I ran an extensive seven-part series in early January for how I thought Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson should approach the off-season (Practice Squad, Injured Reserve, RFA's, UFA's, Potential Cap Casualties, First Look @ 2014 NFL Draft, and Locks for The 53 in 2014). So far Thompson has not followed very much of my advice besides re-signing cornerback Sam Shields. We are still awaiting the final details of the contract but early reports are that it is a four-year, $39 million deal. It will be interesting to see the structure of the contract because before that the Packers had roughly $35 million in salary cap space, my guess is that Shields will eat up at least $10 million of that salary space in 2014.
Anyone that follows the NFL knows that Thompson rarely signs free agents. Even if Thompson does signs free agents, it is usually younger, low-priced players or guys that grew up as a Packer. Besides Shields, the Packers have not resigned any of their impending unrestricted free agents that spent time on The 53 for the Packers in 2013. At the very least, almost all of those players are worth resigning for next season to a one-year, veteran minimum deal (center Evan Dietrich-Smith, quarterback Matt Flynn, wide receiver James Jones, fullback John Kuhn, outside linebacker Mike Neal, defensive lineman Ryan Pickett, tight end Andrew Quarless, defensive lineman B.J. Raji, running back James Starks, and defensive lineman C.J. Wilson) besides (running back Kahlil Bell, linebacker Robert Francois, offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse, and quarterback Seneca Wallace). Obviosuly some of those guys are worth more than just the veteran minimum so here are my updated thoughts on that front.
Last season Kuhn proved that the fullback position is still relevant given that Kuhn's block helped spring the two biggest plays of the season: Lacy's 60-yard run to spur their miracle comeback against the Cowboys and the Rodgers to Cobb touchdown pass to beat the Bears to win the NFC North. Despite signing fullback Ina Liaina earlier this off-season, the Packers should resign Kuhn to a two-year, $2.5 million deal with $500,000 guaranteed.
Although I like quarterback Scott Tolzien
more than Flynn as a long-term prospect behind Rodgers, in the short run Flynn gives the Packers a
better chance to win if Rodgers is out for an extended period
time next season. I would expect the interest in Flynn to be tepid given
that he has a reputation for being a 9-to-5 guy with a below average arm that was cut
from two quarterback needy teams (Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills)
last season. Flynn already made upwards of $20 million between stints
in Green Bay so his next contract has to be more about comfort than hammering paychecks. I would offer Flynn a three-year deal worth slightly more than the
veteran minimum with a $500,000 signing bonus and some performance
guarantees. Even if Flynn gets a more lucrative offer elsewhere I wonder if he would want to join his fifth NFL team in less than two years. My guess is that Flynn winds up with the Packers next season.
The Packers have to give wide receivers
Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson expensive long-term extensions in the next year, which
cuts against offering Jones a contract but if Jones is willing
to sign an identical deal to the one he just completed (three-years,
$9.7 million with $2.3 million guaranteed) the Packers might be able to keep Cobb,
Jones, and Nelson for the next three years while shuffling in
Jarrett Boyking-eque players as 4th and 5th wide receivers.
The Packers could have a totally revamped defensive line next season if
they lose all four of their free agent defensive lineman: Johnny Jolly,
Ryan Pickett, B.J. Raji, and C.J. Wilson. If that happens it would leave the Packers with four young guys along the defensive line in Josh Boyd, Mike Daniels, Datone Jones, and Jerel Worthy. Although Raji might have the highest upside,
Jolly and Pickett have proven to be useful 3-4 defensive lineman that could be more cost-effective given that most 3-4 defensive lineman are more space eaters than playmakers.
Despite Jolly coming off a serious spinal cord injury, after Raji, I
like Jollly slightly more than Pickett. Even given the flood of quality
3-4 defensive lineman set to be on the free agent market, I would offer Jolly and Pickett identical two-year, $3 million deals with $1.5 million guaranteed.
If either of them are offered a richer contract by another NFL, I would ask them to at least
check back before signing elsewhere but I would be surprised if either got a bigger contract offer on the open market.
There was some speculation a few months ago that former defensive lineman turned outside linebacker Mike Neal might get a similar deal to what outside linebacker Erik Walden signed last off-season with the Indianapolis Colts (four-years, $16 million). That seems ridiculous to me but I would support the Packers giving Neal a three-year, $7.5 million deal with $2.5 million guaranteed that contained some sack and tackle for loss incentives.
The Packers reportedly offered Raji a long-term deal that averaged $8 million a year last season that Raji turned down. Yikes,
either Raji or his agent clearly miscalculated his value because the
Packers now reportedly only have a one-year, $4 million "prove it" deal on the
table. Given that defensive lineman in a 3-4 defense do not rack up big
sack or tackle for loss numbers, if Raji wants to sign a lucrative
long-term deal I actually think it makes more sense for Raji to take a
one-year "prove it" deal with a 4-3 team instead of returning to the
Packers. Only time will tell but $4 million for 2014 for Raji's services seems like a great deal for the Packers but a horrible deal for Raji so I expect him to test the free agent market.
Athletic hybrid tight
end/wide receivers are a requirement for NFL teams as opposed to a
luxury at this point and when healthy, Finley is exactly that type of
player. By all accounts it looks like Finley is rounding into playing
shape. The question is whether Pat McKenzie, the notoriously
conservative Packers team doctor, will give Finley a clean bill of
health. If McKenzie signs off on Finley's health, the Packers should
throw out a long-term deal (i.e. five-year, $25 million deal) with a
modest signing bonus ($5 million) that contains rolling guarantees
payable in each subsequent league year. That contract structure would allow the Packers to
get Finely's services long-term at a more cost-effective number. If
Finely turns out to be healthy the next few years and outplays his
deals, the Packers could always re-negotiate to add money to Finley's contract. If Finley is not healthy
enough then the Packers could walk away at any point without any significant salary cap ramifications due to the structure of the rolling guarantees.
I am sure there are some Packers fans that are delusional enough to think
that they can break the bank for center Alex Mack. The Browns placed
the transition tag on Mack but have so much salary cap space that even
if the Packers offered Mack a severely front-end loaded deal, the Browns
would most likely match it. Even leaving aside that spending big money
on centers in a zone-blocking
scheme seems foolish, the Packers know that Evan Dietrich-Smith fits well in their
up-tempo offensive scheme. The four-year, $16 million deal with
$8 million guaranteed that I said Thompson should offer EDS earlier this off-season still feels like a fair deal for both sides.
The Packers are usually proactive in locking up their own players long-term before they become unrestricted free agents. Unfortunately they did not do that this year presumably in part because the salary cap was projected to be almost $10 million less than it
turned out to be. If the Packers pushed hard to get some of the guys
just discussed above to sign extensions earlier this off-season, it would have allowed
them to sign some of those guys to below market deals under the guise
of having salary cap constraints that never actually came to fruition. Now that $10 million more became available for
each team the asking price increased for some guys, which might have priced guys like Jones and Neal out of Green Bay. With my updated thoughts for how I think Thompson should approach members of The 53 for the Packers in 2013 out of the way, make sure to check back tomorrow for my thoughts on how Thompson can realistically re-build the defense via free agency.
Showing posts with label Ryan Pickett. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ryan Pickett. Show all posts
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Sunday, November 11, 2012
2012 Green Bay Packers Midseason Player Rankings
I knew this was going to be a lengthy post so yesterday I dealt with the roster turnover from my initial player rankings to the current 53-man roster. Just to quickly reiterate how I cobble together my list; I factor in contract, age, position, and it runs in reverse order. For a longer explanation of my methodology check my initial rankings. Here
are my mid-season rankings of the 53-man
roster for the 2012 Green Bay Packers (initial rankings are in parenthesis):
#53 (53) Jarrett Boykin (WR) - The Packers could easily add a 6th wide receiver in place of Boykins who has seen little action despite injuries to a number of wide receivers.
#52 (51) Sean Richardson (S) - Injuries have really hampered Richardson's ability to get on the field, which is too bad because his combination of size and speed is very enticing.
#51 (NR) Johnny White (RB) - The former Buffalo Bills castoff, which is usually NOT a compliment, was claimed off waiver by the Packers to replace Brandon Saine as a special teams player. After being inactive for his first week after joining the Packers, White picked up right where Brandon Saine left off as a special teams player that happens to be classified as a running back. Trust me, if White is getting significant carries in anything other than the Packers blowing out an opponent, we've got problems.
#50 (NR) Andrew Quarless (TE) - Recovering from gruesome injuries has to be physically and mentally draining. I hope Quarless can make it through 2012 healthy while catching a few passes along the way to make all the hard work he has put into getting back onto the field worth it.
#49 (42)Terrell Manning (MLB) - I am always reticent to meet players because it clouds my ability to objectively write about them. When Cheesehead Chick, Mama Cheese, Papa Cheese, and In-Law Cheese stopped in Green Bay to buy gear from the Packer Pro Shop on the way to Door County we met Manning because he stopped to take tons of pictures with fans. Let's just say Manning is a nicer person off the field than a player on the field.
#48 (NR) Greg Van Roten (OL) - With starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga most likely headed to injured reserve, Van Roten is two injuries away from playing in a real NFL game. Add in that Van Roten really can only play guard and the Packers are in real trouble if Van Roten plays a meaningful snap in 2012.
#47 (41) Graham Harrell (QB) - At some point the Packers might want to consider signing a competent veteran backup to the 53-man roster instead of leaving Harrell one play from taking over if Rodgers gets hurt.
#46 (46) Rob Francois (MLB) - Some players can carve out a niche as a career special teams guy, which is what Francois has to continue to do if he wants to keep his roster spot.
#45 (39) D.J. Williams (TE) - With all the injuries the Packers suffered at wide receiver and fullback, it looked like Williams might be the beneficiary but shaky hands have prevented him from capitalizing on those opportunities.
#44 (44) James Starks (RB) - Might as well gives Starks his jersey number for two sets of rankings in a row right? A 17 carry, 61 yard performance against the Arizona Cardinals is hardly something to brag about but the Packers have gotten absolutely no production out of Starks for the first eight games of the season so they will take what they can get on the ground. I would like to see the Packers make Starks their every down back when they are trying to grind it out with Green as their every down back when they go no huddle. I know that tips their hand a bit but they might as well cater to each player's strengths.
#43 (50) Don Barclay (T) - I hate cliches but the Packers truly buy into the "next guy up" because there is no talk of them adding a veteran offensive lineman, so they are one injury away from undrafted rookie free agent Don Barclay being one of the five guys that protects Aaron Rodgers. I try to pick my spots where I am critical of general manager Ted Thompson because he has done a very impressive job managing the roster but Thompson needs to add a quality veteran offensive lineman to the roster sooner rather than later, especially if they put Bryan Bulaga on injured reserve.
#42 (NR) Frank Zombo (OLB) - There is only so high that I can rank a guy that was recently added to the active roster from PUP but assuming that Zombo is in fact healthy, I see Zombo finishing at least in the low 30's in my final rankings based on what Zombo can potentially do as a rush outside linebacker in the base 3-4 defense.
#41 (43) Ryan Taylor (TE) - The Packers finally identified a special team maven that doesn't even need to play snaps on offense to justify his roster spot. That is particularly important for Taylor because the Packers are again carrying five tight ends on their 53-man roster, which I've noted many times I think is excessive.
#40 (35) Jamari Lattimore (MLB) - A hybrid inside/outside linebacker is a rare commodity, which makes Lattimore very valuable commodity for the Packers in 2012, especially considering all the linebackers (Bishop, Perry, and Smith) lost for the season.
#39 (33) John Kuhn (FB) - As if playing fullback in a high octane offensive doesn't marginalize Kuhn enough, injuries have further marginalized Kuhn than playing fullback in 2012.
#38 (27) Mason Crosby (K) - When the Milwaukee Brewers were contemplating building Miller Park next to County Stadium or downtown, I got in a number of arguments with my buddy Sug. I was firmly in the downtown camp while Sug wanted the stadium built next to County Stadium to cater to suburban Brewer fans. A similar argument started when Crosby signed a five-year, $15 million contract before the 2011 season. I hated the contract while Sug agreed with paying Crosby. While the Miller Park argument took a number of years to settle in my favor, less than two years later I've won the Crosby argument as well so whenever I see Crosby I think of Miller Park being built in no man's land. Sorry Sug, you are 0-2 on those arguments, which ironically is a standard outing for Crosby theses days.
#37 (29) Alex Green (RB) - I thought Green was the perfect back for the Packers' no-huddle offense. With Benson out of the lineup, Green's play has been sub-par. Chalk some of that up to Green being less than a year removed from a serious knee injury though, so we might not know till the end of 2013 whether Crosby is the perfect back for the Packers' no huddle offense.
#36 (45) Brett Goode (LS) - The Packers wisely recently extended Goode for a few more years since Goode has been nothing short of great (funny pun right) as their long snapper.
#35 (38) Mike Daniels (DL) - The ideal third down pass rusher needs to add some strength in the off-season if he wants to see the field on 1st or 2nd down.
#34 (37) Tom Crabtree (TE) - The recipient of two of the most notable touchdown passes of the season (fake punt against the Bears on 4th & 26 and 72-yard reception against the Cardinals) deserves to be targeted more than nine times through nine games.
#33 (36) Dezman Moses (OLB) - Looks like a potentially violent situational pass rusher for the Packers in 2012 but let's not forget that Vic So'oto looked poised to fill a similar role in 2011 but flopped.
#32 (NR) Mike Neal - After serving his four game suspension, Neal has shown flashes of the dominate player the Packers thought they were drafting in the 2010 Draft.
#31 (48) Brad Jones (MLB) - I listed Jones as an outside linebacker in my original rankings, which is how the Packers viewed Jones at the start of the season. After losing both Bishop and Smith, the Packers slide Jones inside where he has preformed as well if not better than Smith so far.
#30 (23) Donald Driver (WR) - Probably the most beloved current Packer is having a disappointing season on two fronts. Not only has DD not played that much despite all the injuries to their wide receivers but when DD has been on the field, he's struggled. As much as it would pain me to see DD play for another team, if he truly wants to play for a few more years, I hope he plays for a team that can harness his leadership qualities for the betterment of their organization.
#29 (16) Jerel Worthy (DL) - After a strong start to the season, an ability to properly time his pass rush combined with a concussion stunted Worthy's impressive start to the season. Hopefully a few weeks off allowed Worthy to not only heal but watch some tape that will help him cut down on the offsides penalties.
#28 (21) Jeff Saturday (C) - So far Saturday as been a substantial downgrade from former starting center Scott Wells. At the very least the Packers need Saturday to stay healthy because they have razor thin depth along the offensive line.
#27 (34) Evan Dietrich-Smith (C) - As I said in my initial rankings: "If any of the starting five offensive lineman are hurt, EDS is the first off the bench that could have a chain reaction of moving a few players around on the offensive line since EDS could really only fill in at guard or center." Please don't blame me for Bulaga's injury, which forced the Packers to move T.J. Lang from left guard to right tackle and insert EDS is Lang's place. Let's hope that is the end of the offensive line shuffle because although EDS is a borderline NFL starter, the rest of the offensive line backups (Barclay and Van Roten) are currently below average NFL offensive lineman at best.
#26 (32) Jerron McMillian (S) - After a few games it looked like McMillian was going to be the Packers rookie of the year but a few games does not make a season since McMillian's play has leveled off as the season progresses. Usually the bye week helps players get healthy but for rookies like McMillian from small college programs, the bye week gives them a chance to relax outside the limelight of the NFL to get ready for a playoff push.
#25 (30) C.J. Wilson (DL) - There is only so many times that I can reiterate how valuable base 3-4 defensive ends are in the NFL, which Wilson continues to excel so although 24 feels high, may be it is not high enough.
#24 (40) M.D. Jennings (S) - Just when I started to forget about the Packers "losing" to the Seahawks, I ran some playoff scenarios and my disdain for that game came roaring back. The Packers better win the NFC North because if it comes down to tie-breakers, you might see all Cheesehead football fans go Postal on the NFL.
#23 (25) Tim Masthay (P) - For how horrible Crosby has been place kicking, Masthay has been the bizarro Crosby with a 44.5 yard gross punting average and 40.7 yard net punting average in 2012.
#22 (24) Sam Shields (CB) - Shields had a great 2010 and lackluster 2011, which has been a microcosm for his 2012 season because he got off to a good start but then an injury left hm inactive for the last three games. The Packers need the healthy 2010 version not the unhealthy 2011 version of Shields.
#21 (22) Jarrett Bush (CB) - As always, Bush continues to thrive on special teams and struggle when he plays defensively.
#20 (26) Davon House (CB) - Shoulder injury aside, House has shown flashes of being a poor man's Al Harris, which is great for the Packers since they most likely envision House as their 4th cornerback if everyone is healthy.
#19 (4) Jermichael Finley (TE) - Oh how the mighty have fallen. Finley has essentially turned into an expensive decoy. I still don't believe that will lead to the Packers declining what amounts to a team option for 2013 but Finley better pick-up his play if he wants to get in line behind Rodgers, Matthews, and Raji for a mega contract extension.
#18 (NR) Erik Walden (OLB) - With Perry out for the rest of 2012 look for Walden to put up big numbers for the rest of the season since it looks like he will get all the snaps opposite Claymaker instead of sharing them with Perry.
#17 (10) Bryan Bulaga (T) - I would bet Bulaga is put on injured reserve before December but with the lack of depth on the offensive line around the NFL, even a hurt Bulaga is a valuable commodity.
#16 (9) Greg Jennings (WR) - Injuries are the worst thing that can happen for both a player and their club in a contract year because it muddies their market value. With Jennings set to be a free agent this off-season, the Packers should still give the franchise tag to Jennings, despite him struggling with injuries throughout 2012 because of otherwise Jennings will leave for nothing ala Aaron Kampman.
#15 (14) Marshall Newhouse (T) - I mentioned that if Newhouse struggled in 2012: "Chad Clifton's agent might be getting a phone call" but it looks like even though Newhouse has played relatively well this season, Clifton's agent might still get a call to give the Packers an actual backup offensive tackle with some NFL experience under his belt.
#14 (28) A.J. Hawk (MLB) - Trust me, I am the last guy that wants to praise Hawk, but he has played very well in 2012. In the preseason I was calling for the Packers to cut Hawk but luckily they held onto him because without Hawk the Packers would not have even one healthy, NFL tested middle linebacker on the roster despite needing at least two.
#13 (12) Morgan Burnett (S) - With Woodson shuffling between cornerback and safety when healthy combined with McMillian and Jennings sharing snaps at safety, Burnett has been the only constant at safety for the Packers in 2012. Usually it is not a good sign when your safety is leading the team in tackles but in Burnett's case I take it as a positive because the Packers have been using Burnett like they used to use Nick Collins in the past.
#12 (18) Casey Hayward (CB) - Hands down the most pleasant surprise on the roster in 2012 is actually a candidate for defensive rookie of the year thanks to his impressive coverage that has resulted in a team leading four interceptions. Some might chalk up Hayward's play to rookie luck but I see Hayward as a long term starter at cornerback opposite Tramon Williams.
#11 (7) Charles Woodson (CB) - Lack of big plays, injuries, and the highest salary on the team means Woodson is going to have to take less money in 2013 if he wants to play for the Packers.
#10 (6) Jordy Nelson (WR) - Despite struggling with hamstring and ankle injuries, Nelson is still leading the team in receiving yardage
#9 (8) Josh Sitton (G) - A healthy Sitton in 2012 helped erase memories of his struggles in 2011 to help justify his expensive contract extension.
#8 (17) Ryan Pickett (DL) - When people talk about freak athletes in professional sports they usually talk about chiseled, muscle bound players like Jermichael Finley. Guys like Ryan Pickett are equally freakish athletes, they are just not as impressive to look at with their shirt off, but impressive nonetheless.
#7 (11) T.J. Lang (G/T) - I had to change Lang's position from G to G/T since he is filling in at right tackle for the injured Bulaga for the rest of the season unless Bulaga makes a miraculous recovery. Good for Lang that he got paid in the off-season because I see Lang struggling at right tackle, which is too bad because Lang was thriving at left guard this season.
#6 (5) Tramon Williams (CB) - Although Williams only has two interceptions so far in 2012, it has been a much better season than 2011 because Williams has almost full function of his injured shoulder, which makes him a bump-and-run corner for the first time since 2010.
#5 (19) James Jones (WR) - I.A.R.W.T. stands for In Aaron Rodgers We Trust. Some franchise quarterbacks routinely give the front office suggestions but Rodgers has been selective in making suggestions. Rodgers publicly pleaded with management to resign Jones, which looks downright prophetic now.
#4 (3) B.J. Raji (DL) - The Packers have managed Raji's snap count much better this year, thanks to the emergence of some young blood (Daniels, Neal, and Worthy) along the defensive line. Now the Packers need to focus on getting Raji signed to a long-term contract before the end of the season.
#3 (13) Randall Cobb (WR) - I compared Cobb to New Orleans Saint Darren Sproles at the start of the season. I don't want to overreact but just a few months later, every NFL team besides the New Orleans Saints would rather have Cobb than Sproles.
#2 (2) Clay Matthews (OLB) - Another pesky hamstring injury will most likely keep Mathews out at least a game or two. Although Matthews is the most valuable defensive player, rushing him back is not advisable because hamstring injuries are particularly finicky. Plus reducing stats thanks to sitting out games is the only way outside of Matthews testing positive for PED's that the Packers can gain leverage in the upcoming contract negotiations.
#1 (1) Aaron Rodgers (QB) - It looked like Rodgers started 2012 slow but it had more to do with the opposition as opposed to Rodgers because the Packers opened against three of the best defenses in football: 49ers, Bears, and Seahawks. Starting with Week 4, Rodgers caught fire and has been on a roll ever since. While it is encouraging that Rodgers has been playing better as of late, he better figure out how to beat the defenses he faced Week #1-3 because those look like three of their potential playoff opponents this January.
As always, thanks for reading and please feel free to comment if you disagree with any of my rankings.
#53 (53) Jarrett Boykin (WR) - The Packers could easily add a 6th wide receiver in place of Boykins who has seen little action despite injuries to a number of wide receivers.
#52 (51) Sean Richardson (S) - Injuries have really hampered Richardson's ability to get on the field, which is too bad because his combination of size and speed is very enticing.
#51 (NR) Johnny White (RB) - The former Buffalo Bills castoff, which is usually NOT a compliment, was claimed off waiver by the Packers to replace Brandon Saine as a special teams player. After being inactive for his first week after joining the Packers, White picked up right where Brandon Saine left off as a special teams player that happens to be classified as a running back. Trust me, if White is getting significant carries in anything other than the Packers blowing out an opponent, we've got problems.
#50 (NR) Andrew Quarless (TE) - Recovering from gruesome injuries has to be physically and mentally draining. I hope Quarless can make it through 2012 healthy while catching a few passes along the way to make all the hard work he has put into getting back onto the field worth it.
#49 (42)Terrell Manning (MLB) - I am always reticent to meet players because it clouds my ability to objectively write about them. When Cheesehead Chick, Mama Cheese, Papa Cheese, and In-Law Cheese stopped in Green Bay to buy gear from the Packer Pro Shop on the way to Door County we met Manning because he stopped to take tons of pictures with fans. Let's just say Manning is a nicer person off the field than a player on the field.
#48 (NR) Greg Van Roten (OL) - With starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga most likely headed to injured reserve, Van Roten is two injuries away from playing in a real NFL game. Add in that Van Roten really can only play guard and the Packers are in real trouble if Van Roten plays a meaningful snap in 2012.
#47 (41) Graham Harrell (QB) - At some point the Packers might want to consider signing a competent veteran backup to the 53-man roster instead of leaving Harrell one play from taking over if Rodgers gets hurt.
#46 (46) Rob Francois (MLB) - Some players can carve out a niche as a career special teams guy, which is what Francois has to continue to do if he wants to keep his roster spot.
#45 (39) D.J. Williams (TE) - With all the injuries the Packers suffered at wide receiver and fullback, it looked like Williams might be the beneficiary but shaky hands have prevented him from capitalizing on those opportunities.
#44 (44) James Starks (RB) - Might as well gives Starks his jersey number for two sets of rankings in a row right? A 17 carry, 61 yard performance against the Arizona Cardinals is hardly something to brag about but the Packers have gotten absolutely no production out of Starks for the first eight games of the season so they will take what they can get on the ground. I would like to see the Packers make Starks their every down back when they are trying to grind it out with Green as their every down back when they go no huddle. I know that tips their hand a bit but they might as well cater to each player's strengths.
#43 (50) Don Barclay (T) - I hate cliches but the Packers truly buy into the "next guy up" because there is no talk of them adding a veteran offensive lineman, so they are one injury away from undrafted rookie free agent Don Barclay being one of the five guys that protects Aaron Rodgers. I try to pick my spots where I am critical of general manager Ted Thompson because he has done a very impressive job managing the roster but Thompson needs to add a quality veteran offensive lineman to the roster sooner rather than later, especially if they put Bryan Bulaga on injured reserve.
#42 (NR) Frank Zombo (OLB) - There is only so high that I can rank a guy that was recently added to the active roster from PUP but assuming that Zombo is in fact healthy, I see Zombo finishing at least in the low 30's in my final rankings based on what Zombo can potentially do as a rush outside linebacker in the base 3-4 defense.
#41 (43) Ryan Taylor (TE) - The Packers finally identified a special team maven that doesn't even need to play snaps on offense to justify his roster spot. That is particularly important for Taylor because the Packers are again carrying five tight ends on their 53-man roster, which I've noted many times I think is excessive.
#40 (35) Jamari Lattimore (MLB) - A hybrid inside/outside linebacker is a rare commodity, which makes Lattimore very valuable commodity for the Packers in 2012, especially considering all the linebackers (Bishop, Perry, and Smith) lost for the season.
#39 (33) John Kuhn (FB) - As if playing fullback in a high octane offensive doesn't marginalize Kuhn enough, injuries have further marginalized Kuhn than playing fullback in 2012.
#38 (27) Mason Crosby (K) - When the Milwaukee Brewers were contemplating building Miller Park next to County Stadium or downtown, I got in a number of arguments with my buddy Sug. I was firmly in the downtown camp while Sug wanted the stadium built next to County Stadium to cater to suburban Brewer fans. A similar argument started when Crosby signed a five-year, $15 million contract before the 2011 season. I hated the contract while Sug agreed with paying Crosby. While the Miller Park argument took a number of years to settle in my favor, less than two years later I've won the Crosby argument as well so whenever I see Crosby I think of Miller Park being built in no man's land. Sorry Sug, you are 0-2 on those arguments, which ironically is a standard outing for Crosby theses days.
#37 (29) Alex Green (RB) - I thought Green was the perfect back for the Packers' no-huddle offense. With Benson out of the lineup, Green's play has been sub-par. Chalk some of that up to Green being less than a year removed from a serious knee injury though, so we might not know till the end of 2013 whether Crosby is the perfect back for the Packers' no huddle offense.
#36 (45) Brett Goode (LS) - The Packers wisely recently extended Goode for a few more years since Goode has been nothing short of great (funny pun right) as their long snapper.
#35 (38) Mike Daniels (DL) - The ideal third down pass rusher needs to add some strength in the off-season if he wants to see the field on 1st or 2nd down.
#34 (37) Tom Crabtree (TE) - The recipient of two of the most notable touchdown passes of the season (fake punt against the Bears on 4th & 26 and 72-yard reception against the Cardinals) deserves to be targeted more than nine times through nine games.
#33 (36) Dezman Moses (OLB) - Looks like a potentially violent situational pass rusher for the Packers in 2012 but let's not forget that Vic So'oto looked poised to fill a similar role in 2011 but flopped.
#32 (NR) Mike Neal - After serving his four game suspension, Neal has shown flashes of the dominate player the Packers thought they were drafting in the 2010 Draft.
#31 (48) Brad Jones (MLB) - I listed Jones as an outside linebacker in my original rankings, which is how the Packers viewed Jones at the start of the season. After losing both Bishop and Smith, the Packers slide Jones inside where he has preformed as well if not better than Smith so far.
#30 (23) Donald Driver (WR) - Probably the most beloved current Packer is having a disappointing season on two fronts. Not only has DD not played that much despite all the injuries to their wide receivers but when DD has been on the field, he's struggled. As much as it would pain me to see DD play for another team, if he truly wants to play for a few more years, I hope he plays for a team that can harness his leadership qualities for the betterment of their organization.
#29 (16) Jerel Worthy (DL) - After a strong start to the season, an ability to properly time his pass rush combined with a concussion stunted Worthy's impressive start to the season. Hopefully a few weeks off allowed Worthy to not only heal but watch some tape that will help him cut down on the offsides penalties.
#28 (21) Jeff Saturday (C) - So far Saturday as been a substantial downgrade from former starting center Scott Wells. At the very least the Packers need Saturday to stay healthy because they have razor thin depth along the offensive line.
#27 (34) Evan Dietrich-Smith (C) - As I said in my initial rankings: "If any of the starting five offensive lineman are hurt, EDS is the first off the bench that could have a chain reaction of moving a few players around on the offensive line since EDS could really only fill in at guard or center." Please don't blame me for Bulaga's injury, which forced the Packers to move T.J. Lang from left guard to right tackle and insert EDS is Lang's place. Let's hope that is the end of the offensive line shuffle because although EDS is a borderline NFL starter, the rest of the offensive line backups (Barclay and Van Roten) are currently below average NFL offensive lineman at best.
#26 (32) Jerron McMillian (S) - After a few games it looked like McMillian was going to be the Packers rookie of the year but a few games does not make a season since McMillian's play has leveled off as the season progresses. Usually the bye week helps players get healthy but for rookies like McMillian from small college programs, the bye week gives them a chance to relax outside the limelight of the NFL to get ready for a playoff push.
#25 (30) C.J. Wilson (DL) - There is only so many times that I can reiterate how valuable base 3-4 defensive ends are in the NFL, which Wilson continues to excel so although 24 feels high, may be it is not high enough.
#24 (40) M.D. Jennings (S) - Just when I started to forget about the Packers "losing" to the Seahawks, I ran some playoff scenarios and my disdain for that game came roaring back. The Packers better win the NFC North because if it comes down to tie-breakers, you might see all Cheesehead football fans go Postal on the NFL.
#23 (25) Tim Masthay (P) - For how horrible Crosby has been place kicking, Masthay has been the bizarro Crosby with a 44.5 yard gross punting average and 40.7 yard net punting average in 2012.
#22 (24) Sam Shields (CB) - Shields had a great 2010 and lackluster 2011, which has been a microcosm for his 2012 season because he got off to a good start but then an injury left hm inactive for the last three games. The Packers need the healthy 2010 version not the unhealthy 2011 version of Shields.
#21 (22) Jarrett Bush (CB) - As always, Bush continues to thrive on special teams and struggle when he plays defensively.
#20 (26) Davon House (CB) - Shoulder injury aside, House has shown flashes of being a poor man's Al Harris, which is great for the Packers since they most likely envision House as their 4th cornerback if everyone is healthy.
#19 (4) Jermichael Finley (TE) - Oh how the mighty have fallen. Finley has essentially turned into an expensive decoy. I still don't believe that will lead to the Packers declining what amounts to a team option for 2013 but Finley better pick-up his play if he wants to get in line behind Rodgers, Matthews, and Raji for a mega contract extension.
#18 (NR) Erik Walden (OLB) - With Perry out for the rest of 2012 look for Walden to put up big numbers for the rest of the season since it looks like he will get all the snaps opposite Claymaker instead of sharing them with Perry.
#17 (10) Bryan Bulaga (T) - I would bet Bulaga is put on injured reserve before December but with the lack of depth on the offensive line around the NFL, even a hurt Bulaga is a valuable commodity.
#16 (9) Greg Jennings (WR) - Injuries are the worst thing that can happen for both a player and their club in a contract year because it muddies their market value. With Jennings set to be a free agent this off-season, the Packers should still give the franchise tag to Jennings, despite him struggling with injuries throughout 2012 because of otherwise Jennings will leave for nothing ala Aaron Kampman.
#15 (14) Marshall Newhouse (T) - I mentioned that if Newhouse struggled in 2012: "Chad Clifton's agent might be getting a phone call" but it looks like even though Newhouse has played relatively well this season, Clifton's agent might still get a call to give the Packers an actual backup offensive tackle with some NFL experience under his belt.
#14 (28) A.J. Hawk (MLB) - Trust me, I am the last guy that wants to praise Hawk, but he has played very well in 2012. In the preseason I was calling for the Packers to cut Hawk but luckily they held onto him because without Hawk the Packers would not have even one healthy, NFL tested middle linebacker on the roster despite needing at least two.
#13 (12) Morgan Burnett (S) - With Woodson shuffling between cornerback and safety when healthy combined with McMillian and Jennings sharing snaps at safety, Burnett has been the only constant at safety for the Packers in 2012. Usually it is not a good sign when your safety is leading the team in tackles but in Burnett's case I take it as a positive because the Packers have been using Burnett like they used to use Nick Collins in the past.
#12 (18) Casey Hayward (CB) - Hands down the most pleasant surprise on the roster in 2012 is actually a candidate for defensive rookie of the year thanks to his impressive coverage that has resulted in a team leading four interceptions. Some might chalk up Hayward's play to rookie luck but I see Hayward as a long term starter at cornerback opposite Tramon Williams.
#11 (7) Charles Woodson (CB) - Lack of big plays, injuries, and the highest salary on the team means Woodson is going to have to take less money in 2013 if he wants to play for the Packers.
#10 (6) Jordy Nelson (WR) - Despite struggling with hamstring and ankle injuries, Nelson is still leading the team in receiving yardage
#9 (8) Josh Sitton (G) - A healthy Sitton in 2012 helped erase memories of his struggles in 2011 to help justify his expensive contract extension.
#8 (17) Ryan Pickett (DL) - When people talk about freak athletes in professional sports they usually talk about chiseled, muscle bound players like Jermichael Finley. Guys like Ryan Pickett are equally freakish athletes, they are just not as impressive to look at with their shirt off, but impressive nonetheless.
#7 (11) T.J. Lang (G/T) - I had to change Lang's position from G to G/T since he is filling in at right tackle for the injured Bulaga for the rest of the season unless Bulaga makes a miraculous recovery. Good for Lang that he got paid in the off-season because I see Lang struggling at right tackle, which is too bad because Lang was thriving at left guard this season.
#6 (5) Tramon Williams (CB) - Although Williams only has two interceptions so far in 2012, it has been a much better season than 2011 because Williams has almost full function of his injured shoulder, which makes him a bump-and-run corner for the first time since 2010.
#5 (19) James Jones (WR) - I.A.R.W.T. stands for In Aaron Rodgers We Trust. Some franchise quarterbacks routinely give the front office suggestions but Rodgers has been selective in making suggestions. Rodgers publicly pleaded with management to resign Jones, which looks downright prophetic now.
#4 (3) B.J. Raji (DL) - The Packers have managed Raji's snap count much better this year, thanks to the emergence of some young blood (Daniels, Neal, and Worthy) along the defensive line. Now the Packers need to focus on getting Raji signed to a long-term contract before the end of the season.
#3 (13) Randall Cobb (WR) - I compared Cobb to New Orleans Saint Darren Sproles at the start of the season. I don't want to overreact but just a few months later, every NFL team besides the New Orleans Saints would rather have Cobb than Sproles.
#2 (2) Clay Matthews (OLB) - Another pesky hamstring injury will most likely keep Mathews out at least a game or two. Although Matthews is the most valuable defensive player, rushing him back is not advisable because hamstring injuries are particularly finicky. Plus reducing stats thanks to sitting out games is the only way outside of Matthews testing positive for PED's that the Packers can gain leverage in the upcoming contract negotiations.
#1 (1) Aaron Rodgers (QB) - It looked like Rodgers started 2012 slow but it had more to do with the opposition as opposed to Rodgers because the Packers opened against three of the best defenses in football: 49ers, Bears, and Seahawks. Starting with Week 4, Rodgers caught fire and has been on a roll ever since. While it is encouraging that Rodgers has been playing better as of late, he better figure out how to beat the defenses he faced Week #1-3 because those look like three of their potential playoff opponents this January.
As always, thanks for reading and please feel free to comment if you disagree with any of my rankings.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
2012 Green Bay Packers Should Play Some 4-3
We all know the Green Bay Packers’ offense led by Aaron Rodgers can pick up big chunks of passing yards with great flourish, just look at how they dismantled one of the premier defenses on the road last week against the Texans to hand them their first loss of 2012. Unfortunately, the defense can give up big chunks of passing yards with similar spectacle. In order to strengthen the prospects for another Super Bowl title, this has to stop. One way to strengthen the defense in this area is to play some snaps in a 4-3 defense as opposed to the traditional 3-4 defense.
Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers changed the formation from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 defense when the Packers hired him in 2009. Initially, the Packers transitioned smoothly to the 3-4 scheme. After letting defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins leave via free agency before the 2011 NFL season though, the Packers struggled to create a consistent pass rush from the defensive line. As a result, the Packers gave up 4,796 passing yards last year, which is the most in NFL history. Since the Packers finished the 2011 regular season with a 15-1 record, we can chalk up some of those lost passing yards to opponents who attempted to minimize the point differential created by the stellar Packer offense. The majority of the yards, however, are due to the fact that the Packers did not create enough pressure on the other team’s quarterback. The Packers cannot retroactively re-sign Jenkins, so they need to consider other options in order to have an effective pass defense for the rest of 2012.
General manager Ted Thompson addressed the Packers’ lack of pass rush when he selected defensive end/outside linebacker Nick Perry from USC and defensive lineman Jerel Worthy from Michigan State with the Packers' first two picks in the 2012 NFL Draft. Those first two selections by Thompson marked the start of an unprecedented six-pick run of drafting defensive players.
The SackSEER 2.0 Model developed by Football Outsiders projected Perry to be the most effective pass rusher coming out of the 2012 NFL Draft. While that projection seems impressive, it is important to remember that the model factored in Perry’s collegiate production as a defensive end in a 4-3 defense, not the 3-4 defense used by the Packers. Worthy is a versatile player that could play either defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense or any position along the defensive line in the 3-4 defense as long as he gives 100% effort in the NFL. Both Perry and Worthy project as versatile players in the NFL that can play in almost any defensive scheme on a long term basis, but they look like better fits for a 4-3 defensive scheme in the short-term. Perry even expressed an interest in playing defensive end in a 4-3 scheme as opposed to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme before the 2012 NFL Draft.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think the Packers should change their entire defensive scheme based on a couple of rookies. The Packers now have a number of new players that fit a 4-3 scheme though, so they have the ability to play a few snaps a game in the 4-3 defense. This will benefit the Packers because it will give them another way to attack teams defensively and help stymie strong offenses. Plus, allowing rookies to play in schemes where they are comfortable will assist them in making a smooth transition from college football to the NFL. That smooth transition only serves the Packers well in the long run.
I know the Packers only played a traditional 3-4 defense for roughly 1/3rd of all their defensive snaps in 2011, but lowering that number a little by increasing the number of snaps they play in a 4-3 defense in 2012 plays to the Packers’ strengths and will keep opposing offenses on their toes. If that doesn’t convince you yet, the Packers lost their two best middle linebackers for the season already. Desmond Bishop got hurt in the preseason and D.J. Smith got hurt last week against the Texans. All of a sudden the Packers only have one traditional middle linebackers on their roster in A.J. Hawk. Besides Hawk, the Packers will have to lean on a number of backups with little game experience playing middle linebacker.
Let me be clear, I am not advocating a wholesale shift from a 3-4 to a 4-3, but if the defensive line and linebackers can create a little more pressure via a 4-3 scheme for a handful of snaps a game, it will allow the secondary to continue to create turnovers while surrendering less yards. The Packers should at least experiment with a 4-3 defense with B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett, Jerel Worthy, and Nick Perry along the defensive line and Clay Matthews, A.J. Hawk, and Erik Walden at linebacker. A few snaps a game in a 4-3 defense might be a solution to some of their defensive woes.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Initial Rankings of the 2010 Green Bay Packers
The NFL football season is finally upon us. In light of this joyous day, I decided to rank the 2010 Green Bay Packers opening day 53-man roster. People have different ways of ranking the rosters, my rule is that I would trade anyone ranked lower for the person ranked above them for this season alone not counting salary, if I could only keep one of the two players. Just to make sure everyone understands the rankings, if I could only keep one player and I had to choose between the 53rd ranked player (Nick McDonald) or the 52nd ranked player (C.J. Wilson), I would keep Wilson.
The reason I decided to hold salaries neutral is that some players are paid very little money for how much they produce on the field (Clay Mattews) while other players are in the first year of a front loaded contract extension because of the uncapped season (Brandon Chillar). As a result, in the spirit of possibly the only uncapped NFL season we will see going forward, I didn't factor salaries into the rankings.
Finally, keep in mind that Atari Bigby (CB), Al Harris (S), and James Starks (RB) are not included in the rankings because they are on the physically unable to perform list ("PUP"). Look for Bigby, Harris, and Starks in the mid-season rankings if they are on the active roster at that point.
Here are Cheesehead Sports Nut's rankings of the opening day roster of 2010 Green Bay Packers:
#53 - Nick McDonald (G)
A strong candidate for the practice squad, not sure how McDonald made the final roster over the likes of Evan Deitrich-Smith or Breno Giocamini. Apparently some teams were interested in signing McDonald to their active roster, otherwise it makes no sense to give him a roster spot ahead of Deitrich-Smith or Giocamini.
#52 - C.J. Wilson (DE)
Claimed a roster spot ahead of a couple more experience guys (Anthony Toribio and Jarius Wynn). A nice rookie project with a big upside, much like McDonald, makes Wilson look more like a candidate for the practice squad than the 53-man roster.
#51 - Brett Swain (WR)
Looks close to full strength coming off a serious knee injury in 2009. Swain is a solid contributor on special teams, which is why he is the 5th wide receiver on the Packers instead of Ruvell Martin. I know Martin was cut in 2009, but if Swain didn't show flashes of special teams ability in 2009 then Martin would still be on the Packers roster in 2010. If the Packers suffer a significant injury at wide receiver, Jermichael Finley as opposed to Swain, would fill in as the 5th wide receiver so you see why Swain couldn't crack the top 50.
#50 - Quinn Johnson (FB)
Last year with all the hype surrounding Johnson you would think he was the next William Henderson. Johnson has the tools to become a stud blocking back in the NFL but his questionable hands and lackluster performance when he did play in 2009 makes me question why the Packers didn't try to sneak Johnson through waivers.
#49 - Andrew Quarless (TE)
Some scouts compare Quarless to Finley. Besides having similar body types and being slightly immature, there is really no other similarities between Quarless and Finley at this point in their respective careers. The Packers already had four good tight ends (Crabtree, Finley, Lee, and Havner) going into the 2010 NFL Draft so the Quarless pick is a bit of a head scratcher, especially considering his off the field issues at Penn State. The Packers could have used another cornerback or outside linebacker instead of a 5th tight end in 2010.
#48 - Pat Lee (CB)
When you take into account production relative to draft position, it is a three horse race between Justin Harrell, Pat Lee, and Brian Brohm for Ted Thompson's worst draft pick as Green Bay Packers general manager. Who am I kidding, Harrell is the worst pick, but don't sleep on Brohm. Thompson traded defensive tackle Corey Williams to the Cleveland Browns for their 2nd round draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Despite just anointing Aaron Rodgers the starting quarterback on the heels of Brett Favre's retirement, Thompson used the 2nd round pick acquired from the Browns to select perennial underachieving quarterback Brian Brohm. Not only did Brohm get beaten out by Matt Flynn (a 7th round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft) for the back-up quarterback job in 2008, but Thompson passed on selecting quarterback Chad Henne (who went one pick after Brohm). Henne looks like a superstar quarterback in the making for the Miami Dolphins, so you can see why it is a tough call between Brohm and Harrell for Thompson's worst pick. Back to another horrible draft pick, Lee had all the tools coming out of Auburn to be a successful corner back in the NFL. Unfortunately injuries have prevented Lee from playing any meaningful snaps since he was draft in 2008. This year should be make or break for Lee.
#47 - Tom Crabtree (TE)
Everyone is raving about how great of a blocker Crabtree is even with a cast on his hand. Although blocking is important, is it so important that the Packers have twice as many tight ends as running backs on their roster?
#46 - Justin Harrell (DE)
If Harrell wasn't a first round draft pick, his tenure in Green Bay would have ended a few years ago. Instead Harrell is a perennial member of the injured reserve list. If Harrell stays healthy the entire season I will be absolute shocked.
#45 - Jarrett Bush (S)
Scouts rave about his special teams skills, which is great, but Bush has been horrible on defense. There are only so many roster spots that the Packers can allocate to special teams players. 2010 is Bush's 5th year in the NFL, so the chances that he will figure things out on defense are remote. If I were in charge, when Bigby comes off PUP, Bush would be put on the waiver wire.
#44 - Marshall Newhouse (T)
I know this seems a little high for an unproven 6th round draft pick rookie but after one training camp he looks like a serviceable left tackle in the making. At the very least, Newhouse could move over to right tackle once Tauscher retires. For the first time in a long time, the Packers have quality depth on the offensive line. If Clifton or Tauscher were to go down for an extended period of time, the Packers have things covered with Newhouse and Bulaga.
#43 - Derrick Martin (S)
See Jarrett Bush for the discussion of special teams only players...Martin falls in that same category. Martin has struggled so much on defense that the Packers put Charlie Peprah ahead of Martin on the safety depth chart. If Bigby plays this year, the Packers will have to think long and hard about whether to drop Bush or Martin for Bigby.
#42 - Brett Goode (LS)
I don't want to jinx things here, Goode has been great the last two years as the Packers' long snapper. By the way, long snapper has to be the best name for a position in professional sports right?
#41 - Charlie Peprah (S)
The Atlanta Falcons thought so little of Peprah that even with safety issues they did not resign him. Peprah is currently listed as the top backup at safety on the depth chart. If Peprah has to play for any extended period of time the Packers are in trouble so let's just move on.
#40 - Donald Lee (TE)
Lee had a horrible season last year thanks to an incurable case of the drops. After Ted Thompson drafted Quarless, Lee's days looked number in Green Bay. Instead of pouting, Lee took care of his business during training camp much like Scott Wells did last year. Although Lee is not a very flashy player, he earned his spot on the team this year by contributing on special teams and leaving the drops in 2009.
#39 - Frank Zombo (OLB)
Similar to Newhouse, Zombo's ranking feels a little high since Zombo was not even on track to make the team until a few weeks ago, but that is what makes Zombo so attractive. From a far, Zombo feels like a guy with a chip on his shoulder that is going to thrive in the 3-4 if he gets a chance. Since the Packers have no depth at outside linebacker, Zombo better be ready to play early and often because he will get that chance starting today in Philadelphia.
#38 - Korey Hall (FB)
Injuries have derailed what looked like a promising career for the converted linebacker. By the way, with the aforementioned lack of depth at linebacker, why haven't the Packers tried Hall at linebacker similar to what they did with Havner? If Hall can stay healthy, Quinn Johnson's day in Green Bay could be numbered once the Packers have to start filling injury holes throughout the season.
#37 - Brandon Underwood (CB)
Sometimes off the field issues spill on to the field. Underwood looked like the favorite to lock down the nickel corner spot until his legal troubles started in early June. Underwood is still under police investigation and until those charges are resolved, Underwood will struggle.
#36 - Desmond Bishop (MLB)
Not too many people confuse Mr. September (Steve Stricker) with Mr. August (Desmond Bishop). Bishop is the 3-4 equivalent of a backup quarterback. When the starter struggles (A.J. Hawk), fans clamor for the backup to take over. Bishop has been given ample opportunities, but never really capitalized on those opportunities. May be a change of scenery will help Bishop excel. With three guys ahead of Bishop for two spots at middle linebacker, an injury is the only way that Bishop will get on the field in 2010.
#35 - Jason Spitz (G/C)
The Swiss Army Knife of the interior offensive line is slowly getting back to full health. Much like Donald Lee (don't confuse him with Pat Lee because the only reason that Pat Lee is still on the roster is because he was a 2nd round pick), Spitz earned his roster spot this year with a solid training camp. If Scott Wells were to go down with an injury, the Packers have to feel confident about Spitz's ability to step in and thrive at center.
#34 - Tim Masthay (P)
All preseason I thought Aussie Chris Bryan was going to out perform Masthay to earn the starting punting job but I was wrong. Masthay outperformed Bryan when it counted and that is why he made the team instead of Bryan. Before we go any further, it can't be said enough how dumb it was for Ted Thompson to waive Jon Ryan before the 2008 NFL season. Ryan performed well enough to keep his job in 2008 and was arguably the best punter the Packers have had since Craig Hentrich. May be something was going on behind the scenes but when Ryan's father was struggling with cancer the Packers rolled out the red carpet for the Ryan family. For the human element alone, how does Ryan end up getting cut only a few months later?
#33 - Brady Poppinga (OLB)
Every year Poppinga keeps his roster spot despite being closer in age to Favre than Rodgers. Thompson might keep Poppinga just because it is fun to say his name. Try it: Popppppiiiiinnnggga...good times right? All kidding aside, Poppinga has struggled to get a consistent pass rush from outside linebacker but does just enough to keep his roster spot. If Thompson identifies a younger version of Poppinga in the uncapped year, 2010 might be Poppinga's last year in Green Bay.
#32 - A.J. Hawk (MLB)
If Hawk was a 5th round pick as opposed to the 5th pick overall in the 2006 NFL Draft, expectations would be much different. I know you are saying no-duh idiot. I never wanted to be a Hawk apologist but his draft status has clouded how Hawk is evaluated. Hawk makes the regular plays, he just never seems to make the big plays. With a $10 million salary in 2011, Hawk will have to restructure his contract or move his hyperbolic chamber somewhere else in 2011.
#31 - T.J. Lang (G)
One of the pleasant surprises of 2009, Lang was hampered in the off-season by wrist surgery. As a result, Lang is playing his way back into game shape right now. Once fully healthy, Lang would step in on the right side of the line if Sitton or Tauscher suffered a serious injury.
#30 - Sam Shields (CB)
Two years ago Sam Shields was a fast wide receiver with bad hands at the University of Miami, today he is the starting nickel back for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. The Packers use their sub-packages a bunch, so Shields went from being a non-drafted free agent to essentially a starter in less than six months. It is hard to tell whether Shields earned the starting nickel job or whether Underwood and Lee were that bad in training camp. Suffice to say, the Packers are hoping that Al Harris can return healthy Week 7, once their schedule starts to heat up. Shields has a ton to learn in the next few months. If Shields could have slowly worked into the defensive rotation, his electric speed would have been great on punt returns. Unfortunately, as we saw in the preseason, Shields struggles fielding punts so until the Packers have more depth at cornerback Shields needs to focus on defense.
#29 - John Kuhn (FB)
In the preseason Kuhn showed that he can carry the ball which he might have to do since the Packers have only two healthy running backs on their roster. As I said last Sunday, the Packers have to be the only team in the NFL with 4 tight ends, 3 fullbacks, 2 running backs, and 1 nose tackle on their opening day 53-man roster. I know that Pickett can play nose tackle but you get my point. Kuhn looked like trade bait the last few years but with how well he blocks and runs the ball, he deserves to be the starting fullback for the 2010 Green Bay Packers.
#28 - Brandon Jackson (RB)
Blocking on third downs must be one of the hardest things to do in football because every time Jackson steps on the field on 3rd down the announcers rave about how great Jackson blocks. Unfortunately Jackson is going to have to show something more than being a good blocker on third down if he wants to justify being a 2nd round draft pick.
#27 - Mason Crosby (K)
Leg strength has never been an issue for Crosby, it is accuracy from the right hash mark that will determine whether Crosby kicks for the Packers in 2011.
#26 - Matt Flynn (QB)
With Rodgers entrenched as a starter, everyone is clamoring for the Packers to trade Flynn "Hasselbeck-style" for a draft pick. The Packers only got a 3rd round pick for Brett Favre, so what is Flynn's value? I know Favre was towards the end of his career, but what will the Packer get for Flynn, a 5th or 6th round pick...not worth it. Hopefully Rodgers stays healthy all season but that is a big if. In the uncapped year, the Packers should lock Flynn up long term with a relatively modest front end loaded deal. The 30% rule comes into play here because Flynn essentially plays for the league minimum, but Thompson should sign Flynn to a 3 or 4 year contract extension with some up front money. One final note, I stand by my assertion that Flynn should be the holder instead of Masthay. One of my favorite journalists Bob McGinn completely disagreed with me in his chat but I stand by the assertion. If the Packers want to run a fake, Flynn is a quarterback while Mastay is a punter. I understand that special teams guys spend more time together working but something tells me Flynn can get in 15 minutes of work everyday practicing holding without a problem.
#25 - Bryan Bulaga (T)
The Packers were shocked that Bulaga was still there when they picked 23rd in the 2010 NFL Draft. There were a couple guys I liked more than Bulaga at 23 but still think Bulaga is the left guard or left tackle of the future in Green Bay. Of course the guys I wanted the Packers to take at 23 were much sexier than Bulaga but Ted Thompson probably did the right thing taking Bulaga since both of the Packers starting offensive tackles (Clifton and Tauscher) are in their mid-30's. Bulaga's presence really pushed perpetually underachieving left guard Daryn Colledge in the preseason. A hip injury kept Bulaga from beating out Colledge but had a net positive effect on the 2010 Green Bay Packers offensive line.
#24 - Mike Neal (DE)
Neal has the chance to make the biggest jump of anyone on the list by the end of the season. Unfortunately I am not an NFL GM yet (that's right...I said yet...a man can dream) but the day after the 2010 NFL Draft I went over players I would have drafted instead of Neal. Only time will tell whether Neal was worth a second round pick. According to those close to the team, Neal is an absolute beast in weight room, possibly the strongest guy on the team already. Taking Neal in the 2nd round shows the Packers must have known that Jolly was going to be suspended. I don't want to jump to conclusions but if Neal can stay healthy the Packers might have a new Johnny Jolly without the legal issues.
#23 - Morgan Burnett (S)
Aggressive by the Packers to give rookie safety Morgan Burnett jersey #42. Apparently Nick Collins was not happy with the way the Bigby situation was handled in off-season but based on Burnett's play throughout the preseason, even if Atari Bigby was healthy, Burnett would be the starting safety opposite Collins. If Burnett plays in the regular season like he played in the preseason, Collins will get over Bigby's absence quickly and give the Packers the 2010 version of Butler (Collins) and Sharper (Burnett).
#22 - Daryn Colledge (G)
To reiterate what I said under Bulaga's blurb, Colledge had his best training camp this year but that doesn't mean anything till we see whether Colledge can do it in games that matter. Although Bulaga presents formidable competition for Colledge at left guard, in a weird way Bulaga's presence might allow Colledge to flourish. Bulaga being the left tackle of the future in Green Bay allows Colledge to finally stay in one position for the entire season. Last year Colledge was forced to move to left tackle when Chad Clifton was injured and struggled mightily. If Colledge was able to just stay at left guard all season, he would have had a mediocre season last year as opposed to a horrible season. With Bulaga and Newhouse in the fold this year, if Clifton goes down, one of them will step in as opposed to having to move Colledge to left tackle. Colledge is in a contract year and he no longer has any excuses, Colledge has to produce if he wants a big payday.
#21 - James Jones (WR)
Despite not being the fastest wide receiver or the healthiest wide receiver, Jones is a valuable part of the Packers aerial assault. With Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, and Jermicahel Finley garnering extra attention, Jones is poised for a breakout year. Much like the aforementioned Colledge, Jones is in the final year of his rookie contract so a big year in 2010 could lead to a big payday for Jones.
#20 - Brandon Chillar (MLB)
Midway through the preseason the Packers finally tried Chillar at outside linebackers, something I have been talking about since mid-2009. Unfortunately Chillar did not preform well at outside linebacker so they moved him back to middle linebacker. Last year Chillar played all over the field, even playing a little safety in the "psycho" package. Although Hawk is considered a "starting middle linebacker" along with Nick Barnett in the base 3-4 defense, Chillar has been a jack-of-all-trades for the Packers and gets more snaps than Hawk when the Packers go to their sub packages on defense. Look for Chillar's snaps to increase as the season progresses if he can show any kind of rushing ability.
#19 - Jordy Nelson (WR)
As a result of losing at home in overtime to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship,
a game I attended with my good buddy Fernando, the Packers held the 30th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Brett Favre "retired" and the Packers just turned the keys to franchise over to Aaron Rodgers. Instead of taking Dustin Keller (an athletic tight end out of Purdue) with the 30th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Thompson traded out of the first round. At the time, the decision seemed to make no sense. The Packers had a chance to get a dynamic tight end that could serve as a safety blanket for Aaron Rodgers in his first season after taking over for the legendary Brett Favre. The Packers got an early 2nd round pick and a 4th round pick for their late 1st round pick. With the early 2nd round pick Ted Thompson took Jordy Nelson. As usual, Thompson packaged the 4th round pick from the Jets in another trade to move up to get Jeremy Thompson (no relation to Ted) who showed promise at outside linebacker in the 3-4 before he was forced to retire with a neck injury. At the time it looked silly to draft Nelson because the Packers had Jennings, Driver, and Jones. Now that decision is looking wise because Nelson and Jones are probably the best 3rd and 4th wide receivers in the NFL. Furthermore, Ted Thompson grabbed Jermichael Finley in the 3rd round...a much better option than Keller at a much cheaper price.
#18 - Brad Jones (OLB)
Funny that the Packers would rather have Jones on the cheap then accommodate Aaron Kampman. Yes, Aaron Kampman looked like a fish out of water in the 3-4 but the Packers only play a true 3-4 about a third to a half of their snaps on defense. Kampman was too good for too long for the Packers to get nothing in return for him. If the Packers wanted to part ways with Kampman, Ted Thompson should have traded Kampman at the trade deadline last year, but as we know that didn't happen. Instead the Packers held on to Kampman, he blew out his knee and left via free agency for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Instead of getting something for Kampman, the Packers got nothing. Jones has a chance to be more successful than Kampman in the 3-4 but the question is whether Jones will be healthy enough to show anything. Jones missed most of the preseason and his production (or lack there of) will go a long way to determining how well the Packers look this year on defense.
#17 - Mark Tauscher (T)
It is no mistake that while Tauscher was rehabbing his knee for the first half of 2009, the Packers offensive line struggled. Ted Thompson thought Allen Barbre could take over the right tackle position with Tauscher unsigned rehabbing his knee but Thompson was sorely mistaken. Barbre struggled and if T.J. Lang was not able to serve as a rookie stopgap, there is no way that Aaron Rodgers would have made it through 2009 healthy. Even with how well the Packers offensive line played the second half of 2009, the Packers still tied for the league lead in sacks allowed. Although Tauscher is getting a little long in the tooth (much like his glorious neck beard), he provides much needed stability along the offensive line.
#16 - Tramon Williams (CB)
After finally coming to his senses and signing his first round tender, Williams was up and down in the preseason. Against the Colts in the preseason, Williams was victimized repeatedly which made the decision to put Al Harris on the PUP list somewhat questionable. Yes, Harris is only about 10 months into working his way back from a complete knee reconstruction but Williams still does not look like a starting NFL cornerback. Williams thrived as a nickel back but when given the starting reigns struggled. Teams are going to try to pick on Shields and Williams early and often, the question is how they will handle those challenges?
#15 - Scott Wells (C)
Wells is the definition of a good teammate. Instead of pouting in 2009 when the Packers took away his starting job for no good reason, Wells continued to be very professional. There was even some talk that with how good Evan Dietrich-Smith looked at center that Wells was on the trading block because the Packers were all set with Spitz and Dietrich-Smith. Luckily a trade never came to fruition because Spitz got hurt again and Wells was one of the best offensive lineman for the Packers in 2009. Nothing really changed heading into 2010, Wells continues to play well on a consistent basis.
#14 - Chad Clifton (T)
Although the Packers signed Clifton to a three-year contract in March, the writing is on the wall that Bulaga (or Newhouse) is the left tackle of the future in Green Bay. As expected, Clifton has been a classy guy throughout the entire off-season helping Bulaga get acclimated. As long as Clifton can stay healthy, he owns the left tackle spot in Green Bay. Unfortunately Clifton has had injury troubles the last few years. Is this the year that he finally breaks down for good? Hopefully not, but if Clifton does, the Packers finally have a left tackle of the future waiting in the wings.
#13 - B.J. Raji (NT)
Health is going to be the determining factor of whether Raji is a decent nose tackle or a once every decade nose tackle. Coming out of Boston College, Raji looked to be the perfect nose tackle to build the 3-4 defense around. Unfortunately injuries hampered Raji through the first half of 2009 and he never really recovered. Going into 2010 the Packers fully committed to Raji as their nose tackle of the future by moving Ryan Pickett to defensive end. Despite his injury history, the Packers do not have a dedicated nose tackle on the roster besides Raji (although Pickett could easily move back into that spot). As a quick side note, the Packers selected defensive end Michael Neal one spot before the Baltimore Ravens took massive nose tackle Terrance Cody in the 2nd round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The Ravens play the perfect 3-4 defense and much like the Packers are known to have a great scouting department. There is a chance that Cody eats his way out of the league but Cody looks like the perfect nose tackle for the 3-4 defense. The Packers have more versatility with Raji and Neal then Raji and Cody this year but let's check back in 5 years to see how things shake out with Raji, Neal, and Cody.
#12 - Donald Driver (WR)
It feels sacrilegious to have Driver outside of the Top 10 but that also shows how much talent the Packers have on their roster in 2010. Driver's tough childhood and rags to riches story is heartwarming to even the cruelest person on earth. The Packers rewarded Driver with a contract extension that will hopefully see him finish his career as the Packers all-time leader in every receiving category.
#11 - Cullen Jenkins (DE)
Jenkins was lost for the season due to injury early in 2008 and the Packers struggled to a 6-10 record. It seems simplistic, but with Jolly suspended for the season, Jenkins is the only starter along the defensive line that will be able to get a consistent pass rush. Plus, the Packers have no NFL proven depth after Jenkins, Pickett, and Raji. In a contract year Jenkins will want to put up good sack and tackles for loss numbers but the 3-4 is set-up to get linebackers sacks as opposed to defensive lineman. In the uncapped year the Packers should consider giving Jenkins a similar front end loaded contract extension that they gave Pickett so that Jenkins will fully buy into the defensive scheme without trying to freelance to get stats in a contract year.
#10 - Josh Sitton (G)
The Packers have not had a guard with this much talent since the departure of Rivera and Whale. The sky is the limit for the football version of Herbert Kohler...check out Josh Sitton and check out Herbert Kohler...pretty similar likeness huh? Sitton was the Packers best offensive lineman in 2009 and looks poised for a big contract extension if he can continue that play in 2010.
#9 - Nick Barnett (MLB)
Knee injuries are starting to limit Barnett's ability to practice and stay on the field during games. That said, Barnett is still the best available middle linebacker on the roster by a mile. As a quick side note, it is amazing that Barnett is able to perform so well on the field with a samurai sword underneath his shoulder pads right? Okay that was a poor attempt at a joke about Barnett's odd celebration but thankfully Barnett has scaled back the length of how much he celebrates with his sword. Hopefully Barnett does not scale back his play on the field. Chillar and Hawk are serviceable at middle linebacker but Barnett is the superstar of the group.
#8 - Ryan Pickett (DE)
Despite being the prototypical nose tackle for a 3-4 defense, the Packers decided to move Pickett to defensive end in order to see whether Raji can play nose tackle. Instead of complaining about the position change, Pickett moved to defensive end. Pickett does have $25 million reasons to change positions but he still could have pulled an Albert Haynesworth. Instead, Pickett started learning the new position and didn't complain. Furthermore, with Raji's spotty injury history, there is a chance that Pickett will move back to nose tackle at some point this year anyhow. No matter where Pickett plays on the defensive line, he will be a person that opposing teams will have to account for.
#7 - Ryan Grant (RB)
In my inaugural Wednesday What Happened post, I recounted how Ted Thompson uncharacteristically relented and gave Ryan Grant a contract extension. May be I was a little hard on Ryan Grant, it is not his fault that management gave into his contract demands. Grant had 2,456 combined rushing yards in 2008 and 2009, which is 7th most in NFL over that time period so he is producing on the field a a high level and justifying the contact. My disdain is more with management, they usually do not give in to contract demands...think Mike McKenzie, Javon Walker, Darren Sharper, and Ryan Longwell. Also Grant is due a big payment in 2011 because of accrued stats, a move the Packers don't normally do. Grant has proven to be a quality running back in the zone blocking system. Grant makes one cut, hits the hole and doesn't fumble the ball often. The biggest knock against Grant is that he doesn't produce big plays but with the dynamic passing attack the Packers have, Grant just needs to stay healthy and hold on to the ball.
#6 - Nick Collins (S)
When Collins was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2005 NFL Draft he took #36. Initially it made me think "That's a bold move Cotton" (movie quote from Dodgeball). #36 is LeRoy Butler's number, which is sacred in Green Bay. Five years late, Collins has done right by the #36. Even Butler would have to admit he is proud of the way Collins has carried on the #36 tradition at safety. By the way, in Ted Thompson's first draft as Packers general manager he got Rodgers in the 1st round and Collins in the 2nd round. I am sure the Rodgers pick pissed Favre off and started some of the friction between Favre and management, but five years later those picks are paying off in a big way.
#5 - Jermichael Finley (TE)
The sky is the limit for Finley, in fact Finley is his biggest enemy at this point. I don't know if a non-quarterback has gotten this much pre-season hype in a long time. If you read what the national media are writing about Finley you would think he is a cross between Tony Gonzalez and Jerry Rice. Pundits expect Finley to put up wide receiver number from the tight end position. Don't get me wrong, Finley has all the tools to be a great tight end, he just needs to keep his ego in check. Having guys like Rodgers, Jennings, and Driver should help keep Finley grounded but it is going to be an uphill battle. Finley (and his wife) are prodigious tweeters, if you want to get a laugh, check them out.
#4 - Clay Matthews (OLB)
Matthews is one of the few players Thompson has traded up in the draft to select during his tenure in Green Bay (Thompson also traded up to select Burnett earlier in the 3rd round of the 2010 NFL Draft). After one season, it looks like a great decision by Thompson to trade up to select Matthews. Some pundits think Matthews' 10 sack rookie season was a flash in the pan, a one year aberration. Those people claim that once defenses figure him out, they will be able to scheme away from him. I vehemently disagree. There is a chance that if Jones struggles on the other side that Matthews will be double teamed often. No matter what, Matthews is too talented to be neutralized, even with the prospects of facing more double teams.
#3 - Greg Jennings (WR)
The 51st person taken in the 2006 NFL Draft (one pick after the Minnesota Vikings took perennial underachieving offensive lineman Ryan Cook) has been a stud wide receiver the last few seasons. Despite Devin Hester and Maurice Jones-Drew going just a few picks after Jennings, the Packers have their go to receiver for the next decade in Jennings. Although Jennings' stats dipped a little bit in 2009, with the emergence of Jermichael Finley, Jennings is poised for a huge season in 2010.
#2 - Charles Woodson (CB)
Its hard to be the NFL defensive player of the year and still not get ranked #1 on your own team, but Aaron Rodgers is just that good right now. Back to Woodson, last year he had a banner year and the Packers rewarded him with an extension that should keep him in a Packers uniform until he retires. The aforementioned contract binds Woodson and the Packers for five more years. Woodson will be in his late 30's by the end of the deal so he will most likely have moved to safety for the final few years of the contract. That is what is so impressive about Woodson since joining the Packers, he finally lived up to the promise that he showed in college at Michigan. Woodson is so talented that he is one of only a few defensive players that can play without a specific position. Although Woodson is technically a cornerback, the Packers will use him as a hybrid cornerback/safety depending on the specific play that is called for the rest of his career in Green Bay.
#1 - Aaron Rodgers (QB)
The 2010 Green Bay Packers are getting a ton of positive publicity heading into 2010 based in large part on the talent of Aaron Rodgers. The 2010 Packers are almost getting a little too much hype for my liking, but luckily Rodgers recently said he thinks this year is different than last year. Rodgers claims that last year's confidence was a false confidence. I am not too sure how you distinguish between a real and a fake confidence, but hopefully this year is not another year of false confidence as well. If Rodgers can stay healthy the entire season, which is a huge if, the Packers are the team to beat in the NFC North. Ted Thompson took a ton of heat for drafting Aaron Rodgers with his first pick as general manager of the Green Bay Packers. With how Rodgers played the last two years, the pick is more than justified and the chief reason why the 2010 Green Bay Packers are one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL. Just to put in perspective how well the Packers have been at the quarterback position for almost two decades, here are the number of starting QBs in the NFC North since 1993: 2 for the Packers, 14 for the Vikings, 19 for the Lions, and 21 for the Bears (most in the NFL). Let me end the rankings with the understatement/cliche of the year, the 2010 Green Bay Packers are in good hands with the Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback.
The reason I decided to hold salaries neutral is that some players are paid very little money for how much they produce on the field (Clay Mattews) while other players are in the first year of a front loaded contract extension because of the uncapped season (Brandon Chillar). As a result, in the spirit of possibly the only uncapped NFL season we will see going forward, I didn't factor salaries into the rankings.
Finally, keep in mind that Atari Bigby (CB), Al Harris (S), and James Starks (RB) are not included in the rankings because they are on the physically unable to perform list ("PUP"). Look for Bigby, Harris, and Starks in the mid-season rankings if they are on the active roster at that point.
Here are Cheesehead Sports Nut's rankings of the opening day roster of 2010 Green Bay Packers:
#53 - Nick McDonald (G)
A strong candidate for the practice squad, not sure how McDonald made the final roster over the likes of Evan Deitrich-Smith or Breno Giocamini. Apparently some teams were interested in signing McDonald to their active roster, otherwise it makes no sense to give him a roster spot ahead of Deitrich-Smith or Giocamini.
#52 - C.J. Wilson (DE)
Claimed a roster spot ahead of a couple more experience guys (Anthony Toribio and Jarius Wynn). A nice rookie project with a big upside, much like McDonald, makes Wilson look more like a candidate for the practice squad than the 53-man roster.
#51 - Brett Swain (WR)
Looks close to full strength coming off a serious knee injury in 2009. Swain is a solid contributor on special teams, which is why he is the 5th wide receiver on the Packers instead of Ruvell Martin. I know Martin was cut in 2009, but if Swain didn't show flashes of special teams ability in 2009 then Martin would still be on the Packers roster in 2010. If the Packers suffer a significant injury at wide receiver, Jermichael Finley as opposed to Swain, would fill in as the 5th wide receiver so you see why Swain couldn't crack the top 50.
#50 - Quinn Johnson (FB)
Last year with all the hype surrounding Johnson you would think he was the next William Henderson. Johnson has the tools to become a stud blocking back in the NFL but his questionable hands and lackluster performance when he did play in 2009 makes me question why the Packers didn't try to sneak Johnson through waivers.
#49 - Andrew Quarless (TE)
Some scouts compare Quarless to Finley. Besides having similar body types and being slightly immature, there is really no other similarities between Quarless and Finley at this point in their respective careers. The Packers already had four good tight ends (Crabtree, Finley, Lee, and Havner) going into the 2010 NFL Draft so the Quarless pick is a bit of a head scratcher, especially considering his off the field issues at Penn State. The Packers could have used another cornerback or outside linebacker instead of a 5th tight end in 2010.
#48 - Pat Lee (CB)
When you take into account production relative to draft position, it is a three horse race between Justin Harrell, Pat Lee, and Brian Brohm for Ted Thompson's worst draft pick as Green Bay Packers general manager. Who am I kidding, Harrell is the worst pick, but don't sleep on Brohm. Thompson traded defensive tackle Corey Williams to the Cleveland Browns for their 2nd round draft pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Despite just anointing Aaron Rodgers the starting quarterback on the heels of Brett Favre's retirement, Thompson used the 2nd round pick acquired from the Browns to select perennial underachieving quarterback Brian Brohm. Not only did Brohm get beaten out by Matt Flynn (a 7th round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft) for the back-up quarterback job in 2008, but Thompson passed on selecting quarterback Chad Henne (who went one pick after Brohm). Henne looks like a superstar quarterback in the making for the Miami Dolphins, so you can see why it is a tough call between Brohm and Harrell for Thompson's worst pick. Back to another horrible draft pick, Lee had all the tools coming out of Auburn to be a successful corner back in the NFL. Unfortunately injuries have prevented Lee from playing any meaningful snaps since he was draft in 2008. This year should be make or break for Lee.
#47 - Tom Crabtree (TE)
Everyone is raving about how great of a blocker Crabtree is even with a cast on his hand. Although blocking is important, is it so important that the Packers have twice as many tight ends as running backs on their roster?
#46 - Justin Harrell (DE)
If Harrell wasn't a first round draft pick, his tenure in Green Bay would have ended a few years ago. Instead Harrell is a perennial member of the injured reserve list. If Harrell stays healthy the entire season I will be absolute shocked.
#45 - Jarrett Bush (S)
Scouts rave about his special teams skills, which is great, but Bush has been horrible on defense. There are only so many roster spots that the Packers can allocate to special teams players. 2010 is Bush's 5th year in the NFL, so the chances that he will figure things out on defense are remote. If I were in charge, when Bigby comes off PUP, Bush would be put on the waiver wire.
#44 - Marshall Newhouse (T)
I know this seems a little high for an unproven 6th round draft pick rookie but after one training camp he looks like a serviceable left tackle in the making. At the very least, Newhouse could move over to right tackle once Tauscher retires. For the first time in a long time, the Packers have quality depth on the offensive line. If Clifton or Tauscher were to go down for an extended period of time, the Packers have things covered with Newhouse and Bulaga.
#43 - Derrick Martin (S)
See Jarrett Bush for the discussion of special teams only players...Martin falls in that same category. Martin has struggled so much on defense that the Packers put Charlie Peprah ahead of Martin on the safety depth chart. If Bigby plays this year, the Packers will have to think long and hard about whether to drop Bush or Martin for Bigby.
#42 - Brett Goode (LS)
I don't want to jinx things here, Goode has been great the last two years as the Packers' long snapper. By the way, long snapper has to be the best name for a position in professional sports right?
#41 - Charlie Peprah (S)
The Atlanta Falcons thought so little of Peprah that even with safety issues they did not resign him. Peprah is currently listed as the top backup at safety on the depth chart. If Peprah has to play for any extended period of time the Packers are in trouble so let's just move on.
#40 - Donald Lee (TE)
Lee had a horrible season last year thanks to an incurable case of the drops. After Ted Thompson drafted Quarless, Lee's days looked number in Green Bay. Instead of pouting, Lee took care of his business during training camp much like Scott Wells did last year. Although Lee is not a very flashy player, he earned his spot on the team this year by contributing on special teams and leaving the drops in 2009.
#39 - Frank Zombo (OLB)
Similar to Newhouse, Zombo's ranking feels a little high since Zombo was not even on track to make the team until a few weeks ago, but that is what makes Zombo so attractive. From a far, Zombo feels like a guy with a chip on his shoulder that is going to thrive in the 3-4 if he gets a chance. Since the Packers have no depth at outside linebacker, Zombo better be ready to play early and often because he will get that chance starting today in Philadelphia.
#38 - Korey Hall (FB)
Injuries have derailed what looked like a promising career for the converted linebacker. By the way, with the aforementioned lack of depth at linebacker, why haven't the Packers tried Hall at linebacker similar to what they did with Havner? If Hall can stay healthy, Quinn Johnson's day in Green Bay could be numbered once the Packers have to start filling injury holes throughout the season.
#37 - Brandon Underwood (CB)
Sometimes off the field issues spill on to the field. Underwood looked like the favorite to lock down the nickel corner spot until his legal troubles started in early June. Underwood is still under police investigation and until those charges are resolved, Underwood will struggle.
#36 - Desmond Bishop (MLB)
Not too many people confuse Mr. September (Steve Stricker) with Mr. August (Desmond Bishop). Bishop is the 3-4 equivalent of a backup quarterback. When the starter struggles (A.J. Hawk), fans clamor for the backup to take over. Bishop has been given ample opportunities, but never really capitalized on those opportunities. May be a change of scenery will help Bishop excel. With three guys ahead of Bishop for two spots at middle linebacker, an injury is the only way that Bishop will get on the field in 2010.
#35 - Jason Spitz (G/C)
The Swiss Army Knife of the interior offensive line is slowly getting back to full health. Much like Donald Lee (don't confuse him with Pat Lee because the only reason that Pat Lee is still on the roster is because he was a 2nd round pick), Spitz earned his roster spot this year with a solid training camp. If Scott Wells were to go down with an injury, the Packers have to feel confident about Spitz's ability to step in and thrive at center.
#34 - Tim Masthay (P)
All preseason I thought Aussie Chris Bryan was going to out perform Masthay to earn the starting punting job but I was wrong. Masthay outperformed Bryan when it counted and that is why he made the team instead of Bryan. Before we go any further, it can't be said enough how dumb it was for Ted Thompson to waive Jon Ryan before the 2008 NFL season. Ryan performed well enough to keep his job in 2008 and was arguably the best punter the Packers have had since Craig Hentrich. May be something was going on behind the scenes but when Ryan's father was struggling with cancer the Packers rolled out the red carpet for the Ryan family. For the human element alone, how does Ryan end up getting cut only a few months later?
#33 - Brady Poppinga (OLB)
Every year Poppinga keeps his roster spot despite being closer in age to Favre than Rodgers. Thompson might keep Poppinga just because it is fun to say his name. Try it: Popppppiiiiinnnggga...good times right? All kidding aside, Poppinga has struggled to get a consistent pass rush from outside linebacker but does just enough to keep his roster spot. If Thompson identifies a younger version of Poppinga in the uncapped year, 2010 might be Poppinga's last year in Green Bay.
#32 - A.J. Hawk (MLB)
If Hawk was a 5th round pick as opposed to the 5th pick overall in the 2006 NFL Draft, expectations would be much different. I know you are saying no-duh idiot. I never wanted to be a Hawk apologist but his draft status has clouded how Hawk is evaluated. Hawk makes the regular plays, he just never seems to make the big plays. With a $10 million salary in 2011, Hawk will have to restructure his contract or move his hyperbolic chamber somewhere else in 2011.
#31 - T.J. Lang (G)
One of the pleasant surprises of 2009, Lang was hampered in the off-season by wrist surgery. As a result, Lang is playing his way back into game shape right now. Once fully healthy, Lang would step in on the right side of the line if Sitton or Tauscher suffered a serious injury.
#30 - Sam Shields (CB)
Two years ago Sam Shields was a fast wide receiver with bad hands at the University of Miami, today he is the starting nickel back for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. The Packers use their sub-packages a bunch, so Shields went from being a non-drafted free agent to essentially a starter in less than six months. It is hard to tell whether Shields earned the starting nickel job or whether Underwood and Lee were that bad in training camp. Suffice to say, the Packers are hoping that Al Harris can return healthy Week 7, once their schedule starts to heat up. Shields has a ton to learn in the next few months. If Shields could have slowly worked into the defensive rotation, his electric speed would have been great on punt returns. Unfortunately, as we saw in the preseason, Shields struggles fielding punts so until the Packers have more depth at cornerback Shields needs to focus on defense.
#29 - John Kuhn (FB)
In the preseason Kuhn showed that he can carry the ball which he might have to do since the Packers have only two healthy running backs on their roster. As I said last Sunday, the Packers have to be the only team in the NFL with 4 tight ends, 3 fullbacks, 2 running backs, and 1 nose tackle on their opening day 53-man roster. I know that Pickett can play nose tackle but you get my point. Kuhn looked like trade bait the last few years but with how well he blocks and runs the ball, he deserves to be the starting fullback for the 2010 Green Bay Packers.
#28 - Brandon Jackson (RB)
Blocking on third downs must be one of the hardest things to do in football because every time Jackson steps on the field on 3rd down the announcers rave about how great Jackson blocks. Unfortunately Jackson is going to have to show something more than being a good blocker on third down if he wants to justify being a 2nd round draft pick.
#27 - Mason Crosby (K)
Leg strength has never been an issue for Crosby, it is accuracy from the right hash mark that will determine whether Crosby kicks for the Packers in 2011.
#26 - Matt Flynn (QB)
With Rodgers entrenched as a starter, everyone is clamoring for the Packers to trade Flynn "Hasselbeck-style" for a draft pick. The Packers only got a 3rd round pick for Brett Favre, so what is Flynn's value? I know Favre was towards the end of his career, but what will the Packer get for Flynn, a 5th or 6th round pick...not worth it. Hopefully Rodgers stays healthy all season but that is a big if. In the uncapped year, the Packers should lock Flynn up long term with a relatively modest front end loaded deal. The 30% rule comes into play here because Flynn essentially plays for the league minimum, but Thompson should sign Flynn to a 3 or 4 year contract extension with some up front money. One final note, I stand by my assertion that Flynn should be the holder instead of Masthay. One of my favorite journalists Bob McGinn completely disagreed with me in his chat but I stand by the assertion. If the Packers want to run a fake, Flynn is a quarterback while Mastay is a punter. I understand that special teams guys spend more time together working but something tells me Flynn can get in 15 minutes of work everyday practicing holding without a problem.
#25 - Bryan Bulaga (T)
The Packers were shocked that Bulaga was still there when they picked 23rd in the 2010 NFL Draft. There were a couple guys I liked more than Bulaga at 23 but still think Bulaga is the left guard or left tackle of the future in Green Bay. Of course the guys I wanted the Packers to take at 23 were much sexier than Bulaga but Ted Thompson probably did the right thing taking Bulaga since both of the Packers starting offensive tackles (Clifton and Tauscher) are in their mid-30's. Bulaga's presence really pushed perpetually underachieving left guard Daryn Colledge in the preseason. A hip injury kept Bulaga from beating out Colledge but had a net positive effect on the 2010 Green Bay Packers offensive line.
#24 - Mike Neal (DE)
Neal has the chance to make the biggest jump of anyone on the list by the end of the season. Unfortunately I am not an NFL GM yet (that's right...I said yet...a man can dream) but the day after the 2010 NFL Draft I went over players I would have drafted instead of Neal. Only time will tell whether Neal was worth a second round pick. According to those close to the team, Neal is an absolute beast in weight room, possibly the strongest guy on the team already. Taking Neal in the 2nd round shows the Packers must have known that Jolly was going to be suspended. I don't want to jump to conclusions but if Neal can stay healthy the Packers might have a new Johnny Jolly without the legal issues.
#23 - Morgan Burnett (S)
Aggressive by the Packers to give rookie safety Morgan Burnett jersey #42. Apparently Nick Collins was not happy with the way the Bigby situation was handled in off-season but based on Burnett's play throughout the preseason, even if Atari Bigby was healthy, Burnett would be the starting safety opposite Collins. If Burnett plays in the regular season like he played in the preseason, Collins will get over Bigby's absence quickly and give the Packers the 2010 version of Butler (Collins) and Sharper (Burnett).
#22 - Daryn Colledge (G)
To reiterate what I said under Bulaga's blurb, Colledge had his best training camp this year but that doesn't mean anything till we see whether Colledge can do it in games that matter. Although Bulaga presents formidable competition for Colledge at left guard, in a weird way Bulaga's presence might allow Colledge to flourish. Bulaga being the left tackle of the future in Green Bay allows Colledge to finally stay in one position for the entire season. Last year Colledge was forced to move to left tackle when Chad Clifton was injured and struggled mightily. If Colledge was able to just stay at left guard all season, he would have had a mediocre season last year as opposed to a horrible season. With Bulaga and Newhouse in the fold this year, if Clifton goes down, one of them will step in as opposed to having to move Colledge to left tackle. Colledge is in a contract year and he no longer has any excuses, Colledge has to produce if he wants a big payday.
#21 - James Jones (WR)
Despite not being the fastest wide receiver or the healthiest wide receiver, Jones is a valuable part of the Packers aerial assault. With Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, and Jermicahel Finley garnering extra attention, Jones is poised for a breakout year. Much like the aforementioned Colledge, Jones is in the final year of his rookie contract so a big year in 2010 could lead to a big payday for Jones.
#20 - Brandon Chillar (MLB)
Midway through the preseason the Packers finally tried Chillar at outside linebackers, something I have been talking about since mid-2009. Unfortunately Chillar did not preform well at outside linebacker so they moved him back to middle linebacker. Last year Chillar played all over the field, even playing a little safety in the "psycho" package. Although Hawk is considered a "starting middle linebacker" along with Nick Barnett in the base 3-4 defense, Chillar has been a jack-of-all-trades for the Packers and gets more snaps than Hawk when the Packers go to their sub packages on defense. Look for Chillar's snaps to increase as the season progresses if he can show any kind of rushing ability.
#19 - Jordy Nelson (WR)
As a result of losing at home in overtime to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship,
a game I attended with my good buddy Fernando, the Packers held the 30th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Brett Favre "retired" and the Packers just turned the keys to franchise over to Aaron Rodgers. Instead of taking Dustin Keller (an athletic tight end out of Purdue) with the 30th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Thompson traded out of the first round. At the time, the decision seemed to make no sense. The Packers had a chance to get a dynamic tight end that could serve as a safety blanket for Aaron Rodgers in his first season after taking over for the legendary Brett Favre. The Packers got an early 2nd round pick and a 4th round pick for their late 1st round pick. With the early 2nd round pick Ted Thompson took Jordy Nelson. As usual, Thompson packaged the 4th round pick from the Jets in another trade to move up to get Jeremy Thompson (no relation to Ted) who showed promise at outside linebacker in the 3-4 before he was forced to retire with a neck injury. At the time it looked silly to draft Nelson because the Packers had Jennings, Driver, and Jones. Now that decision is looking wise because Nelson and Jones are probably the best 3rd and 4th wide receivers in the NFL. Furthermore, Ted Thompson grabbed Jermichael Finley in the 3rd round...a much better option than Keller at a much cheaper price.#18 - Brad Jones (OLB)
Funny that the Packers would rather have Jones on the cheap then accommodate Aaron Kampman. Yes, Aaron Kampman looked like a fish out of water in the 3-4 but the Packers only play a true 3-4 about a third to a half of their snaps on defense. Kampman was too good for too long for the Packers to get nothing in return for him. If the Packers wanted to part ways with Kampman, Ted Thompson should have traded Kampman at the trade deadline last year, but as we know that didn't happen. Instead the Packers held on to Kampman, he blew out his knee and left via free agency for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Instead of getting something for Kampman, the Packers got nothing. Jones has a chance to be more successful than Kampman in the 3-4 but the question is whether Jones will be healthy enough to show anything. Jones missed most of the preseason and his production (or lack there of) will go a long way to determining how well the Packers look this year on defense.
#17 - Mark Tauscher (T)
It is no mistake that while Tauscher was rehabbing his knee for the first half of 2009, the Packers offensive line struggled. Ted Thompson thought Allen Barbre could take over the right tackle position with Tauscher unsigned rehabbing his knee but Thompson was sorely mistaken. Barbre struggled and if T.J. Lang was not able to serve as a rookie stopgap, there is no way that Aaron Rodgers would have made it through 2009 healthy. Even with how well the Packers offensive line played the second half of 2009, the Packers still tied for the league lead in sacks allowed. Although Tauscher is getting a little long in the tooth (much like his glorious neck beard), he provides much needed stability along the offensive line.
#16 - Tramon Williams (CB)
After finally coming to his senses and signing his first round tender, Williams was up and down in the preseason. Against the Colts in the preseason, Williams was victimized repeatedly which made the decision to put Al Harris on the PUP list somewhat questionable. Yes, Harris is only about 10 months into working his way back from a complete knee reconstruction but Williams still does not look like a starting NFL cornerback. Williams thrived as a nickel back but when given the starting reigns struggled. Teams are going to try to pick on Shields and Williams early and often, the question is how they will handle those challenges?
#15 - Scott Wells (C)
Wells is the definition of a good teammate. Instead of pouting in 2009 when the Packers took away his starting job for no good reason, Wells continued to be very professional. There was even some talk that with how good Evan Dietrich-Smith looked at center that Wells was on the trading block because the Packers were all set with Spitz and Dietrich-Smith. Luckily a trade never came to fruition because Spitz got hurt again and Wells was one of the best offensive lineman for the Packers in 2009. Nothing really changed heading into 2010, Wells continues to play well on a consistent basis.
#14 - Chad Clifton (T)
Although the Packers signed Clifton to a three-year contract in March, the writing is on the wall that Bulaga (or Newhouse) is the left tackle of the future in Green Bay. As expected, Clifton has been a classy guy throughout the entire off-season helping Bulaga get acclimated. As long as Clifton can stay healthy, he owns the left tackle spot in Green Bay. Unfortunately Clifton has had injury troubles the last few years. Is this the year that he finally breaks down for good? Hopefully not, but if Clifton does, the Packers finally have a left tackle of the future waiting in the wings.
#13 - B.J. Raji (NT)
Health is going to be the determining factor of whether Raji is a decent nose tackle or a once every decade nose tackle. Coming out of Boston College, Raji looked to be the perfect nose tackle to build the 3-4 defense around. Unfortunately injuries hampered Raji through the first half of 2009 and he never really recovered. Going into 2010 the Packers fully committed to Raji as their nose tackle of the future by moving Ryan Pickett to defensive end. Despite his injury history, the Packers do not have a dedicated nose tackle on the roster besides Raji (although Pickett could easily move back into that spot). As a quick side note, the Packers selected defensive end Michael Neal one spot before the Baltimore Ravens took massive nose tackle Terrance Cody in the 2nd round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The Ravens play the perfect 3-4 defense and much like the Packers are known to have a great scouting department. There is a chance that Cody eats his way out of the league but Cody looks like the perfect nose tackle for the 3-4 defense. The Packers have more versatility with Raji and Neal then Raji and Cody this year but let's check back in 5 years to see how things shake out with Raji, Neal, and Cody.
#12 - Donald Driver (WR)
It feels sacrilegious to have Driver outside of the Top 10 but that also shows how much talent the Packers have on their roster in 2010. Driver's tough childhood and rags to riches story is heartwarming to even the cruelest person on earth. The Packers rewarded Driver with a contract extension that will hopefully see him finish his career as the Packers all-time leader in every receiving category.
#11 - Cullen Jenkins (DE)
Jenkins was lost for the season due to injury early in 2008 and the Packers struggled to a 6-10 record. It seems simplistic, but with Jolly suspended for the season, Jenkins is the only starter along the defensive line that will be able to get a consistent pass rush. Plus, the Packers have no NFL proven depth after Jenkins, Pickett, and Raji. In a contract year Jenkins will want to put up good sack and tackles for loss numbers but the 3-4 is set-up to get linebackers sacks as opposed to defensive lineman. In the uncapped year the Packers should consider giving Jenkins a similar front end loaded contract extension that they gave Pickett so that Jenkins will fully buy into the defensive scheme without trying to freelance to get stats in a contract year.
#10 - Josh Sitton (G)
The Packers have not had a guard with this much talent since the departure of Rivera and Whale. The sky is the limit for the football version of Herbert Kohler...check out Josh Sitton and check out Herbert Kohler...pretty similar likeness huh? Sitton was the Packers best offensive lineman in 2009 and looks poised for a big contract extension if he can continue that play in 2010.
#9 - Nick Barnett (MLB)
Knee injuries are starting to limit Barnett's ability to practice and stay on the field during games. That said, Barnett is still the best available middle linebacker on the roster by a mile. As a quick side note, it is amazing that Barnett is able to perform so well on the field with a samurai sword underneath his shoulder pads right? Okay that was a poor attempt at a joke about Barnett's odd celebration but thankfully Barnett has scaled back the length of how much he celebrates with his sword. Hopefully Barnett does not scale back his play on the field. Chillar and Hawk are serviceable at middle linebacker but Barnett is the superstar of the group.
#8 - Ryan Pickett (DE)
Despite being the prototypical nose tackle for a 3-4 defense, the Packers decided to move Pickett to defensive end in order to see whether Raji can play nose tackle. Instead of complaining about the position change, Pickett moved to defensive end. Pickett does have $25 million reasons to change positions but he still could have pulled an Albert Haynesworth. Instead, Pickett started learning the new position and didn't complain. Furthermore, with Raji's spotty injury history, there is a chance that Pickett will move back to nose tackle at some point this year anyhow. No matter where Pickett plays on the defensive line, he will be a person that opposing teams will have to account for.
#7 - Ryan Grant (RB)
In my inaugural Wednesday What Happened post, I recounted how Ted Thompson uncharacteristically relented and gave Ryan Grant a contract extension. May be I was a little hard on Ryan Grant, it is not his fault that management gave into his contract demands. Grant had 2,456 combined rushing yards in 2008 and 2009, which is 7th most in NFL over that time period so he is producing on the field a a high level and justifying the contact. My disdain is more with management, they usually do not give in to contract demands...think Mike McKenzie, Javon Walker, Darren Sharper, and Ryan Longwell. Also Grant is due a big payment in 2011 because of accrued stats, a move the Packers don't normally do. Grant has proven to be a quality running back in the zone blocking system. Grant makes one cut, hits the hole and doesn't fumble the ball often. The biggest knock against Grant is that he doesn't produce big plays but with the dynamic passing attack the Packers have, Grant just needs to stay healthy and hold on to the ball.
#6 - Nick Collins (S)
When Collins was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2005 NFL Draft he took #36. Initially it made me think "That's a bold move Cotton" (movie quote from Dodgeball). #36 is LeRoy Butler's number, which is sacred in Green Bay. Five years late, Collins has done right by the #36. Even Butler would have to admit he is proud of the way Collins has carried on the #36 tradition at safety. By the way, in Ted Thompson's first draft as Packers general manager he got Rodgers in the 1st round and Collins in the 2nd round. I am sure the Rodgers pick pissed Favre off and started some of the friction between Favre and management, but five years later those picks are paying off in a big way.
#5 - Jermichael Finley (TE)
The sky is the limit for Finley, in fact Finley is his biggest enemy at this point. I don't know if a non-quarterback has gotten this much pre-season hype in a long time. If you read what the national media are writing about Finley you would think he is a cross between Tony Gonzalez and Jerry Rice. Pundits expect Finley to put up wide receiver number from the tight end position. Don't get me wrong, Finley has all the tools to be a great tight end, he just needs to keep his ego in check. Having guys like Rodgers, Jennings, and Driver should help keep Finley grounded but it is going to be an uphill battle. Finley (and his wife) are prodigious tweeters, if you want to get a laugh, check them out.
#4 - Clay Matthews (OLB)
Matthews is one of the few players Thompson has traded up in the draft to select during his tenure in Green Bay (Thompson also traded up to select Burnett earlier in the 3rd round of the 2010 NFL Draft). After one season, it looks like a great decision by Thompson to trade up to select Matthews. Some pundits think Matthews' 10 sack rookie season was a flash in the pan, a one year aberration. Those people claim that once defenses figure him out, they will be able to scheme away from him. I vehemently disagree. There is a chance that if Jones struggles on the other side that Matthews will be double teamed often. No matter what, Matthews is too talented to be neutralized, even with the prospects of facing more double teams.
#3 - Greg Jennings (WR)
The 51st person taken in the 2006 NFL Draft (one pick after the Minnesota Vikings took perennial underachieving offensive lineman Ryan Cook) has been a stud wide receiver the last few seasons. Despite Devin Hester and Maurice Jones-Drew going just a few picks after Jennings, the Packers have their go to receiver for the next decade in Jennings. Although Jennings' stats dipped a little bit in 2009, with the emergence of Jermichael Finley, Jennings is poised for a huge season in 2010.
#2 - Charles Woodson (CB)
Its hard to be the NFL defensive player of the year and still not get ranked #1 on your own team, but Aaron Rodgers is just that good right now. Back to Woodson, last year he had a banner year and the Packers rewarded him with an extension that should keep him in a Packers uniform until he retires. The aforementioned contract binds Woodson and the Packers for five more years. Woodson will be in his late 30's by the end of the deal so he will most likely have moved to safety for the final few years of the contract. That is what is so impressive about Woodson since joining the Packers, he finally lived up to the promise that he showed in college at Michigan. Woodson is so talented that he is one of only a few defensive players that can play without a specific position. Although Woodson is technically a cornerback, the Packers will use him as a hybrid cornerback/safety depending on the specific play that is called for the rest of his career in Green Bay.
#1 - Aaron Rodgers (QB)
The 2010 Green Bay Packers are getting a ton of positive publicity heading into 2010 based in large part on the talent of Aaron Rodgers. The 2010 Packers are almost getting a little too much hype for my liking, but luckily Rodgers recently said he thinks this year is different than last year. Rodgers claims that last year's confidence was a false confidence. I am not too sure how you distinguish between a real and a fake confidence, but hopefully this year is not another year of false confidence as well. If Rodgers can stay healthy the entire season, which is a huge if, the Packers are the team to beat in the NFC North. Ted Thompson took a ton of heat for drafting Aaron Rodgers with his first pick as general manager of the Green Bay Packers. With how Rodgers played the last two years, the pick is more than justified and the chief reason why the 2010 Green Bay Packers are one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL. Just to put in perspective how well the Packers have been at the quarterback position for almost two decades, here are the number of starting QBs in the NFC North since 1993: 2 for the Packers, 14 for the Vikings, 19 for the Lions, and 21 for the Bears (most in the NFL). Let me end the rankings with the understatement/cliche of the year, the 2010 Green Bay Packers are in good hands with the Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
2010 Green Bay Packers 53-man Roster 2.0
An NFL roster is always a work in progress. On Sunday, September 12, 2010 the Green Bay Packers open their 2010 season on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. Although the Packers will only have 45 guys on their game day roster, they will have 53 players on their active roster. I didn't change too many predictions from my last look at this a few weeks ago but it is still worth a read. Here is my second training camp crack at how I think Ted Thompson will pick the final 53-man roster for the 2010 Green Bay Packers:
Offense: 26 (PUP: 1, PS: 5, and CUT: 8)
Quarterback: 2 (PS:1)
Aaron Rodgers
Matt Flynn
PS: Graham Harrell
Running Back: 3 (PUP: 1 and PS: 1)
Ryan Grant
Brandon Jackson
Kregg Lumpkin
PUP: James Starks
PS: Quinn Porter
Fullback: 2 (CUT: 1)
Korey Hall
John Kuhn
CUT: Quinn Johnson
Tight End: 4 (PS: 1)
Jermichael Finley
Donald Lee
Spencer Havner
Andrew Quarless
PS: Tom Crabtree
Wide Receiver: 5 (PS: 1 and CUT: 4)
Donald Driver
Greg Jennings
Jordy Nelson
James Jones
Brett Swain
PS: Jason Chery
CUT: Chastin West, Patrick Williams, Charles Dillon, and Shawn Gore
Offensive Line: 10 (PS: 1 and CUT: 3)
Chad Clifton
Daryn Colledge
Scott Wells
Josh Sitton
Mark Tauscher
Bryan Bulaga
Jason Spitz
T.J. Lang
Breno Giacomini
Marshall Newhouse
PS: Chris Campbell
CUT: Allen Barbre, Evan Dietrich-Smith, and Nick McDonald
Defense: 24 (PUP: 2, PS: 3, and CUT: 7)
Defensive Line: 6 (PS: 1 and CUT: 2)
Ryan Pickett
B.J. Raji
Cullen Jenkins
Mike Neal
Justin Harrell
Anthony Toribio
PS: C.J. Wilson
CUT: Jarius Wynn and Ronald Talley
Linebacker: 8 (PS: 1 and CUT: 3)
Clay Matthews
A.J. Hawk
Nick Barnett
Brandon Chillar
Brady Poppinga
Desmond Bishop
Brad Jones
Frank Zombo
PS: Robert Francois
CUT: Cyril Obiozor, Alex Joseph, and Maurice Simpkins
Defensive Back: 10 (PUP: 2, PS: 1, and CUT: 2)
Charles Woodson
Tramon Williams
Brandon Underwood
Pat Lee
Sam Shields
Nick Collins
Morgan Burnett
Derrick Martin
Jarrett Bush
Will Blackmon
PUP: Al Harris and Atari Bigby
PS: Anthony Levine
CUT: D.J. Clark and Charlie Peprah
Special Teams: 3 (CUT: 1)
Kicker: 1
Mason Crosby
Punter: 1 (CUT: 1)
Chris Bryan
CUT: Tim Masthay
Long Snapper: 1
Brett Goode
Offense: 26 (PUP: 1, PS: 5, and CUT: 8)
Quarterback: 2 (PS:1)
Aaron Rodgers
Matt Flynn
PS: Graham Harrell
Running Back: 3 (PUP: 1 and PS: 1)
Ryan Grant
Brandon Jackson
Kregg Lumpkin
PUP: James Starks
PS: Quinn Porter
Fullback: 2 (CUT: 1)
Korey Hall
John Kuhn
CUT: Quinn Johnson
Tight End: 4 (PS: 1)
Jermichael Finley
Donald Lee
Spencer Havner
Andrew Quarless
PS: Tom Crabtree
Wide Receiver: 5 (PS: 1 and CUT: 4)
Donald Driver
Greg Jennings
Jordy Nelson
James Jones
Brett Swain
PS: Jason Chery
CUT: Chastin West, Patrick Williams, Charles Dillon, and Shawn Gore
Offensive Line: 10 (PS: 1 and CUT: 3)
Chad Clifton
Daryn Colledge
Scott Wells
Josh Sitton
Mark Tauscher
Bryan Bulaga
Jason Spitz
T.J. Lang
Breno Giacomini
Marshall Newhouse
PS: Chris Campbell
CUT: Allen Barbre, Evan Dietrich-Smith, and Nick McDonald
Defense: 24 (PUP: 2, PS: 3, and CUT: 7)
Defensive Line: 6 (PS: 1 and CUT: 2)
Ryan Pickett
B.J. Raji
Cullen Jenkins
Mike Neal
Justin Harrell
Anthony Toribio
PS: C.J. Wilson
CUT: Jarius Wynn and Ronald Talley
Linebacker: 8 (PS: 1 and CUT: 3)
Clay Matthews
A.J. Hawk
Nick Barnett
Brandon Chillar
Brady Poppinga
Desmond Bishop
Brad Jones
Frank Zombo
PS: Robert Francois
CUT: Cyril Obiozor, Alex Joseph, and Maurice Simpkins
Defensive Back: 10 (PUP: 2, PS: 1, and CUT: 2)
Charles Woodson
Tramon Williams
Brandon Underwood
Pat Lee
Sam Shields
Nick Collins
Morgan Burnett
Derrick Martin
Jarrett Bush
Will Blackmon
PUP: Al Harris and Atari Bigby
PS: Anthony Levine
CUT: D.J. Clark and Charlie Peprah
Special Teams: 3 (CUT: 1)
Kicker: 1
Mason Crosby
Punter: 1 (CUT: 1)
Chris Bryan
CUT: Tim Masthay
Long Snapper: 1
Brett Goode
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
2010 Green Bay Packers Roster 1.0
With the 2010 NFL Draft barely in the rear view mirror, it is never to soon to speculate on who will make the 2010 Green Bay Packers and face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, September 12, 2010.
Since Ted Thompson is never very active in the free agent market, if a player is not on the roster today there is a small chance he will be on the roster in September. Here is my first guess at what the 53-man roster will look like:
Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers and Matt Flynn
Running Back: Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson, and James Starks
Fullback: Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson
Wide Receiver: Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson
Tight End: Jermichael Finley, Donald Lee, Spencer Havner, and Andrew Quarless
Offensive Tackle: Chad Clifton, Mark Tauscher, Bryan Bulaga, and T.J. Lang
Offensive Guard: Josh Sitton, Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge, and Marshall Newhouse
Center: Scott Wells and Evan Dietrich-Smith
Defensive End: Cullen Jenkins, Johnny Jolly, Mike Neal, Justin Harrell, and C.J. Wilson
Defensive Tackle: Ryan Pickett and B.J. Raji
Outside Linebacker: Clay Matthews, Brad Jones, and Brady Poppinga
Middle Linebacker: Nick Barnett, A.J. Hawk, Brandon Chillar, and Desmond Bishop
Cornerback: Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, Pat Lee, Brandon Underwood, Will Blackmon, and Sam Shields*
Safety: Nick Collins, Atari Bigby, Morgan Burnett, Derrick Martin, and Charlie Peprah
Kicker: Mason Crosby
Punter: Chris Bryan
Long Snapper: Brett Goode
* = Al Harris will not be on the active roster till week 6 while recovering from a knee injury.
Since Ted Thompson is never very active in the free agent market, if a player is not on the roster today there is a small chance he will be on the roster in September. Here is my first guess at what the 53-man roster will look like:
Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers and Matt Flynn
Running Back: Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson, and James Starks
Fullback: Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson
Wide Receiver: Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson
Tight End: Jermichael Finley, Donald Lee, Spencer Havner, and Andrew Quarless
Offensive Tackle: Chad Clifton, Mark Tauscher, Bryan Bulaga, and T.J. Lang
Offensive Guard: Josh Sitton, Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge, and Marshall Newhouse
Center: Scott Wells and Evan Dietrich-Smith
Defensive End: Cullen Jenkins, Johnny Jolly, Mike Neal, Justin Harrell, and C.J. Wilson
Defensive Tackle: Ryan Pickett and B.J. Raji
Outside Linebacker: Clay Matthews, Brad Jones, and Brady Poppinga
Middle Linebacker: Nick Barnett, A.J. Hawk, Brandon Chillar, and Desmond Bishop
Cornerback: Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, Pat Lee, Brandon Underwood, Will Blackmon, and Sam Shields*
Safety: Nick Collins, Atari Bigby, Morgan Burnett, Derrick Martin, and Charlie Peprah
Kicker: Mason Crosby
Punter: Chris Bryan
Long Snapper: Brett Goode
* = Al Harris will not be on the active roster till week 6 while recovering from a knee injury.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Details on Clifton, Collins, Pickett, and Tauscher Contracts
Chad Clifton, Nick Collins, Ryan Pickett, and Mark Tauscher recently signed big contracts with the Green Bay Packers so I thought I would give the details of each contract along with my thoughts.
Chad Clifton signed a three-year, $19.4 million contract:
2010: $7.5 million = $6.4 million roster bonus, $855,000 base salary, and $250,000 workout bonus
2011: $6.2 million = $200,000 roster bonus, $5.75 million base salary, and $250,000 workout bonus
2012: $5.7 million = $200,000 roster bonus, $5.25 million base salary, and $250,000 workout bonus
Paying Clifton a large amount of up front guaranteed money means that if the salary cap is reinstated, the Packers can cut Clifton after the 2010 season without any salary cap charges. If the Packers draft a left tackle of the future in the 2010 NFL Draft, 2010 might be Clifton's last season in Green Bay despite just signing a three-year extension.
Nick Collins signed a three-year, $23.4 million extension:
2010: $14 million in compensation
2011 - 2013: $12.7 million in compensation for an average of $4.23 million a year
Nick Collins played nice by signing his tender instead of holding out for a long-term deal and the Packers rewards Collins' loyalty in a big way. The specific details of Collins' extension were much harder to find but I will do my best to break it down.
The basics of the deal are that this extension will keep Collins under contract in Green Bay through 2013. Collins restricted free agent tender which would have paid him $3.3 million this season and then Collins would have become and unrestricted free agent after the 2010 season. As a result, the $23.4 million extensions was added to the $3.3 million tender, which pushes the total value of the deal to four-years, $26.7 million.
This is a great deal for both sides. Collins is one of the best safeties in the NFL and now he is getting paid like that. Since Collins signed only a four-year deal, he can still become a free agent at age 30 and sign another mega-deal unless he re-ups before the end of 2013.
Ryan Pickett signed a four-year, $24.925 million contract:
2010: $9.9 million = $6.4 million roster bonus, $2 million signing bonus, $1.2 million base salary, $200,000 workout bonus, and $100,000 likely to be earned incentives
2011: $3.3 million = $2.7 million base salary, $200,000 workout bonus, and $400,000 likely to be earned incentives
2012: $4.8 million = $4.5 million base salary, $200,000 workout bonus, and $100,000 likely to be earned incentives
2013: $5.7 million = $5.4 million base salary, $200,000 workout bonus, and $100,000 likely to be earned incentives
The Pickett family is getting paid in 2010. As a point of reference, the Packers placed the franchise tag on Pickett earlier this offseason, which would have been a one-year, $7.03 million fully guaranteed deal had Pickett and the Packers not reached the aforementioned four-year accord. With all that up front money in 2010 and a relatively low salary for 2011, Pickett will play for the Packers at least through 2011. The development of Raji, the resolution to Jolly's legal troubles, and what the Packers do in the next few drafts will determine if Pickett plays out the entire four years of his new deal. If you check my math I have $1.225 million unaccounted for in Pickett's extension. If I get more details on Pickett's deal I will pass that information along.
Mark Tauscher signed a two-year, $8.28 million deal:
2010: $3.7 million = $1.4 million base salary, $2.1 million roster bonus, and $200,000 workout bonus
2011: $4.58 million = $4.1 million base salary, $280,000 roster bonus, and $200,000 workout bonus
Mark Tauscher's deal is similar to Clifton's deal in the sense that if the salary cap is re-instated in 2011 the Packers can cut Tauscher before the 2011 season without any salary cap ramifications. Whether Tauscher plays for the Packers in 2011 depends on the development of T.J. Lang, Breno Giacomini, and Allen Barbre (and to a lesser extent whether the Packers draft a right tackle in the 2010 or 2011 NFL Draft).
The Packers committed $79 million to four players, $35.1 million of which will be paid out in 2010. I like that Ted Thompson is trying to capitalize on the uncapped year, but I wonder whether Collins or Pickett might ask for more money towards the end of their deals despite how much money they were paid up front.
These extensions show that Thompson is not afraid to spend money. Some have quested why Thompson doesn't spend more money in free agency but as the Washington Redskins show every year, NFL teams can't be built solely via free agency.
Congrats to Chad Clifton, Nick Collins, Ryan Pickett, and Mark Tauscher for getting paid...now go earn your money fellas!
Chad Clifton signed a three-year, $19.4 million contract:
2010: $7.5 million = $6.4 million roster bonus, $855,000 base salary, and $250,000 workout bonus
2011: $6.2 million = $200,000 roster bonus, $5.75 million base salary, and $250,000 workout bonus
2012: $5.7 million = $200,000 roster bonus, $5.25 million base salary, and $250,000 workout bonus
Paying Clifton a large amount of up front guaranteed money means that if the salary cap is reinstated, the Packers can cut Clifton after the 2010 season without any salary cap charges. If the Packers draft a left tackle of the future in the 2010 NFL Draft, 2010 might be Clifton's last season in Green Bay despite just signing a three-year extension.
Nick Collins signed a three-year, $23.4 million extension:
2010: $14 million in compensation
2011 - 2013: $12.7 million in compensation for an average of $4.23 million a year
Nick Collins played nice by signing his tender instead of holding out for a long-term deal and the Packers rewards Collins' loyalty in a big way. The specific details of Collins' extension were much harder to find but I will do my best to break it down.
The basics of the deal are that this extension will keep Collins under contract in Green Bay through 2013. Collins restricted free agent tender which would have paid him $3.3 million this season and then Collins would have become and unrestricted free agent after the 2010 season. As a result, the $23.4 million extensions was added to the $3.3 million tender, which pushes the total value of the deal to four-years, $26.7 million.
This is a great deal for both sides. Collins is one of the best safeties in the NFL and now he is getting paid like that. Since Collins signed only a four-year deal, he can still become a free agent at age 30 and sign another mega-deal unless he re-ups before the end of 2013.
Ryan Pickett signed a four-year, $24.925 million contract:
2010: $9.9 million = $6.4 million roster bonus, $2 million signing bonus, $1.2 million base salary, $200,000 workout bonus, and $100,000 likely to be earned incentives
2011: $3.3 million = $2.7 million base salary, $200,000 workout bonus, and $400,000 likely to be earned incentives
2012: $4.8 million = $4.5 million base salary, $200,000 workout bonus, and $100,000 likely to be earned incentives
2013: $5.7 million = $5.4 million base salary, $200,000 workout bonus, and $100,000 likely to be earned incentives
The Pickett family is getting paid in 2010. As a point of reference, the Packers placed the franchise tag on Pickett earlier this offseason, which would have been a one-year, $7.03 million fully guaranteed deal had Pickett and the Packers not reached the aforementioned four-year accord. With all that up front money in 2010 and a relatively low salary for 2011, Pickett will play for the Packers at least through 2011. The development of Raji, the resolution to Jolly's legal troubles, and what the Packers do in the next few drafts will determine if Pickett plays out the entire four years of his new deal. If you check my math I have $1.225 million unaccounted for in Pickett's extension. If I get more details on Pickett's deal I will pass that information along.
Mark Tauscher signed a two-year, $8.28 million deal:
2010: $3.7 million = $1.4 million base salary, $2.1 million roster bonus, and $200,000 workout bonus
2011: $4.58 million = $4.1 million base salary, $280,000 roster bonus, and $200,000 workout bonus
Mark Tauscher's deal is similar to Clifton's deal in the sense that if the salary cap is re-instated in 2011 the Packers can cut Tauscher before the 2011 season without any salary cap ramifications. Whether Tauscher plays for the Packers in 2011 depends on the development of T.J. Lang, Breno Giacomini, and Allen Barbre (and to a lesser extent whether the Packers draft a right tackle in the 2010 or 2011 NFL Draft).
The Packers committed $79 million to four players, $35.1 million of which will be paid out in 2010. I like that Ted Thompson is trying to capitalize on the uncapped year, but I wonder whether Collins or Pickett might ask for more money towards the end of their deals despite how much money they were paid up front.
These extensions show that Thompson is not afraid to spend money. Some have quested why Thompson doesn't spend more money in free agency but as the Washington Redskins show every year, NFL teams can't be built solely via free agency.
Congrats to Chad Clifton, Nick Collins, Ryan Pickett, and Mark Tauscher for getting paid...now go earn your money fellas!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
2009 Green Bay Packers Middseason Report
The NFL Trade Deadline passed a few weeks ago so the Packers have to play with their current roster the rest of the season unless they cut/place someone on the injured reserve and sign a new player. As a result, I thought I would rank the players on the Packers' current 53-man roster from #53 to #1 based solely on their performance this season and what upside they might have for the rest of the season:
To quote Herm Edwards, the most unintentionally funny head coach of all-time, "you play to win the game!" Unfortunately for these guys, they have not played very much...
#53 - Breno Giacomini (T): he only suited up week eight and fortunately did not play. The Italian Stallion is buried deep on the Packers' depth chart for good reason.
#52 - Evan Dietrich-Smith (C/G): edged out the Italian Stallion by one spot because he suited up for five games, although has yet to see any game action.
#51 - Biren Ealy (WR): he did not join the Packers organization until week eight when he was signed to the practice squad. Last week Ealy was active because of all the injuries the Packers have at wide receiver. Coming into the season who would have thought guys like this would be on the active roster when the Packers cut Ruvell Martin at the end of the preseason?
#50 - Jake Allen (WR): spent the first seven weeks on the practice squad, was active week eight and inactive week nine with an injury. Please come back soon Jordy...we need you!
#49 - Jarius Wynn (DE): after being active for the first four games of the season, Wynn has been inactive the last four games. Let's just move on.
At this point the sample size is too small to make a very informed judgment on these guys...
#48 - Matt Giordano (S): signed week three after the Packers finally gave up on Aaron Rouse, the most over-hyped underachiever of the Ted Thompson Era not named Justin Harrell. Another question TT, would you rather have Anthony Smith (a guy versed in the 3-4 that you tried to pick up on the waiver wire a few weeks back) or Giordano?
#47 - Brandon Underwood (CB): a promising project at cornerback (wish that could be said for injury reserve main stay and former second round pick Patrick Lee). Underwood was a highly recruited prospect out of high school. He went to Ohio State but had some academic trouble. Underwood resurfaced at Cincinnati and was All-Big-Easy at safety in 2008. Only time will tell if he turns out to be a 6th round steal.
#46 - Jeremy Thompson (OLB): a converted defensive end but similar to Aaron Kampman, he looks out of place at outside linebacker. This is a good example of where the Packers would be better off with having a veteran (why didn't the Packers pursue Jason Taylor?) instead of the inexperienced Thompson.
#45 - Brad Jones (OLB): looks to possibly start this weekend with all of the injury trouble at outside linebacker (Kampman-concussion and Poppinga-leg injury). Part of the reason Mike McCarthy said that Jones is ready to start is "his good play on special teams." Well that is encouraging since special teams have been horrible all season. What qualifies as good on special teams? Only a few penalties? Only a few missed tackles?
#44 - Michael Montgomery (DE): has had minimal impact thus far. Montgomery's body type does not seem ideal for the 3-4, only time will tell if Montgomery is in the 2010 plans (why didn't the Packers pursue Vonnie Holiday?).
#43 - Korey Hall (FB): after starting week one, Hall has had trouble staying on the field. He has been inactive the last four weeks and with the emergence of Quinn Johnson it is surprising the Packers have not opted to put him on the injured reserve list since the Packers have to be one of the only teams in the NFL to carry three running backs and three full backs.
#42 - Quinn Johnson (FB): Hall's injury has given Johnson a chance to play the last four weeks. Johnson has been compared to a sledgehammer more than once since the Packers drafted him in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. If the Sledgehammer wants to play more he will have to make better plays then the wild juggling catch against the Queens.
These guys take the special out of special teams...
#41 - Jeremy Kapinos (P): Ron Wolf admitted that one of the biggest errors he made as a general manager was letting Craig Hentrich leave in free agency in 1997. Hentrich is obviously not Ray Guy but since the Packers let Hentrich leave the list of starting punters is ugly: Sean Landeta, Louie Aguiar, Josh Bidwell, Bryan Barker, B.J. Sander, Jon Ryan, Derrick Frost and Jeremy Kapinos...yikes.
#40 - Mason Crosby (K): for some reason general mangers always opt for cheaper place kickers. Quick question TT, with $15 million in cap space would you rather have Ryan Longwell or Mason Crosby? How about the two big kicks Crosby missed on the road last season against the Queens and Bears. Instead of finishing 6-10, the Packers finish 8-8. That does not get the Packers in the playoffs but it would have been a nice building block going into the offseason.
#39 - Brett Goode (LS): I put Goode ahead of Crosby and Kapinos not because Goode has played better but more as a slap in the face to the aforementioned underachieving Corsby and Kapinos.
Just not that good...
#38 - Jarrett Bush (CB): he was a restricted free agent in the off-season. The Tennessee Titans offered Bush a three-year, $4.5 million contract. Unfortunately the Packers matched that offer sheet. Since then, the only thing Bush has lead the Packers in this season is penalties on special teams (three).
#37 - Derrick Martin (S): instead of keeping Anthony Smith, the Packers decided to address their issues at safety by trading back-up tackle Tony Moll for Martin. So far Martin has been just as horrible as Bush. Anthony Smith sure looks to be an upgrade over Bush and Martin doesn't it? So instead of having Moll and Smith, the Packers have Martin and Giordano...good Teddy, good (yes that is a Caddyshack reference).
#36 - Brandon Jackson (RB): he has been hurt most of the season (inactive the first four weeks of the season) and when he got his chance made very little impact (12 rushes, 37 yards and one fumble). With Good Ole Rockyman in the fold, Jackson is looking like a second round bust.
#35 - Daryn Colledge (G/T): speaking of second round busts, Mr. Alaska has had a rough tenure in Green Bay. When Ted Thompson drafted Mr. Alaska in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft, Packers fans thought they were looking at the guard of the future. TT was hoping Colledge would help Packer fans forget that he ran Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera out of town. Three and a half years into his Green Bay career, Mr. Alaska has been marginal at best and is playing the rest of the season for a contract offer since he is a restricted free agent this off-season.
#34 - Donald Lee (TE): one play sums up Lee's season. On fourth down, with the Packers still in the game against the Queens in Minnesota, Rodgers found Lee at the last second...Lee flat out dropped it. Lee is over worked, playing almost every down but that does not excuse his drops this season. Jermichael Finley's injury gave Lee a chance to step up, instead another TE that is ranked much better than Lee made the most of the opportunity.
I wish it were 2004 not 2009...
#33 - Mark Tauscher (T): he is only 11 months removed from ACL surgery. Tausher finally played against the Buccaneers but was unable to finish the game because he re-injured his surgically repaired knee. Tauscher provides a nice veteran presence on the offensive line if he can stay healthy.
#32 - Ahman Green (RB): what a way to become the Packers' all-time leading rusher, a short run in a game that the Packers lost to the 0-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers...I am sure that is the way Jim Taylor always thought he would lose his record.
How does the practice squad feel Brian Brohm?
#31 - Matt Flynn (QB): sort of speculative at this point. Flynn won a national championship at LSU the year after Jamarcus Russell left for the NFL. At this point most NFL teams would rather have Flynn (7th round pick) instead of Russell (First Pick of the 2007 NFL Draft) or Brohm (2nd round pick in the same draft the Packers took Flynn and one pick ahead of Chad Henne...ouch). Let's hope the only time we see Flynn playing this season is when the Packers are up a bunch.
Who will end the season as the Packers' starting right tackle you ask...
#30 - Allen Barbre (T): marginal at best this season, Barbre does not look like the Packers' right tackle of the future. If Tauscher, Barbre and Lang are healthy I would have Barbre #3 on the depth chart, which is how confident I am in Barbre's ability.
#29 - T.J. Lang (T): since taking over as General Manager of the Green Bay Packers, Ted Thompson has drafted 10 offensive lineman in five years: Junius Coston (5th round '05), William Whitticker (7th round '05), Daryn Colledge (2nd round '06), Jason Spitz (3rd round '06), Tony Moll (5th round '06), Allen Barbre (4th round '07), Josh Sitton (4th round '08), Breno Giacomini (5th round '08), T.J. Lang (4th round '09) and Jamon Meredith (5th round '09) source: here. Five are on the 53-man roster, one is one injured reserve and four no longer collect a paycheck from the Green Bay Packers. When all the dust settles Lang might be the best of the group (that isn't really saying much though) although he looks to project better as a guard. Hopefully he is the starting left guard of the 2010 Green Bay Packers in place of Mr. Alaska.
The injury bug is an ugly thing...
#28 - B.J. Raji (DE/NT): after being inactive for the first two games of the season, Raji has started to settle into the defensive rotation. His stats are not that overwhelming (11 tackles with 1 tackle for a loss) but part of that has to do with his tender ankle. The Packers drafted Raji 9th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft because of how much space he takes up. The last few weeks Raji has started to do that on the field, which is nice (yes that is another Caddyshack reference).
#27 - Jordy Nelson (WR): after having a nice start to the season, Jordy was hurt against the Detroit Lions and has missed the last three games. Nelson was competing with James Jones for the third receiver spot as well as serving as the Packers' main return man after the Packers lost Will Blackmon to a season ending knee injury in week #4 against the Minnesota Vikings. Once Nelson returns to the lineup it will help the Packers open up their playbook with 4 and 5 wide receiver sets. That return hopefully comes this weekend against the Cowboys...come on Jordy we need you!
#26 - Atari Bigby (S): after a promising season in 2007, Bigby only appeared in 7 games in 2008. Bigby started week 1 but was sidelined with an injury for the next 3 weeks. Since returning from injury, Bigby is having trouble getting acclimated to the new 3-4 defense. Bigby needs to show he can stay healthy before the Packers make a long term commitment.
Are we looking at Keith Jackson and Mark Chumura circa 1996 minus the prom party?
#25 - Spencer Havner (TE): announcers love to say "player x is just a football player." No kidding, we are watching football players play football. The only guy I will give a pass to announcers using that cliche on is Havner. Originally an outside linebacker, Havner made the Packers' roster through his versatility. The Packers converted Havner to TE and asked him to serve as their special teams ace. Against the Cleveland Browns earlier this season Havner showed why the Packers covet his versatility. Havner caught a short pass and turned it into a long touchdown. On the next kickoff, Havner made the special teams tackle. So yes Troy Aikman, Spencer Havner is a football player.
#24 - Jermichael Finley (TE): a freak of nature and avid tweet. Finley had a breakout game against the Minnesota Vikings but an injury against the Cleveland kept Finley inactive the last two weeks. If healthy, Finley has a chance to have a huge second half of the 2009 season.
You start but does that mean you are good?
#23 - John Kuhn (FB): he is trying to harness his inner William "Floyd" Henderson with decent results so far. Besides his special teams error last week that lead to a blocked punt against the Buccaneers, Kuhn has been consistent all season in place of the injured Hall.
#22 - A.J. Hawk (ILB): for the rest of the season the paper needs to kill Hawk for how bad he is playing. If they do, by the end of the season he might be a pro bowler. Players love to say they never read what the press write about them but the week after Wisconsin papers speculated about Hawk possibly having to take a pay cut to return to the Packers in 2010 he had his best game of the season. Hawk hasn't come anywhere close to living up to being the 5th player selected in the 2006 NFL Draft but he has been playing better each week. In fact he got totally hosed on a holding call last week against the Buccaneers to negate a great athletic play by him on a potentially game changing interception.
They are solid but will they every be better than that?
#21 - James Jones (WR): with Nelson out, Jones has been a very consistent 3rd wide receiver (11 receptions for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns). He joins a long list of quality non-first round wide receivers that TT has drafted (Terrence Murphy, Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson).
#20 - Desmond Bishop (ILB): how is he not on the field more often? Bishop had arguably the best preseason of any defensive player on the Packers not named Charles Woodson. That has translated into situation playing time now that Nick Barnett is fully recovered from his knee injury.
#19 - Brady Poppinga (OLB): probably a little too high on the list but who doesn't like to say his name...Poppppppppinga! With the emergence of Clay Matthews, Poppppppppinga's minutes will be limited the rest of the way but he provides a solid veteran presence on the defense. Speaking of solid veteran presence...
#18 - Brandon Chillar (ILB): unfortunately Chillar broke his hand against the Queens. That means Chillar will have to play the rest of the season with a club on his hand. Chillar has given the Packers versatility on defense by playing safety in the Big Okie set. With his hand injury the Big Okie might get scrapped for the rest of the season though.
#17 - Tramon Williams (CB): a very talented nickel back with a bright future in Green Bay. Williams been lucky to learn under one of the most talented corner back tandems in the NFL for three plus seasons.
Holdovers from the previous management regime that have played a huge role...
#16 - Scott Wells (C): after getting left out of the starting line-up in week one, Wells just went about his business and did not make any waves. After taking over as a starter in week three he seized the opportunity and performed fairly well consider how atrocious the Packers' offensive line has been as a whole this season. Without Wells the Packers would be starting the #52 man on the list (Evan Dietrich-Smith) so yes, Wells has played an important role this season.
#15 - Cullen Jenkins (DE): after publicly criticizing his role in the new defense a few weeks ago, Jenkins backed off those claims and kept a lower profile. Jenkins body type makes him a more ideal fit for the 4-3 defense but he has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season (remember his pick against the Lions) marred with long bouts of inconsistency (only two games with more than two tackles). Jenkins needs a big second half of the season for the Packers to win games.
#14 - Chad Clifton (T): after getting over shoulder, knee and thumb injuries from last season Clifton looked to regain his form as one of the best left tackles in the NFC. Instead Clifton got hurt against the Bengals and has been shuffled in and out of the line-up. Clifton's play has been inconsistent since re-joining the starting line-up. In a game earlier this season he lined up up too far off the line twice, which some scouts attributed to him trying to compensate for his injury and diminished play. The Packers will only go as far as their offensive line takes them. Clifton, the anchor of the offensive line at left tackle, needs to regain his 2007 form for the Packers to win in 2009.
#13 - Aaron Kampman (OLB): he seems like a fish out of water in the 3-4 defense. After registering the second most sacks in the NFL from 2006-2008, Kampman looks like a shell of himself. Besides that, Kampman suffered a concussion last week in Tampa Bay. There is no reason to rush Kampman back, as research shows it is the second concussion within a few weeks of the first concussion that does much more lasting damage. When Kampman does return, give him a few snaps at defensive end. Yes he is a little undersized but Kampman has made a successful career as an under sized, under appreciated player.
Just give him the damn ball...
#12 - Greg Jennings (WR): Jennings has not been his old self for over a year. He is not the tallest or fastest wide receiver in the NFL but he is one of the most explosive wide receivers when he catches the ball on a short slant. Jennings currently ranks 24th in receiving yards with 498. For the Packers to be successful in the second half of the season Jennings must get more balls thrown to him.
This famous movie exchange sums it all up:
- Game Show Host: "Would you like the Snapper or the box?"
- Johnny Jolly: "The box, I'll take the box!"
- Game Show Host: "What's in the box...nothing...absolutely nothing...stupid...you so stupid!!!!"
#11 - Johnny Jolly (DE/DT): on talent alone Jolly should be higher on the list. He perfectly read a screen earlier in the season and intercepted the pass to save a sure touchdown. For every play like that though, he head butts a player for a personal foul that turns a field goal into a touchdown (remember the Queens game).
Finally the Top Ten...
#10 - Josh Sitton (G): it feels weird to put an offensive lineman in the top ten, which is an indictment on the Packers in general, but Sitton deserves it. He has been the only guy on the Packers' offensive line that has played consistently well all season. At least the future looks bright for one of the five positions on the Packers' offensive line.
#9 - Nick Collins (S): talent has never been the issue, why else would the Packers let Collins take Leroy Butler's jersey number? Most of that talent has translated into production. Collins is a restricted free agent this offseason so he is playing for a huge contract in the next eight games.
#8 - Al Harris (CB): joined the Packers in 2003 via trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. Harris has been on the end of playoff highs and lows for the Packers. For playoff lows, Plaxico "Shooter McGavin" Burress absolutely torched Harris on the frozen tundra in the 2008 NFC Championship Game. For playoff highs, Harris famously picked off Matt "We'll take the ball and we're gonna score" Hasslebeck for a pick-six to beat the Seahawks in overtime. Harris is getting up there in age (34) but keeps himself in impeccable shape to help form one of the best cornerback tandems in the NFL.
#7 - Ryan Grant (RB): check back next week for a breakdown of how Ryan Grant and his agent fleeced the Packers for what might turn out to be a worse contract then Joe Johnson. In the mean time keep in mind that Grant has 188 yards against the Bears, Bengals and Vikings (twice) while he has 433 against the Rams, Lions, Browns and Buccaneers. May be he shouldn't be ranked #7...since he racked up all of his yards against the pansies of the NFL.
#6 - Clay Matthews (OLB): since taking over at starting ROLB in week four Matthews has been a on a tear. Matthews is one of the only players to provide consistent pressure on the Packers' defense. So far this season Matthews has registered 22 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss and 3.0 sacks. Matthews is helping people forget that Michael Oher (Peter King's mid-season All Pro pick at right tackle) could possibly be wearing a Green Bay Packers uniform.
#5 - Ryan Pickett (DT): he has not put up huge stats but he has anchored the defensive line in their transition from the 4-3 to the 3-4. Nose Tackle is a thankless job in the 3-4 but Big Daddy Pickett has just gone about his business without complaining. Big Daddy is a big reason why the Packers' defense has allowed just 3.47 yards per rush (2nd best in the NFL). Finally, Big Daddy leads the Packers' defensive line with a tackle every 7.2 snaps.
#4 - Nick Barnett (ILB): coming off season ending knee surgery the Packers training staff was cautious with Barnett. That plan seems to be paying off this season. Although Barnett is probably better suited to play in the 4-3 defense (sense a theme here) he has made the transition to the 3-4. Barnett is leading the team with 51 and 6 tackles for a loss.
#3 - Aaron Rodgers (QB): he was Ted Thompson's first draft pick as General Manager of the Green bay Packers. Rodgers also has the unlucky distinction of being the quarterback to take over for Brett Favre. Throughout the entire situation Rodgers has handled himself with class. Even this season as the Packers' offensive line has failed him on a number of occasions Rodgers has not publicly criticized his teammates. Rodgers ranks fifth in the NFL in passer rating (103.3). Despite the impressive offensive numbers, Rodgers will ultimately be judged by his record. If he goes 6-2 in the second half of the season all is well in Green Bay. If he goes 2-6...watch out.
#2 - Donald Driver (WR): one of the most likable guys in the NFL. Driver leads the team with 37 receptions, 613 yards and 4 touchdowns. This season Driver also broke the record for most receptions in Packers' history. Driver is on record as saying he wants to play for another four/five years. If Driver keeps producing like he has so far this season, the Packers will oblige and keep Driver around as long as he wants.
#1 - Charles Woodson (CB): the second best free agent signing in Packers' history (obviously behind Reggie White) has produced on the field for the Packers from day one since arriving from Oakland. TT offered Woodson more money then any other team in the NFL (seven year, worth potentially $52.7 million) and it has been money well spent. Woodson is fifth on the team in tackles with 35, second on the team in tackles for a loss with 6 and first on the team in interceptions with 4 (1 was returned for a touchdown).
Please feel free to comment or email me (bpbsports@gmail.com) your thoughts on the rankings.
To quote Herm Edwards, the most unintentionally funny head coach of all-time, "you play to win the game!" Unfortunately for these guys, they have not played very much...
#53 - Breno Giacomini (T): he only suited up week eight and fortunately did not play. The Italian Stallion is buried deep on the Packers' depth chart for good reason.
#52 - Evan Dietrich-Smith (C/G): edged out the Italian Stallion by one spot because he suited up for five games, although has yet to see any game action.
#51 - Biren Ealy (WR): he did not join the Packers organization until week eight when he was signed to the practice squad. Last week Ealy was active because of all the injuries the Packers have at wide receiver. Coming into the season who would have thought guys like this would be on the active roster when the Packers cut Ruvell Martin at the end of the preseason?
#50 - Jake Allen (WR): spent the first seven weeks on the practice squad, was active week eight and inactive week nine with an injury. Please come back soon Jordy...we need you!
#49 - Jarius Wynn (DE): after being active for the first four games of the season, Wynn has been inactive the last four games. Let's just move on.
At this point the sample size is too small to make a very informed judgment on these guys...
#48 - Matt Giordano (S): signed week three after the Packers finally gave up on Aaron Rouse, the most over-hyped underachiever of the Ted Thompson Era not named Justin Harrell. Another question TT, would you rather have Anthony Smith (a guy versed in the 3-4 that you tried to pick up on the waiver wire a few weeks back) or Giordano?
#47 - Brandon Underwood (CB): a promising project at cornerback (wish that could be said for injury reserve main stay and former second round pick Patrick Lee). Underwood was a highly recruited prospect out of high school. He went to Ohio State but had some academic trouble. Underwood resurfaced at Cincinnati and was All-Big-Easy at safety in 2008. Only time will tell if he turns out to be a 6th round steal.
#46 - Jeremy Thompson (OLB): a converted defensive end but similar to Aaron Kampman, he looks out of place at outside linebacker. This is a good example of where the Packers would be better off with having a veteran (why didn't the Packers pursue Jason Taylor?) instead of the inexperienced Thompson.
#45 - Brad Jones (OLB): looks to possibly start this weekend with all of the injury trouble at outside linebacker (Kampman-concussion and Poppinga-leg injury). Part of the reason Mike McCarthy said that Jones is ready to start is "his good play on special teams." Well that is encouraging since special teams have been horrible all season. What qualifies as good on special teams? Only a few penalties? Only a few missed tackles?
#44 - Michael Montgomery (DE): has had minimal impact thus far. Montgomery's body type does not seem ideal for the 3-4, only time will tell if Montgomery is in the 2010 plans (why didn't the Packers pursue Vonnie Holiday?).
#43 - Korey Hall (FB): after starting week one, Hall has had trouble staying on the field. He has been inactive the last four weeks and with the emergence of Quinn Johnson it is surprising the Packers have not opted to put him on the injured reserve list since the Packers have to be one of the only teams in the NFL to carry three running backs and three full backs.
#42 - Quinn Johnson (FB): Hall's injury has given Johnson a chance to play the last four weeks. Johnson has been compared to a sledgehammer more than once since the Packers drafted him in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. If the Sledgehammer wants to play more he will have to make better plays then the wild juggling catch against the Queens.
These guys take the special out of special teams...
#41 - Jeremy Kapinos (P): Ron Wolf admitted that one of the biggest errors he made as a general manager was letting Craig Hentrich leave in free agency in 1997. Hentrich is obviously not Ray Guy but since the Packers let Hentrich leave the list of starting punters is ugly: Sean Landeta, Louie Aguiar, Josh Bidwell, Bryan Barker, B.J. Sander, Jon Ryan, Derrick Frost and Jeremy Kapinos...yikes.
#40 - Mason Crosby (K): for some reason general mangers always opt for cheaper place kickers. Quick question TT, with $15 million in cap space would you rather have Ryan Longwell or Mason Crosby? How about the two big kicks Crosby missed on the road last season against the Queens and Bears. Instead of finishing 6-10, the Packers finish 8-8. That does not get the Packers in the playoffs but it would have been a nice building block going into the offseason.
#39 - Brett Goode (LS): I put Goode ahead of Crosby and Kapinos not because Goode has played better but more as a slap in the face to the aforementioned underachieving Corsby and Kapinos.
Just not that good...
#38 - Jarrett Bush (CB): he was a restricted free agent in the off-season. The Tennessee Titans offered Bush a three-year, $4.5 million contract. Unfortunately the Packers matched that offer sheet. Since then, the only thing Bush has lead the Packers in this season is penalties on special teams (three).
#37 - Derrick Martin (S): instead of keeping Anthony Smith, the Packers decided to address their issues at safety by trading back-up tackle Tony Moll for Martin. So far Martin has been just as horrible as Bush. Anthony Smith sure looks to be an upgrade over Bush and Martin doesn't it? So instead of having Moll and Smith, the Packers have Martin and Giordano...good Teddy, good (yes that is a Caddyshack reference).
#36 - Brandon Jackson (RB): he has been hurt most of the season (inactive the first four weeks of the season) and when he got his chance made very little impact (12 rushes, 37 yards and one fumble). With Good Ole Rockyman in the fold, Jackson is looking like a second round bust.
#35 - Daryn Colledge (G/T): speaking of second round busts, Mr. Alaska has had a rough tenure in Green Bay. When Ted Thompson drafted Mr. Alaska in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft, Packers fans thought they were looking at the guard of the future. TT was hoping Colledge would help Packer fans forget that he ran Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera out of town. Three and a half years into his Green Bay career, Mr. Alaska has been marginal at best and is playing the rest of the season for a contract offer since he is a restricted free agent this off-season.
#34 - Donald Lee (TE): one play sums up Lee's season. On fourth down, with the Packers still in the game against the Queens in Minnesota, Rodgers found Lee at the last second...Lee flat out dropped it. Lee is over worked, playing almost every down but that does not excuse his drops this season. Jermichael Finley's injury gave Lee a chance to step up, instead another TE that is ranked much better than Lee made the most of the opportunity.
I wish it were 2004 not 2009...
#33 - Mark Tauscher (T): he is only 11 months removed from ACL surgery. Tausher finally played against the Buccaneers but was unable to finish the game because he re-injured his surgically repaired knee. Tauscher provides a nice veteran presence on the offensive line if he can stay healthy.
#32 - Ahman Green (RB): what a way to become the Packers' all-time leading rusher, a short run in a game that the Packers lost to the 0-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers...I am sure that is the way Jim Taylor always thought he would lose his record.
How does the practice squad feel Brian Brohm?
#31 - Matt Flynn (QB): sort of speculative at this point. Flynn won a national championship at LSU the year after Jamarcus Russell left for the NFL. At this point most NFL teams would rather have Flynn (7th round pick) instead of Russell (First Pick of the 2007 NFL Draft) or Brohm (2nd round pick in the same draft the Packers took Flynn and one pick ahead of Chad Henne...ouch). Let's hope the only time we see Flynn playing this season is when the Packers are up a bunch.
Who will end the season as the Packers' starting right tackle you ask...
#30 - Allen Barbre (T): marginal at best this season, Barbre does not look like the Packers' right tackle of the future. If Tauscher, Barbre and Lang are healthy I would have Barbre #3 on the depth chart, which is how confident I am in Barbre's ability.
#29 - T.J. Lang (T): since taking over as General Manager of the Green Bay Packers, Ted Thompson has drafted 10 offensive lineman in five years: Junius Coston (5th round '05), William Whitticker (7th round '05), Daryn Colledge (2nd round '06), Jason Spitz (3rd round '06), Tony Moll (5th round '06), Allen Barbre (4th round '07), Josh Sitton (4th round '08), Breno Giacomini (5th round '08), T.J. Lang (4th round '09) and Jamon Meredith (5th round '09) source: here. Five are on the 53-man roster, one is one injured reserve and four no longer collect a paycheck from the Green Bay Packers. When all the dust settles Lang might be the best of the group (that isn't really saying much though) although he looks to project better as a guard. Hopefully he is the starting left guard of the 2010 Green Bay Packers in place of Mr. Alaska.
The injury bug is an ugly thing...
#28 - B.J. Raji (DE/NT): after being inactive for the first two games of the season, Raji has started to settle into the defensive rotation. His stats are not that overwhelming (11 tackles with 1 tackle for a loss) but part of that has to do with his tender ankle. The Packers drafted Raji 9th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft because of how much space he takes up. The last few weeks Raji has started to do that on the field, which is nice (yes that is another Caddyshack reference).
#27 - Jordy Nelson (WR): after having a nice start to the season, Jordy was hurt against the Detroit Lions and has missed the last three games. Nelson was competing with James Jones for the third receiver spot as well as serving as the Packers' main return man after the Packers lost Will Blackmon to a season ending knee injury in week #4 against the Minnesota Vikings. Once Nelson returns to the lineup it will help the Packers open up their playbook with 4 and 5 wide receiver sets. That return hopefully comes this weekend against the Cowboys...come on Jordy we need you!
#26 - Atari Bigby (S): after a promising season in 2007, Bigby only appeared in 7 games in 2008. Bigby started week 1 but was sidelined with an injury for the next 3 weeks. Since returning from injury, Bigby is having trouble getting acclimated to the new 3-4 defense. Bigby needs to show he can stay healthy before the Packers make a long term commitment.
Are we looking at Keith Jackson and Mark Chumura circa 1996 minus the prom party?
#25 - Spencer Havner (TE): announcers love to say "player x is just a football player." No kidding, we are watching football players play football. The only guy I will give a pass to announcers using that cliche on is Havner. Originally an outside linebacker, Havner made the Packers' roster through his versatility. The Packers converted Havner to TE and asked him to serve as their special teams ace. Against the Cleveland Browns earlier this season Havner showed why the Packers covet his versatility. Havner caught a short pass and turned it into a long touchdown. On the next kickoff, Havner made the special teams tackle. So yes Troy Aikman, Spencer Havner is a football player.
#24 - Jermichael Finley (TE): a freak of nature and avid tweet. Finley had a breakout game against the Minnesota Vikings but an injury against the Cleveland kept Finley inactive the last two weeks. If healthy, Finley has a chance to have a huge second half of the 2009 season.
You start but does that mean you are good?
#23 - John Kuhn (FB): he is trying to harness his inner William "Floyd" Henderson with decent results so far. Besides his special teams error last week that lead to a blocked punt against the Buccaneers, Kuhn has been consistent all season in place of the injured Hall.
#22 - A.J. Hawk (ILB): for the rest of the season the paper needs to kill Hawk for how bad he is playing. If they do, by the end of the season he might be a pro bowler. Players love to say they never read what the press write about them but the week after Wisconsin papers speculated about Hawk possibly having to take a pay cut to return to the Packers in 2010 he had his best game of the season. Hawk hasn't come anywhere close to living up to being the 5th player selected in the 2006 NFL Draft but he has been playing better each week. In fact he got totally hosed on a holding call last week against the Buccaneers to negate a great athletic play by him on a potentially game changing interception.
They are solid but will they every be better than that?
#21 - James Jones (WR): with Nelson out, Jones has been a very consistent 3rd wide receiver (11 receptions for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns). He joins a long list of quality non-first round wide receivers that TT has drafted (Terrence Murphy, Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson).
#20 - Desmond Bishop (ILB): how is he not on the field more often? Bishop had arguably the best preseason of any defensive player on the Packers not named Charles Woodson. That has translated into situation playing time now that Nick Barnett is fully recovered from his knee injury.
#19 - Brady Poppinga (OLB): probably a little too high on the list but who doesn't like to say his name...Poppppppppinga! With the emergence of Clay Matthews, Poppppppppinga's minutes will be limited the rest of the way but he provides a solid veteran presence on the defense. Speaking of solid veteran presence...
#18 - Brandon Chillar (ILB): unfortunately Chillar broke his hand against the Queens. That means Chillar will have to play the rest of the season with a club on his hand. Chillar has given the Packers versatility on defense by playing safety in the Big Okie set. With his hand injury the Big Okie might get scrapped for the rest of the season though.
#17 - Tramon Williams (CB): a very talented nickel back with a bright future in Green Bay. Williams been lucky to learn under one of the most talented corner back tandems in the NFL for three plus seasons.
Holdovers from the previous management regime that have played a huge role...
#16 - Scott Wells (C): after getting left out of the starting line-up in week one, Wells just went about his business and did not make any waves. After taking over as a starter in week three he seized the opportunity and performed fairly well consider how atrocious the Packers' offensive line has been as a whole this season. Without Wells the Packers would be starting the #52 man on the list (Evan Dietrich-Smith) so yes, Wells has played an important role this season.
#15 - Cullen Jenkins (DE): after publicly criticizing his role in the new defense a few weeks ago, Jenkins backed off those claims and kept a lower profile. Jenkins body type makes him a more ideal fit for the 4-3 defense but he has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season (remember his pick against the Lions) marred with long bouts of inconsistency (only two games with more than two tackles). Jenkins needs a big second half of the season for the Packers to win games.
#14 - Chad Clifton (T): after getting over shoulder, knee and thumb injuries from last season Clifton looked to regain his form as one of the best left tackles in the NFC. Instead Clifton got hurt against the Bengals and has been shuffled in and out of the line-up. Clifton's play has been inconsistent since re-joining the starting line-up. In a game earlier this season he lined up up too far off the line twice, which some scouts attributed to him trying to compensate for his injury and diminished play. The Packers will only go as far as their offensive line takes them. Clifton, the anchor of the offensive line at left tackle, needs to regain his 2007 form for the Packers to win in 2009.
#13 - Aaron Kampman (OLB): he seems like a fish out of water in the 3-4 defense. After registering the second most sacks in the NFL from 2006-2008, Kampman looks like a shell of himself. Besides that, Kampman suffered a concussion last week in Tampa Bay. There is no reason to rush Kampman back, as research shows it is the second concussion within a few weeks of the first concussion that does much more lasting damage. When Kampman does return, give him a few snaps at defensive end. Yes he is a little undersized but Kampman has made a successful career as an under sized, under appreciated player.
Just give him the damn ball...
#12 - Greg Jennings (WR): Jennings has not been his old self for over a year. He is not the tallest or fastest wide receiver in the NFL but he is one of the most explosive wide receivers when he catches the ball on a short slant. Jennings currently ranks 24th in receiving yards with 498. For the Packers to be successful in the second half of the season Jennings must get more balls thrown to him.
This famous movie exchange sums it all up:
- Game Show Host: "Would you like the Snapper or the box?"
- Johnny Jolly: "The box, I'll take the box!"
- Game Show Host: "What's in the box...nothing...absolutely nothing...stupid...you so stupid!!!!"
#11 - Johnny Jolly (DE/DT): on talent alone Jolly should be higher on the list. He perfectly read a screen earlier in the season and intercepted the pass to save a sure touchdown. For every play like that though, he head butts a player for a personal foul that turns a field goal into a touchdown (remember the Queens game).
Finally the Top Ten...
#10 - Josh Sitton (G): it feels weird to put an offensive lineman in the top ten, which is an indictment on the Packers in general, but Sitton deserves it. He has been the only guy on the Packers' offensive line that has played consistently well all season. At least the future looks bright for one of the five positions on the Packers' offensive line.
#9 - Nick Collins (S): talent has never been the issue, why else would the Packers let Collins take Leroy Butler's jersey number? Most of that talent has translated into production. Collins is a restricted free agent this offseason so he is playing for a huge contract in the next eight games.
#8 - Al Harris (CB): joined the Packers in 2003 via trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. Harris has been on the end of playoff highs and lows for the Packers. For playoff lows, Plaxico "Shooter McGavin" Burress absolutely torched Harris on the frozen tundra in the 2008 NFC Championship Game. For playoff highs, Harris famously picked off Matt "We'll take the ball and we're gonna score" Hasslebeck for a pick-six to beat the Seahawks in overtime. Harris is getting up there in age (34) but keeps himself in impeccable shape to help form one of the best cornerback tandems in the NFL.
#7 - Ryan Grant (RB): check back next week for a breakdown of how Ryan Grant and his agent fleeced the Packers for what might turn out to be a worse contract then Joe Johnson. In the mean time keep in mind that Grant has 188 yards against the Bears, Bengals and Vikings (twice) while he has 433 against the Rams, Lions, Browns and Buccaneers. May be he shouldn't be ranked #7...since he racked up all of his yards against the pansies of the NFL.
#6 - Clay Matthews (OLB): since taking over at starting ROLB in week four Matthews has been a on a tear. Matthews is one of the only players to provide consistent pressure on the Packers' defense. So far this season Matthews has registered 22 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss and 3.0 sacks. Matthews is helping people forget that Michael Oher (Peter King's mid-season All Pro pick at right tackle) could possibly be wearing a Green Bay Packers uniform.
#5 - Ryan Pickett (DT): he has not put up huge stats but he has anchored the defensive line in their transition from the 4-3 to the 3-4. Nose Tackle is a thankless job in the 3-4 but Big Daddy Pickett has just gone about his business without complaining. Big Daddy is a big reason why the Packers' defense has allowed just 3.47 yards per rush (2nd best in the NFL). Finally, Big Daddy leads the Packers' defensive line with a tackle every 7.2 snaps.
#4 - Nick Barnett (ILB): coming off season ending knee surgery the Packers training staff was cautious with Barnett. That plan seems to be paying off this season. Although Barnett is probably better suited to play in the 4-3 defense (sense a theme here) he has made the transition to the 3-4. Barnett is leading the team with 51 and 6 tackles for a loss.
#3 - Aaron Rodgers (QB): he was Ted Thompson's first draft pick as General Manager of the Green bay Packers. Rodgers also has the unlucky distinction of being the quarterback to take over for Brett Favre. Throughout the entire situation Rodgers has handled himself with class. Even this season as the Packers' offensive line has failed him on a number of occasions Rodgers has not publicly criticized his teammates. Rodgers ranks fifth in the NFL in passer rating (103.3). Despite the impressive offensive numbers, Rodgers will ultimately be judged by his record. If he goes 6-2 in the second half of the season all is well in Green Bay. If he goes 2-6...watch out.
#2 - Donald Driver (WR): one of the most likable guys in the NFL. Driver leads the team with 37 receptions, 613 yards and 4 touchdowns. This season Driver also broke the record for most receptions in Packers' history. Driver is on record as saying he wants to play for another four/five years. If Driver keeps producing like he has so far this season, the Packers will oblige and keep Driver around as long as he wants.
#1 - Charles Woodson (CB): the second best free agent signing in Packers' history (obviously behind Reggie White) has produced on the field for the Packers from day one since arriving from Oakland. TT offered Woodson more money then any other team in the NFL (seven year, worth potentially $52.7 million) and it has been money well spent. Woodson is fifth on the team in tackles with 35, second on the team in tackles for a loss with 6 and first on the team in interceptions with 4 (1 was returned for a touchdown).
Please feel free to comment or email me (bpbsports@gmail.com) your thoughts on the rankings.
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