AJ Hawk

[Rocky11]

Does anyone else but me think that he needs to be replaced? I am an Ohio State fan and was so excited to see him go to Green Bay but to me he has mostly been disappointing. He seems to jump on a lot of piles but don't make that many solo tackles. He was great at Ohio State but I think he is only average in the NFL.

 

[Southpaw]

He sucks. Some may agree some might not, but I can't think of any attributes he possesses that classify him as even average at his position.

His coverage skills are mediocre, he's a shaky tackler, he can't get off a block to save his life, he's slow and not much of an athlete that he was coming out of Ohio State, he's constantly late getting the calls in. When the ball is snapped half the time he's still looking behind him trying to get everyone into position.

He does need to be replaced, IMO. But by who? There aren't really any good ILB's available through FA and drafting an ILB and putting him in right away is a crap shoot unless we take one in the first or second round which I can't see us going. Even if we did, we're still rolling the dice. But at the same time, I don't think it would be any worse than what Hawk currently brings to the table. As long as the guy is an athlete and a sure wrap up tackler, I'll take him over Hawk

 

[ExpatPacker]

The Packers' best answer at this point may be DJ Smith or Robert Francois. We don't have to get rid of Hawk and the Packers have to pay his salary next year regardless. But he can certainly lose his starting job.

 

[realcaliforniacheese]

Hawk will be the starter next year unless one of the young guys really puts on a show in the off season and camp. The mere fact that Hawk wears "THE" helmet says how much Capers thinks of him and his understanding of schemes.

 

[TJV]

Hawk was very recently discussed in the “Are we equipped to run a dominant 3-4?” thread. BTW, the Packers don’t have to pay the salary any player is scheduled to make in the 2012-2013 season. Hawk, like everyone else can be waived. In the unlikely event Hawk is waived, the Packers would save a reported $4.4M in salary. At the very least I hope Thompson asks Hawk to take a paycut. I don't think he will but IMO he should.

 

[Rocky11]

WOW I whole heartily agree. I didn't want to be that frank but he does suck. He falls on more piles than he makes tackles. He is not a hitter. He would rather fall down in front of someone than stick his head in and hurt someone.

 

[fettpett]

WOW I whole heartily agree. I didn't want to be that frank but he does suck. He falls on more piles than he makes tackles. He is not a hitter. He would rather fall down in front of someone than stick his head in and hurt someone.

which sucks, because the dude should be a baller...man I had such high hopes for him

 

[7thFloorRA]

He is awful and it can not be said enough.

 

[ivo610]

I have been anti hawk my entire time on this forum, to the point where a forum member accused me of being racist (I'm also white) lol

 

[Bagadeez04]

I think you are all going too far saying he sucks. The guy is an average, run-of-the-mill inside linebacker. I think people throw out the "sucks" label because of where he was drafted.

I was amazed when Ted gave him that $33 million contract last off-season...just made no sense to give an average LBer that kind of money. Now we see mstuck with him for at least another year. DJ Williams might push him a little, but I'm guessing Hawk will continue to be the starter come week 1.

All that money the Packers threw at Hawk would have been so much better spent trying to keep Jenkins. Oh well.

 

[TJV]

All that money the Packers threw at Hawk would have been so much better spent trying to keep Jenkins.

Or on extending someone else. Or acquiring someone else. Just not that much on Hawk. If Thompson thought the salary structure somehow required that Hawk make more than Bishop got in his new deal, his top offer should have been $1.00 more. When the discussion was what to do with Barnett, Hawk, Bishop, and Chillar at ILB I think it was ivo610 who posted it looked like Hawk played better in the year his contract was up than before. I can't accuse Hawk of that but this last season added more evidence to back that up.

 

[Frozencheese]

He is utterly horrible. Slow, cant cover, cant catch, average tackler, cant blitz, he needs to go now.

 

[GWheels]

I bought his jersey the day after he was drafted. Didn't get much for my $100 investment. Thought he would play like Clay.

 

[jaybadger82]

Does anyone else but me think that he needs to be replaced? I am an Ohio State fan and was so excited to see him go to Green Bay but to me he has mostly been disappointing. He seems to jump on a lot of piles but don't make that many solo tackles. He was great at Ohio State but I think he is only average in the NFL.

Well, there's your problem...

 

[fettpett]

I do wish they had spent the money in a way that the majority of it went against an uncapped year and would make him much more expendable this year.

 

[ivo610]

Or on extending someone else. Or acquiring someone else. Just not that much on Hawk. If Thompson thought the salary structure somehow required that Hawk make more than Bishop got in his new deal, his top offer should have been $1.00 more. When the discussion was what to do with Barnett, Hawk, Bishop, and Chillar at ILB I think it was ivo610 who posted it looked like Hawk played better in the year his contract was up than before. I can't accuse Hawk of that but this last season added more evidence to back that up.

I caught a ton of flack for that I think. Seems like the case against him has grown since then.

 

[Frozencheese]

I bought his jersey the day after he was drafted. Didn't get much for my $100 investment. Thought he would play like Clay.

Oh I was all in when he was drafted. No shame in having had faith in Hawk coming out of college. He is just the most underachieving player that I can think of on the entire roster.

 

[Bagadeez04]

I caught a ton of flack for that I think. Seems like the case against him has grown since then.

Really? Were there many who thought signing Hawk for that kind of money was a good idea? I didn't have a problem with keeping him around...just not for anywhere near that ammount of money.

 

[Rocky11]

I have a Hawk jersey in my closet too. Bad investment. I will buy an Aaron Rodgers jersey this summer.

 

[ivo610]

Really? Were there many who thought signing Hawk for that kind of money was a good idea? I didn't have a problem with keeping him around...just not for anywhere near that ammount of money.

People were upset that I tried to make the case he played better in a contract year oddly enough.

I remember he hit FA and about 1/2 the board freaked out and thought it was the worst thing ever. Then they signed him and I wasn't a fan. Then again I didnt think Crosby should have been resigned and he had his best year ever this past year.

 

[Helmets]

I have two Hawk team issued jerseys from the team. I love them. Great investment...

 

[7thFloorRA]

I have two Hawk team issued jerseys from the team. I love them. Great investment...

Suit up....you can't be any worse than him.

 

[atthegates97]

we let the wrong MLB go at the end of last season. thats all i have to say.

 

[The Drew]

Everytime I see a post about AJ Hawk I bring up one name! Nick Barnett! We shouldve kept him!

 

[Southpaw]

Everytime I see a post about AJ Hawk I bring up one name! Nick Barnett! We shouldve kept him!

I agree. People can disagree or point out his issues staying healthy. But when he was on the field he was a leader, an athlete and he could lay the lumber. Something Hawk doesn't know anything about. His instincts were pretty good too. Which is a great trait for a LB.

Barnett had no issues staying healthy this year.