."

The Packers have lost safety Nick Collins for the season, prompting Jason La Canfora of The NFL Network to wonder if they'll give Darren Sharper a call. Sharper spent the first eight years of his career in Green Bay and has deep ties there. He is scheduled to work out for the Broncos on Tuesday and badly wants to keep playing.

Packers safety Nick Collins will miss the rest of the season because of a neck injury suffered during Sunday's victory over the Panthers, according to an ESPN.com report. Coach Mike McCarthy announced the news Monday afternoon. He said it's "too early" to say what the injury means for Collins' career.

Russ Ball, who servers as Green Bay's cap expert and aides Ted Thompson in football scouting, could be the NFL's next top general manager candidate. "I'd hire him,'' McCarthy told The Journal Sentinel's Bob McGinn. "He's the best I've been around ... Russ manages the cap, but his people skills are second to none. He gives Ted the ability to be a GM and for me to be a coach. He is as involved as he [can be] in the personnel part of it.''

Charles Woodson came up with an important interception of Cam Newton during the second quarter as the Packers were trailing Carolina. "The thing you've got to do in that case is make sure you don't jump the route too early,'' Woodson said. "He [Newton] has a strong arm. Very accurate. He's not afraid to put the ball anywhere. When you go for it, you have to be careful you don't run into the receiver and get an interference call.''

Packers wide receiver James Jones is fine with the one catch he made in the team's season-opening win over the Saints, but he has an issue with the number of snaps he played. Jones played just 19 snaps against the Saints, with six of those snaps played in running formations. "I don't care about the ball at all, but I truly, truly want to be in the game plan. Everybody plays this game because they want to play," Jones said. "I'm not selfish; I understand we've got a lot of weapons, so I'm not saying I want the ball every play. But I think I deserve to be on the field more than I was." Jones said he didn't have an issue with quarterback Aaron Rodgers not throwing him the ball more on the snaps he did play. "Aaron's got his hands full. We've got a lot of weapons. It'd be stupid for me to come up to Aaron and tell him I'm open," Jones said. "Every receiver's going to say they're open on every play even when they're covered. I don't bother Aaron. Aaron throws to the open guy. He's been good throwing to the open guy. Aaron doesn't tell me to sub into the game. So if I'm not in the game, he can't throw it to me on the sideline."

Packers cornerback Charles Woodson has been fined $10,000 for throwing a punch against the Saints, according to a league source. Green Bay was penalized 15 yards in the third quarter for Woodson's punch, but he wasn't ejected. "Yeah, I threw a punch," Woodson said after the game. "Just got frustrated, the guy was holding me a little longer than I wanted. Nothing was said about it, referee-wise, quick enough, and I reacted. It is what it is, I guess."

Packers rookie Randall Cobb tied an NFL record with a 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Saints on Thursday night. Cobb took the third-quarter kick and was hit around Green Bay's 23-yard line, where he spun, was able to keep his balance and took off again. "It was amazing," Cobb said. "The feeling of being in Lambeau Field and just having all of the guys around me coming off of the Super Bowl and just trying to do anything I can to contribute, and I certainly tried to make the most of my opportunities tonight." Cobb's return tied the record set by Ellis Hobbs, who returned a kick 108 yards for the Patriots against the Jets in 2007.