Middle of the D

SoonerPack

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I just read this article and liked what I read:

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/pack...of-packers-defense-b99478940z1-299473181.html

If any of you have read my previous posts you are probably thinking here he goes chugging the Sam B Kool-Aid again and I can understand that. The other way of looking at this would be to feel a little pumped up that we have a guy like this ready to accept the challenge and take his game and this D to the next level. I have never heard all that much from Sam but this article portrayed him as a well spoken, intelligent, hungry guy that has a bit of a chip on his shoulder with the talent to back up his mouth. I know that everything is settled on the field and mouths don't win titles because if they did Rex Ryan would be out of room on his hands and getting rings fitted for his feet...and man does he love feet! (sorry, too easy) With that being said I do want a player to have the sort of confidence and motivation Sam seems to have as I believe almost all the great ones have a certain level of bravado or cockiness whether they admit it or not. We need someone like this in the middle of the D and this article only furthers my belief that SB can and will be the man to step in and start transforming the D into a positive rather a liability. Believe you me I still want a kid like Kendricks in the draft to play beside Sam and am in no way saying he is a slam dunk to be the answer at MLB. What I am saying is that what I watched on the field last year (in whole) and what I am hearing from him this off-season is only furthering my confidence that my trust in him is not misplaced. It appears that working hard and taking his craft serious won't be an issue and to me that's half the battle so here's to SB backing up his belief in himself on the field and this Defensive unit helping this team get to the ultimate goal next season! G P G!!
 

tynimiller

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I think he is like Goodson but perhaps a notch higher...he has the potential and the belief in himself...the rest time will tell.
 
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SoonerPack

SoonerPack

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And then I read this article:

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/pack...inebacker-prospect-b99479904z1-299514361.html

If EK falls to us at 30 I pray TT pulls the trigger. We have had some good fortune the last few years in regards to 1st round need and players available when our name is called i.e. Lacy and HaHa. ILB is one of our obvious needs this season and what a break it would be if Kendricks is sitting there for us as 30! IMO he would be a great fit based on need and TT's BPA strategy. Thoughts?
 

TJV

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We have had some good fortune the last few years in regards to 1st round need and players available when our name is called i.e. Lacy and HaHa.
Lacy was a second round pick - Datone was the first rounder in 2013 - and Thompson traded down 6 spots in the second round before picking Lacy.
 
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SoonerPack

SoonerPack

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Lacy was a second round pick - Datone was the first rounder in 2013 - and Thompson traded down 6 spots in the second round before picking Lacy.
DANG IT! You get my point though...right? I mess up with Jordy too as he was a 2nd but our first actual pick in the '08 draft. I now remember seeing Lacy still there when the our pick came up and thought to myself, "it has to be EL, right?!?!" It's a shame I didn't remember that BEFORE my post. Hahaha
 
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And then I read this article:

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/pack...inebacker-prospect-b99479904z1-299514361.html

If EK falls to us at 30 I pray TT pulls the trigger. ILB is one of our obvious needs this season and what a break it would be if Kendricks is sitting there for us as 30! IMO he would be a great fit based on need and TT's BPA strategy. Thoughts?

I´ve been advocating for getting Kendricks for quite some time so I would be excited if the Packers actually draft him.
 

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I was pleasantly surprised by how well Barrington played ILB last year, and I hope he can match that again this year. I hope we find a solid ILB in this draft to pair with him, and continue to use Matthews inside part-time and outside part-time. Keep opposing offenses guessing.
 
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I was pleasantly surprised by how well Barrington played ILB last year, and I hope he can match that again this year. I hope we find a solid ILB in this draft to pair with him, and continue to use Matthews inside part-time and outside part-time. Keep opposing offenses guessing.

Barrington was an upgrade over Hawk and Jones last season but he wasn't great by any means. While being a sure tackler and average in coverage he has to make more impact plays in run defense.
 
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SoonerPack

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Barrington was an upgrade over Hawk and Jones last season but he wasn't great by any means. While being a sure tackler and average in coverage he has to make more impact plays in run defense.
I agree 100% but also feel that greater production will follow as he becomes more settled in his role. I think we can all agree that his head was probably swimming a bit and more concerned with lining up properly and doing the small things properly. This is the case for most people when their name is called be it a new job, new role at said job, parenting, etc. I believe he has the physical skills to be an impact guy and I am hoping this next season he will start to show just that. Once he becomes comfortable with the scheme and his place in said scheme he should have the confidence to know that he is where he needs to be and just let it fly and start to make impact plays. Maybe I am placing too much faith in this young man but I assure you it's real confidence. I have a pretty decent nose for identifying talent and when I look at him and watch him move around I can't help but feel that we may have a pretty good one on our hands! This is obviously all speculation but I am pushing my chips to the middle on him and think he is going to really surprise some folks next year. G P G!
 

Curly Calhoun

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Barrington was an upgrade over Hawk and Jones last season but he wasn't great by any means. While being a sure tackler and average in coverage he has to make more impact plays in run defense.


Packer inside linebackers tend to play more side-to-side than downhill, not sure if that's part of Dom Capers scheme or just the personnel we've had. I don't think Barrington will ever be a great linebacker, but if he can play at the same level he did last year, it may be good enough.
 
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I agree 100% but also feel that greater production will follow as he becomes more settled in his role. I think we can all agree that his head was probably swimming a bit and more concerned with lining up properly and doing the small things properly. This is the case for most people when their name is called be it a new job, new role at said job, parenting, etc. I believe he has the physical skills to be an impact guy and I am hoping this next season he will start to show just that. Once he becomes comfortable with the scheme and his place in said scheme he should have the confidence to know that he is where he needs to be and just let it fly and start to make impact plays. Maybe I am placing too much faith in this young man but I assure you it's real confidence. I have a pretty decent nose for identifying talent and when I look at him and watch him move around I can't help but feel that we may have a pretty good one on our hands! This is obviously all speculation but I am pushing my chips to the middle on him and think he is going to really surprise some folks next year. G P G!
While I don't have that level of confidence, as in "pushing my chips to the middle", Barrington is my most likely to be the most improved starter on either side of the ball.

This defense was not easy for an ILB to play last season, particularly for a guy with zero experience. Capers threw out everything but the kitchen sink in front 7 alignments last season, while also having to play next to Matthews who was free lancing a good bit of the time and the ineffective Hawk the rest of the time. I'm tempted to say he can't help but improve if we get the Hawk upgrade we expect in this draft.

I'd say his upside is an approximation of the 2010 version of Desmond Bishop, which is not too shabby. He might be a little shy of the line crashing ability of Bishop, but his lateral play looks superior to compensate.
 

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As far as first rounders go I wouldn't have a problem with Kendricks, he's not my favorite and I don't think he's great against the run, though I wouldn't be excited. A potential option for NT could be Jordan Phillips. He's a guy that's really raw but could play two downs as a rookie and, if he takes to coaching, become a very good pass rusher on third down. There are worse options late in the first than a player with a floor of good run-stuffer and ceiling of dominant dlineman.
 

NelsonsLongCatch

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In my opinion, the middle of the Packers defense is awful and could be the reason the Pack do not win the Super Bowl this year. I'm intrigued by Sam Barrington, but I also wish there was more competition at the position. Right now the starting ILBs are Sam Barrington and a player to be named later. Raji and Guion do not inspire a ton of confidence at nose tackle.
 
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As far as first rounders go I wouldn't have a problem with Kendricks, he's not my favorite and I don't think he's great against the run, though I wouldn't be excited. A potential option for NT could be Jordan Phillips. He's a guy that's really raw but could play two downs as a rookie and, if he takes to coaching, become a very good pass rusher on third down. There are worse options late in the first than a player with a floor of good run-stuffer and ceiling of dominant dlineman.

With Raji and Guion coming back I don´t think a rookie NT would get a lot of playing time, especially early in the season. I´m not opposed to draft one early if the player presents great value as Raji and Guion will be UFAs again in 2016 but I wouldn´t expect a lot of production in year one.

In my opinion, the middle of the Packers defense is awful and could be the reason the Pack do not win the Super Bowl this year. I'm intrigued by Sam Barrington, but I also wish there was more competition at the position. Right now the starting ILBs are Sam Barrington and a player to be named later. Raji and Guion do not inspire a ton of confidence at nose tackle.

Thompson has to upgrade the ILB position in the draft. It would be shocking if he doesn´t add at least two prospects there. The Packers could get by with the current group at NT for another season.
 

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Thompson has to upgrade the ILB position in the draft. It would be shocking if he doesn´t add at least two prospects there. The Packers could get by with the current group at NT for another season.

I agree 100%. Our DL is more than serviceable across the board. ILB next to Sam Barrington is what needs to be upgraded. If Kendricks is there at #30, I'll be pissed off if TT doesn't pull the trigger on him. We can still get a good CB prospect in round two, but getting a good ILB prospect in round two would be a crap shoot.

I suspect that a run at the ILB position will start somewhere at the end of round one and toward the start and middle of round two.

We may have the pick of the litter of the ILB's at #30. So I hope TT jumps on it and takes Kendricks if hes there.

My only caveat is that if Marcus Peters is sitting there at #30 that it will be damn hard to pass him up. I just wonder if TT feels the same way? Peters has shut down corner written all over him. He just had some character issues in College.
 
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I agree 100%. Our DL is more than serviceable across the board. ILB next to Sam Barrington is what needs to be upgraded. If Kendricks is there at #30, I'll be pissed off if TT doesn't pull the trigger on him. We can still get a good CB prospect in round two, but getting a good ILB prospect in round two would be a crap shoot.

I suspect that a run at the ILB position will start somewhere at the end of round one and toward the start and middle of round two.

We may have the pick of the litter of the ILB's at #30. So I hope TT jumps on it and takes Kendricks if hes there.

My only caveat is that if Marcus Peters is sitting there at #30 that it will be damn hard to pass him up. I just wonder if TT feels the same way? Peters has shut down corner written all over him. He just had some character issues in College.

I´ve been advocating for the Packers to draft Kendricks for quite some time. I would be fine with Thompson reaching for him a little bit at #30 than risk him being picked before the Packers second rounder.
 

Sunshinepacker

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With Raji and Guion coming back I don´t think a rookie NT would get a lot of playing time, especially early in the season. I´m not opposed to draft one early if the player presents great value as Raji and Guion will be UFAs again in 2016 but I wouldn´t expect a lot of production in year one.

He might not get much playing time this season but then you're set at the position for the next four years and potentially get a dominant NT as well. It's not optimal but Matthews CAN play ILB. Is a rookie ILB better than Perry playing OLB? Because that's the difference in having a rookie ILB rather than Matthews at ILB. On third down I'm pretty sure that no rookie ILB is going to be on the field considering you'll have Peppers/Mathews/Perry rushing with 3 dlinemen....although if Raji is as ineffectual rushing the QB as he has been since 2010 then maybe the rookie ILB will stay on the field since the Packers will only have two dline on the field on third down.
 
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He might not get much playing time this season but then you're set at the position for the next four years and potentially get a dominant NT as well. It's not optimal but Matthews CAN play ILB. Is a rookie ILB better than Perry playing OLB? Because that's the difference in having a rookie ILB rather than Matthews at ILB. On third down I'm pretty sure that no rookie ILB is going to be on the field considering you'll have Peppers/Mathews/Perry rushing with 3 dlinemen....although if Raji is as ineffectual rushing the QB as he has been since 2010 then maybe the rookie ILB will stay on the field since the Packers will only have two dline on the field on third down.

I really hope Capers doesn´t rush six guys on every single third down this season because the defense would get destroyed by decent QBs doing that. The Packers keep an ILB on the field on nearly every single play.

The true question is actually if a rookie ILB with Matthews playing outside is better than Clay inside with Perry playing outside. If we get Kendricks or Anthony I would prefer the first option.
 

Sunshinepacker

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I really hope Capers doesn´t rush six guys on every single third down this season because the defense would get destroyed by decent QBs doing that. The Packers keep an ILB on the field on nearly every single play.

The true question is actually if a rookie ILB with Matthews playing outside is better than Clay inside with Perry playing outside. If we get Kendricks or Anthony I would prefer the first option.

I agree that Capers shouldn't be rushing six guys, I never said that. My point was that those three linebackers are the best threats to rush the passer and therefore would be on the field. You don't actually HAVE to rush all of them. The idea is to confuse the offense....
 
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I agree that Capers shouldn't be rushing six guys, I never said that. My point was that those three linebackers are the best threats to rush the passer and therefore would be on the field. You don't actually HAVE to rush all of them. The idea is to confuse the offense....

There´s no way Capers will line up Matthews, Peppers and Perry with three defensive linemen though. Even in the dime package with only one ILB on the field the defense only lines up a combination of four DL and OLBs. In addition the Packers seldom drop a OLB into coverage.
 

Sunshinepacker

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There´s no way Capers will line up Matthews, Peppers and Perry with three defensive linemen though. Even in the dime package with only one ILB on the field the defense only lines up a combination of four DL and OLBs. In addition the Packers seldom drop a OLB into coverage.

Technically, in that lineup, you'd imagine that Perry would have his hand in the dirt and only Peppers and Mathews would be standing
 

Joe Nor Cal Packer

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I just read this article and liked what I read:

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/pack...of-packers-defense-b99478940z1-299473181.html

If any of you have read my previous posts you are probably thinking here he goes chugging the Sam B Kool-Aid again and I can understand that. The other way of looking at this would be to feel a little pumped up that we have a guy like this ready to accept the challenge and take his game and this D to the next level. I have never heard all that much from Sam but this article portrayed him as a well spoken, intelligent, hungry guy that has a bit of a chip on his shoulder with the talent to back up his mouth. I know that everything is settled on the field and mouths don't win titles because if they did Rex Ryan would be out of room on his hands and getting rings fitted for his feet...and man does he love feet! (sorry, too easy) With that being said I do want a player to have the sort of confidence and motivation Sam seems to have as I believe almost all the great ones have a certain level of bravado or cockiness whether they admit it or not. We need someone like this in the middle of the D and this article only furthers my belief that SB can and will be the man to step in and start transforming the D into a positive rather a liability. Believe you me I still want a kid like Kendricks in the draft to play beside Sam and am in no way saying he is a slam dunk to be the answer at MLB. What I am saying is that what I watched on the field last year (in whole) and what I am hearing from him this off-season is only furthering my confidence that my trust in him is not misplaced. It appears that working hard and taking his craft serious won't be an issue and to me that's half the battle so here's to SB backing up his belief in himself on the field and this Defensive unit helping this team get to the ultimate goal next season! G P G!!
I had the same impression reading this. A highly motivated player is likely to spend hours on preparation for each game. It's worked well for ARod. I always thought CMIII would step up as the leader of the D. But maybe he doesn't want that and that's ok. So I like what I read here about Sam B. And really, it's past time for a player on D to make this statement and lead this team on the field.
 

Joe Nor Cal Packer

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And then I read this article:

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/pack...inebacker-prospect-b99479904z1-299514361.html

If EK falls to us at 30 I pray TT pulls the trigger. We have had some good fortune the last few years in regards to 1st round need and players available when our name is called i.e. Lacy and HaHa. ILB is one of our obvious needs this season and what a break it would be if Kendricks is sitting there for us as 30! IMO he would be a great fit based on need and TT's BPA strategy. Thoughts?
You are spot on. I don't think TT needs to go after a CB in the first round. If EK is there at 30 he would be my choice. I like the idea of Barrington and EK in the middle, and get CMIII back on the outside where he excels.
 
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SoonerPack

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While I don't have that level of confidence, as in "pushing my chips to the middle", Barrington is my most likely to be the most improved starter on either side of the ball.

This defense was not easy for an ILB to play last season, particularly for a guy with zero experience. Capers threw out everything but the kitchen sink in front 7 alignments last season, while also having to play next to Matthews who was free lancing a good bit of the time and the ineffective Hawk the rest of the time. I'm tempted to say he can't help but improve if we get the Hawk upgrade we expect in this draft.

I'd say his upside is an approximation of the 2010 version of Desmond Bishop, which is not too shabby. He might be a little shy of the line crashing ability of Bishop, but his lateral play looks superior to compensate.
I think that's a fair comparison and I feel if we can get him to play at a Bishop type level with a young buck like EK beside him that would be a big upgrade for this unit. I may be in the minority but I still have hope that Joe Thomas can someday be a player. I really hope he is healthy and able to compete for some PT when the time comes. Kendricks is the kicker for me. I so hope we can land this kid and feel very good about him being a instant contributor with immense upside. 52 would be freed up to do what he does best which should only help Peppers have another stout year. If EK is there at 30 common sense would dictate that he is the pick, no? I know predicting what TT is going to do is down-right impossible but that pick just seems to make the most sense. I just hope it all shakes out this way but we are only a few weeks away from the moment of truth... G P G!
 

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