Joshua, Wisconsin Rapids, WI: Everyone can agree that this is a rebuilding year for the Packers. From a casual observer it appears that the Packers have not identified who they are building around? On offense, besides Jennings all the skill players are close to 30 or are already older. On defense, Hawk and Barnett appear on track to be something special, but the rest don't strike me as being anything more than average. Therefore, who are the players currently on the roster that are realistically going to be the cornerstones of the next Packer title contender?
ch: I disagree that this is a rebuilding year. The Packers are trying to win games. The "young team" excuse is getting real old. This isn't a young team. Will Henderson. Donald Driver. Mark Tauscher. Brett Favre. Ahman Green. Bubba Franks. Chad Clifton. Scott Wells. KGB. Aaron Kampman. Nick Barnett. Al Harris. Charles Woodson. Marquand Manuel. Nick Collins. Ryan Pickett. Ben Taylor. Colin Cole. Kenderick Allen. Robert Ferguson. David Martin. Donald Lee. That isn't exactly The Lil' Rascals. Please, stop with this "rebuilding" and "young team" talk. It's nonsense. The Packers have enough experience and talent to win a majority of their games. The schedule isn't exactly a killer, either. They need to coach and play better. The reason you haven't identified who they're building around is because the guys they're building around have - pardon the pun - been around the building a long time. A.J. Hawk, Greg Jennings, Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge and Tony Moll are young players, but they're also playing beyond their years.
I will agree that you can find players on the squad with a great deal of NFL experience, and some with Elite, Pro Bowl experience. However, of the names he mentions only Favre, Green and maybe Driver could have ever been considered game changing, elite players. The rest are good role players, that can excel on a good team. Green is definiately on the downside of his career and can no longer be considered in this category. Favre, while also on the downside, is still capable of playing at close to an elite level. Driver is underrated in the NFL and is still playing at his peak. That gives this team 2 proven playmakers on one side of the ball, and none on the other. As for the young players mentioned, I do not think you can seriously argue that they are playing beyond their years, with the possible exception of Jennings. The reality is that this is a rebuilding team that needs an impact player on the defensive side of the ball to bring the unit together, as well as some semblence of a running game to make the offense consistently effective.
They do have experience players, and the schedule is soft - but to believe that this is or should be a playoff contending team is somewhat of a pipe dream.
ch: I disagree that this is a rebuilding year. The Packers are trying to win games. The "young team" excuse is getting real old. This isn't a young team. Will Henderson. Donald Driver. Mark Tauscher. Brett Favre. Ahman Green. Bubba Franks. Chad Clifton. Scott Wells. KGB. Aaron Kampman. Nick Barnett. Al Harris. Charles Woodson. Marquand Manuel. Nick Collins. Ryan Pickett. Ben Taylor. Colin Cole. Kenderick Allen. Robert Ferguson. David Martin. Donald Lee. That isn't exactly The Lil' Rascals. Please, stop with this "rebuilding" and "young team" talk. It's nonsense. The Packers have enough experience and talent to win a majority of their games. The schedule isn't exactly a killer, either. They need to coach and play better. The reason you haven't identified who they're building around is because the guys they're building around have - pardon the pun - been around the building a long time. A.J. Hawk, Greg Jennings, Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge and Tony Moll are young players, but they're also playing beyond their years.
I will agree that you can find players on the squad with a great deal of NFL experience, and some with Elite, Pro Bowl experience. However, of the names he mentions only Favre, Green and maybe Driver could have ever been considered game changing, elite players. The rest are good role players, that can excel on a good team. Green is definiately on the downside of his career and can no longer be considered in this category. Favre, while also on the downside, is still capable of playing at close to an elite level. Driver is underrated in the NFL and is still playing at his peak. That gives this team 2 proven playmakers on one side of the ball, and none on the other. As for the young players mentioned, I do not think you can seriously argue that they are playing beyond their years, with the possible exception of Jennings. The reality is that this is a rebuilding team that needs an impact player on the defensive side of the ball to bring the unit together, as well as some semblence of a running game to make the offense consistently effective.
They do have experience players, and the schedule is soft - but to believe that this is or should be a playoff contending team is somewhat of a pipe dream.
