Do you like our chances in the NFC??..no really?

[DevilDon]

I'm guessing all the FA wishers don't know that there is a salary cap and that there is a limit on what you can pay players. The Packers will have to redo Aaron Rodgers deal, which is likely going to be the largest in the NFL soon and Clay Matthews. There isn't $4 mil lying around for a situational pass rusher folks.
There isn't $2 mil lying around. Get your head around it, if you want Rodgers and Matthews and Raji in Green and Gold you will have to accept that the Packers are a draft and develop team.
I know, even if you don't care about Raji, consider the fate of this team without him. No big FA soup for you!

 

[rodell330]

I'm guessing all the FA wishers don't know that there is a salary cap and that there is a limit on what you can pay players. The Packers will have to redo Aaron Rodgers deal, which is likely going to be the largest in the NFL soon and Clay Matthews. There isn't $4 mil lying around for a situational pass rusher folks.
There isn't $2 mil lying around. Get your head around it, if you want Rodgers and Matthews and Raji in Green and Gold you will have to accept that the Packers are a draft and develop team.
I know, even if you don't care about Raji, consider the fate of this team without him. No big FA soup for you!

Raji can be repalced...Rodgers and Matthews can't.

 

[adambr2]

Raji can be repalced...Rodgers and Matthews can't.

Hey, we agree on something!

Raji shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence as Rodgers and Matthews when it comes to importance to this team. Rodgers is the heart and soul of the team and Matthews is the most important player on defense.

There are a ton of big NT's coming up in this year's draft that could replace Raji after the 2013 season. Johnathan Jenkins from Georgia comes to mind.

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

Raji can be repalced...Rodgers and Matthews can't.

I agree with you on this one. Raji is a very good player, but not a guy who you "must resign or your franchise falls apart".

The Packers need to draft some defensive line talent since Pickett is old and Raji might be on his way out. Neal has to stay healthy and Worthy has to recover from that nasty ACL injury.

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

I'm guessing all the FA wishers don't know that there is a salary cap and that there is a limit on what you can pay players.

Everybody realizes there's a salary cap... Thank you for clarifying.

 

[rodell330]

I agree with you on this one. Raji is a very good player, but not a guy who you "must resign or your franchise falls apart".

The Packers need to draft some defensive line talent since Pickett is old and Raji might be on his way out. Neal has to stay healthy and Worthy has to recover from that nasty ACL injury.

Yea it would be different if Raji was the caliber of Ngata but he's not. He shows flashes and then dissapears for stretches. Without Matthews we wouldn't have really anyone on the defense you have to game plan for as Matthews can wreck an offensive drive by himself.

 

[rodell330]

Hey, we agree on something!

Raji shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence as Rodgers and Matthews when it comes to importance to this team. Rodgers is the heart and soul of the team and Matthews is the most important player on defense.

There are a ton of big NT's coming up in this year's draft that could replace Raji after the 2013 season. Johnathan Jenkins from Georgia comes to mind.

i like Johnathan Hankins from Ohio State. He's a monster of a nose tackle. Either of the two could replace raji.

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

Yea it would be different if Raji was the caliber of Ngata but he's not. He shows flashes and then dissapears for stretches. Without Matthews we wouldn't have really anyone on the defense you have to game plan for as Matthews can wreck an offensive drive by himself.

In my opinion, at this point Matthews is only "must keep" player in the entire front seven. The other six players plus their backups are all expendable. Hopefully that changes this coming year.

 

[rodell330]

In my opinion, at this point Matthews is only "must keep" player in the entire front seven. The other six players plus their backups are all expendable. Hopefully that changes this coming year.

I completely agree. I've looked at our defense especially the front seven and have thought the same thing. I hope Bishop comes back and is a playmaker, that would help tremendously as he was a wayyy better blitzer then Hawk.

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

I completely agree. I've looked at our defense especially the front seven and have thought the same thing. I hope Bishop comes back and is a playmaker, that would help tremendously as he was a wayyy better blitzer then Hawk.

That's my issue with the defense, there are so many questions. Will Bishop come back at 100% after tearing a hamstring? Will Worthy even play this year? If Worthy does play will he be anywhere near 100%? Does Perry grow/mature from last year after only playing four games? Will Mike Neal be suspended or injured again?

 

[adambr2]

Heres a good test -- Raji missed 2 games last year. Did anyone notice?

 

[DevilDon]

Raji can be repalced...Rodgers and Matthews can't.

Maybe, but you've just created another hole in the roster where it didn't exist before. You can let them all go but you're creating holes and the Packers already have enough of those.

 

[rodell330]

Maybe, but you've just created another hole in the roster where it didn't exist before. You can let them all go but you're creating holes and the Packers already have enough of those.

Not at all because you can draft Raji's replacement or possibly find someone cheaper via FA.

 

[DevilDon]

Not at all because you can draft Raji's replacement or possibly find someone cheaper via FA.

Did you see his replacement in FA? Someone younger and with as much known ability? I didn't. Pickett will likely be gone after this year, doesn't it make sense to draft his replacement?
I don't think you're going to find a replacement with Raji's ability in the 3rd or later rounds. In the meantime you need OL help, safety help, probably a RB and somewhere you need another WR. Are they set at Center? What about TE after this year?
See what I mean? You let Raji go and you've just created another void where there wasn't one there before.

 

[rodell330]

Did you see his replacement in FA? Someone younger and with as much known ability? I didn't. Pickett will likely be gone after this year, doesn't it make sense to draft his replacement?
I don't think you're going to find a replacement with Raji's ability in the 3rd or later rounds. In the meantime you need OL help, safety help, probably a RB and somewhere you need another WR. Are they set at Center? What about TE after this year?
See what I mean? You let Raji go and you've just created another void where there wasn't one there before.

I hear you but with Aaron rodgers possibly getting a record deal and clay Matthews getting big money Raji is as good as gone..unless they decided to tag him and hopefully find his replacement in the draft.

 

[DevilDon]

I hear you but with Aaron rodgers possibly getting a record deal and clay Matthews getting big money Raji is as good as gone..unless they decided to tag him and hopefully find his replacement in the draft.

I don't see it that way. I think they resign him. They all have the same agent and he's got to know it's going to be difficult but he's going to have to play ball to get all three done.
I just think it's unwise to let an established red chip player go. Finding his replacement isn't as easy as some make it sound. Even with a high draft pick it's still a crap shoot. I thought Mike Neal was going to be a monster and he might still be one but not so far.

 

[rodell330]

I don't see it that way. I think they resign him. They all have the same agent and he's got to know it's going to be difficult but he's going to have to play ball to get all three done.
I just think it's unwise to let an established red chip player go. Finding his replacement isn't as easy as some make it sound. Even with a high draft pick it's still a crap shoot. I thought Mike Neal was going to be a monster and he might still be one but not so far.

Idk maybe i'm not as high on Raji as you are. I think he can be really good but when is he going to be really good? Not show flashes but actually be the ype of NT that can take over a game? That's what we lack with our front 7. Nobody else can take over a game except Matthews.

 

[DevilDon]

Idk maybe i'm not as high on Raji as you are. I think he can be really good but when is he going to be really good? Not show flashes but actually be the ype of NT that can take over a game? That's what we lack with our front 7. Nobody else can take over a game except Matthews.

I guess that's what I'm saying. I expect Raji will be a DE and that will require the Packers to grab a NT in this draft to replace Pickett. I think with a monster young NT Raji will flourish. I like Hankins or Jenkins but Williams intrigues me as well. Any one of those guys will go a long way in occupying blockers to allow Raji to do more.
I'm NOT real high on Raji but I also recognize that guys of his size and abilities are rare. You put the right guys around him and he will be a force, much like Cullen Jenkins did for him.

 

[rodell330]

I guess that's what I'm saying. I expect Raji will be a DE and that will require the Packers to grab a NT in this draft to replace Pickett. I think with a monster young NT Raji will flourish. I like Hankins or Jenkins but Williams intrigues me as well. Any one of those guys will go a long way in occupying blockers to allow Raji to do more.
I'm NOT real high on Raji but I also recognize that guys of his size and abilities are rare. You put the right guys around him and he will be a force, much like Cullen Jenkins did for him.

Yea i tought he was better suited at DE myself. I'd love to see Jenkins or Hankins lined up next next him. That's alot of beef and more oppertunity for the backers to make plays.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Did you see his replacement in FA? Someone younger and with as much known ability? I didn't. Pickett will likely be gone after this year, doesn't it make sense to draft his replacement?
I don't think you're going to find a replacement with Raji's ability in the 3rd or later rounds. In the meantime you need OL help, safety help, probably a RB and somewhere you need another WR. Are they set at Center? What about TE after this year?
See what I mean? You let Raji go and you've just created another void where there wasn't one there before.

Well, you could let Raji go and sign 2 decent free agents for other positions next off season.

 

[AmishMafia]

I hear you but with Aaron rodgers possibly getting a record deal and clay Matthews getting big money Raji is as good as gone..unless they decided to tag him and hopefully find his replacement in the draft.

All the talk about how much he sucks, yet you think he will get a big FA contract?

Raji is an average player. He played better earlier in his career, not sure if that fire will ever get lit again. I, for one, hope we keep him, but agree with the predominant sentiment - he is expendable.

We have fallen on some tough times for defense. I like our DBs, but we can't seem to keep a MLB healthy. Our DL has suffered from injuries (Neal/Harrel), regressed development (Raji), getting old (Pickett) and incarceration (Jolly). Hope Worthy and Daniels buck that trend.

 

[Poppa San]

All the talk about how much he sucks, yet you think he will get a big FA contract?

Raji is an average player. He played better earlier in his career, not sure if that fire will ever get lit again. I, for one, hope we keep him, but agree with the predominant sentiment - he is expendable.

We have fallen on some tough times for defense. I like our DBs, but we can't seem to keep a MLB healthy. Our DL has suffered from injuries (Neal/Harrel), regressed development (Raji), getting old (Pickett) and incarceration (Jolly). Hope Worthy and Daniels buck that trend.

Worthy is injured and could possibly start the season on PUP.

 

[AmishMafia]

Worthy is injured and could possibly start the season on PUP.

Yep, not starting out good. But I won't label him 'injury bust' just yet.

 

[rodell330]

All the talk about how much he sucks, yet you think he will get a big FA contract?

Raji is an average player. He played better earlier in his career, not sure if that fire will ever get lit again. I, for one, hope we keep him, but agree with the predominant sentiment - he is expendable.

We have fallen on some tough times for defense. I like our DBs, but we can't seem to keep a MLB healthy. Our DL has suffered from injuries (Neal/Harrel), regressed development (Raji), getting old (Pickett) and incarceration (Jolly). Hope Worthy and Daniels buck that trend.

Nobody said he sucked.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Nobody said he sucked.

Actually, he does suck sometimes. Too frequently in my opinion. It gets forgotten with the splash plays. Raji has developed into an inconsistent player.

Nobody can say with a straight face that his 2011 or 2012 performances came close to his 2010 Pro Bowl level year. He should not be payed like these past two seasons never happened.

If Raji were to get his big contract and Pickett departs, Raji becomes the presumptive veteran leader of this D-Line group. Then what, with these half efforts as an example?

I don't think we'll re-sign him, and quite frankly I'm not sure how hard we'll even try.