This Defense Never Rests – The Next Cuts
With the offense down time to assess the Pack of dogs trying to make the roster. Far more questions litter the defensive side of the ball and for some returnees the hour is at hand to deliver on their potential. Potential, in the lexicon of professional sports, is a double sided sword. A player can have it but eventually he must fulfill it. If he doesn’t then “potential” becomes just another long, French word that means “Ain’t worth a damn yet…”
The loss of Cullen Jenkins (FA – Philly), former 1st round bust Justin Harrell (released/ injuries) and Johnny “Good Times” Jolly (yet another dope drug bust – can’t he lay off the Purple Drank???) and 2nd year man Mike Neal’s nagging history of issues put a lot of pressure and question marks right up front on the line.
THE MORTAL LOCKS
B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett, Howard Greene, Mike Neal. Much is expected from Neal this year. After early promise last year he hit the IR and then banged up his knee in camp this year. Neal was kept out less for his injury and more as a precaution, so let’s give MM and DC Dom Capers some credit for looking ahead and not filling the medical room in camp. Raji is the glue that binds this entire unit and in fairness the defense as a whole. Raji played a staggering 84% of the downs last year and showed the faith placed in his #9 selection overall. A huge year is in store this year that should rightfully be culminated with his first well deserved Pro Bowl. Pickett anchors one side of the line, and after helping turn Super Bowl XLV he and fellow Supe changer Howard Green are the two write ‘em in ink players here. Green is the feel good story – rescued from the Jets PS, a game altering bull rush that forced a Big Ben pick 6 into Nick Collins hands and now a full time gig in GB. Beautiful. But beyond Raji, given Pickett’s and Green’s age both being over 30, this is the area with the greatest question marks and shallowest depth.
ON THE BUBBLE –
C.J. Wilson, Jarius Wynn – Both spent time on the PS and varsity squad and neither has done much yet to pull out and stand out. The Packers will need this side of the line to play average if they are to have any hope of repeating. With the talents around them it is still a tall order in Caper’s vaunted 3 – 4 defense. Both may stick, but at least one for sure.
MAYbe –
7th rounder Lawrence Guy has great size at 6’4” and 305 but has not distinguished himself. The most likely spot is on the PS for him or UDFA Eli Joseph. Guy has ‘potential’ though, so look for him on the PS when the dust settles.
NO CHANCE –
Chris Donaldson. The Turk comes calling.
LINEBACKERS –
MORTAL LOCKS –
Clay Matthews III, A.J. Hawk, Desmond Bishop, Eric Walden. Gone are MLB Nick Barnett, Matt Wilhelm, Brady Poppinga, and Brandon Chillar from last year’s IR and scrap heap. The core 4 make up the starters here and it is no mystery. Walden, while slightly underrated has seized an opportunity when Frank Zombo went out with a broken scapula and is making the most of it by getting his reps with the#1 unit. Matthews is the stud and Bishop has finally shed his “Mr. August” tag and has emerged as a bona fide starter, while Hawk continues to pile up the tackles year after year.ON THE BUBBLE –
Lots of untested and hungry dogs fighting for the scraps in this group. This group listed is better qualified as “Most Likely to make It” as opposed to the “On the Bubble” tag. Capers and MM see a lot of potential in the young ‘uns, especially UDFA’s Vic So’oto and Jamari Lattimore. Rookie D.J. Smith, while only 5’11” has played in preseason like a Sam Mills clone and has impressed all with his hustle, heart, and motor. Capers is already on record for saying that he is looking for depth in youth and not relying on it. Last year’s lessons still burnish in his brain of a near wholesale change in lineups necessitated by injury. So’oto has the uncoachable ‘size’ potential at 6’3” and 263 and a Samoan heart for the action and Lattimore, undersized at 230 lbs., has been making noise on the Special Teams unit. And Smith has been a delight, an unexpectedly aggressive addition to a stalwart group. Incumbent Brad Jones, he also of an injury history, is being pressed out of a spot here, while Robert Francois continues to be another UDFA keeper. All 5 are the probable additions to the group. It would not be as shock to see Zombo tagged onto IR and keep another LB or CB on the roster either.
MAYbe –
The other of the Joseph twins, Elijah, may land on the PS. 7th rounder Ricky Elmore has failed to shine and is stuck in the hinterland of not big enough for a DE or good enough in coverage for an OLB.
NO CHANCE –
Cardia Jackson. Call it cardia arrest. Too many playing in front of him to get a spot.
CORNERBACKS
MORTAL LOCKS –
Sir Charles, Tramon Williams, Sam Shields. Shields off-the-charts ascension was nothing short of stunning and his rise continues to parallel that of Tramon Williams, both UDFA’s brought in by TT. As much noise as the Eagles made by grabbing FA Nnamdi Asomugha, trading for Dominique Rogers- Cromartie to add to Assante Samuel one unmistakable point to be made is Aaron Rodgers has fileted and dissected both Rogers- Cormartie and Samuel in consecutive playoffs. This may be the best starting CB group in the NFL.
ON THE BUBBLE –
Paging Pat Lee and Brandon Underwood… gentlemen, your clock is ticking and your potential is overdue with dividends. And, in case that isn’t enough to rattle your cage we found a whole bunch more to look at. Gulp hard, gents. Both Lee and Underwood are on their last chance cards. Lee has a propensity for getting turned around and lacking in the vision dept., while Underwood’s off field exploits continue to be a headache for the Packers. With rookie Davon House very high on potential with his speed (4.41 40), size (6’0”/ 195) and attitude, Lee and Underwood get a hard shove, probably out the door. UDFA Josh Gordy, a returnee for last year’s PS has been mighty impressive in preseason and has a great nose for the ball. We know how much TT loves his UDFA’s and Capers loves projects. So – is it the new projects or the old? The call here is the new guys, House and Gordy. However, if the brass thinks they can stash and keep Gordy on the PS it opens up another roster spot.
NO CHANCE –
Brandian Ross has virtually no hope in Green Bay.
SAFETY –
MORTAL LOCKS –
Nick Collins, Morgan Burnett, Charlie Peprah. Peprah filled in magnificently when Burnett went down last year thereby securing a roster spot for himself this year, and Collins is the best FS in football not named Polamalu. Burnett’s return from a knee injury is a welcome sight and the Packers will have good depth at the position and be a turnover making bunch.
ON THE BUBBLE –
Perpetual bubble boy and whipping dog Jarrett Bush always seems to be on the bubble, yet valiantly recues himself from the Turk with his energy and Special Teams play. Bush’s pick in the Super Bowl was a true bonus after Woodson and Shields left the game with injuries. But with Underwood also a S/CB as is Bush and S Anthony Levine, will it be enough to secure another spot for Bush? Yet, for whatever reason MM and Capers have a faith in Bush that is not shared by the majority of Packer Nation.
MAYbe –
All depending on how the CB slot shakes out M.D Jennings (UDFA R/ Ark. St.) could snag a PS squad slot. His chances of seeing actual time are slim at best.
NO CHANCE –
Anthony Bratton. It’s a numbers game here boys.
THE DEFENSIVE ROSTER (24) – (STARTERS IN BOLD ITALICS/ Practice Squad Underlined)
NT – (2) _ B. J. Raji, Howard Green
DE (4) – Mike Neal, Ryan Pickett, Jarius Wynn, C.J. Wilson (Lawrence Guy (R – PS)
LB’s (9) - CM3, A J Hawk, Desmond Bishop, Eric Walden, Brad Jones, Frank Zombo, Vic So’oto (R) , Jamari Lattimore (R) (Robert Francois PS)
CB (5) Sir Charles, Tramon Williams, Sam Shields, Davon House(R), Josh Gordy
S (4) – Nick Collins, Morgan Burnett, Charlie Peprah, Jarrett Bush (M.D. Jennings R – PS)
NEXT – NFC North Preview
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