Barnett, Packers open to extension

[Mackie2001]

Barnett appears to have smarts. There's another thing I forgot to mention. He's the centerfielder of the defensive front seven. The plugger is dead in the NFL primarily because it's a passing league. The run generally doesn't hurt you much. All the rules favor the offensive's passing game. I can't remember the last time I saw the Packers, or any other team, leave their linebackers in on passing downs and not play five defensive backs as much as the Packers did last year. Fortunately, Thomson fixed the linebacking positions in the last two drafts. What has been a major weakness is now the strength of the defensive for many years to come.

During a Packers/queens game, I turned off the sound and listened to the Minnesota radio broadcast. During the entire game they gushed on and on about the Packers LB corps. I've noticed that on other occasions, as well. Trust me, they'll be one of the best.

Packers need a legit MLB with Barnett and Hawk on the outsides.

Check out his stats. If those aren't legitimate, I don't know what is. The trend is toward smaller LB's except in the 3-4 and even then, San Diego is playing with Donnie Edwards (227 lbs) as an inside lb.

 

[kmac]

The Chargers run a 3-4...

 

[Mackie2001]

The Chargers run a 3-4...

That's what I meant to write. Thanks for pointing that out to me. I'll change it.

 

[Zero2Cool]

The Chargers run a 3-4...

Is that in the forty yard dash?

 

[Lare]

Hodge had 5 solo tackles, one assisted tackle, a fumble recovery and a TD in the Seattle game. I don't think that qualifies as godawful.

Yes it does. The TD was a nice play, but 6 tackles in a game is nothing special for a middle linebacker, and I don't remember any of those tackles being at or behind the line of scrimmage. And I sure didn't see anything like the range that Barnett has. Hodge had some great moments in the preseason, though, and I hope he pans out. The Seattle game just made me think he's not ready yet.

Don't mean this as a point in favor or against either player, but according to NFL.com Nick Barnett had 105 total tackles in 15 games in 2006, that's an average of 7 per game.

IMO, Barnett is a good MLB. He should expect to be paid accordingly.

 

[Zero2Cool]

Barnett averages just under 8 tackles a game for his entire career.

 

[Danreb]

That's just because of his speed, and his speed alone.

Who led the Packers in tackles this year? A.J. Hawk. Where did A.J. Hawk play in college? The outside. Where does he play in the NFL? The outside.

Where did Nick Barnett play in college? The outside.

He's just average in the middle. Abdul Hodge didn't get the credit he deserved in college because of his supporting cast--Chad Greenway played for Iowa as well.

But that's exactly why he should start at the middle. He'll have Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk surrounding the perimeters.

That being said, Poppinga was never mentioned, and he's good too. Green Bay had some success with their 3-3-5 package. This can become their base D if they don't address their need at Safety this off-season.

 

[kmac]

Green Bay had some success with their 3-3-5 package. This can become their base D if they don't address their need at Safety this off-season.

This can be their base package if they DON'T address their need at safety?

I hope that was a typo. Even if it was, I don't know of an NFL team that runs a 3-3-5 base. The only good COLLEGE team I know of that runs it is West Virginia.

 

[nathaniel]

That being said, Poppinga was never mentioned, and he's good too. Green Bay had some success with their 3-3-5 package. This can become their base D if they don't address their need at Safety this off-season.

That's funny cause I was just thinking about how no one has said anything about Poppinga, including me. He definitely deserves some credit.

Are there any good FA safeties available this year? Haven't really seen or heard of too many safeties coming up in the draft either.

 

[packerfan1245]

Barnett led the team in tackles. Nuff said.

 

[warhawk]

Barnett's agent will use Briggs' contract to help determing what Nick should be getting. He won't get Brigg's type money but that contract will help clarify how full Barnetts cup should get filled.

The big names that teams don't want to let hit FA will help determine what the guys down the ladder and those looking for extensions should get.

For one thing an agent won't generally bypass this process at the risk of looking foolish and ruining his reputation. It's much safer, for both sides, to see what the big names are signed for by teams that can't afford to wait.

 

[Zero2Cool]

Barnett led the team in tackles. Nuff said.

A.J. Hawk GB 119
Nick Barnett GB 105

 

[tromadz]

nuff said

(i really love our linebackers. dont sleep on poppinga, he showed he can improve)

 

[Mackie2001]

If you read enough posts and the Packers did what all of the fans wanted, the team would be unrecognizable. We all have to realize that it's impossible to have the best players at all positions and a team does the best it can with what they've got within in the contraints of availabilty and the cap. Why break up a good thing? But, the debate about such things is great.