http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/125418188.html
Hello from the new guy ... 10 things to ponder on the Packers
July 12, 2011 1:01 p.m. |(76) Comments
Greetings Packer Nation. It's a privilege to enter your world. This week, I start my job covering the defending champs for the Journal Sentinel. Needless to say, I'm thrilled and honored to serve some of the best fans in the country. This is, without a doubt, a dream opportunity and I certainly have big shoes to fill. My predecessor, Greg Bedard, did a great job connecting with all of you. Hoping to pick up where he left off. I'm also really looking forward to working with - and learning from - some of the best beat writers in the country in Bob McGinn, Tom Silverstein and Lori Nickel.
As for me, I'm from Great Valley, N.Y., a small town about an hour south of Buffalo. For two summers during college, I acquired an itch for the Packers beat as an intern for multiple publications in Wisconsin. And after graduating from Syracuse University in June of 2010, working at the Fayetteville Observer and Buffalo News, I'm ecstatic to return.
On to football. The news surrounding a potential lockout resolution is sweetening so let's look ahead. Here are 10 topics to ponder with a new season looming. Feel free to reach me any time at tdunne@journalsentinel or via Twitter @TyDunne.
10. Tracking the loaded NFC North. This may be the best division in football, devoid of bottom-feeders. The Bears remain a contender. The Lions should finally make their leap into relevancy. And the Vikings, much better than their 6-10 record indicated a year ago, will return to normalcy.
9. How is Jermichael Finley re-assimilated into the offense? Without him, the Packers leaned on a multi-wideout attack. The top four wide receivers each had at least 45 receptions. An entire year's gameplan changed on the fly - and succeeded. Now, Finley returns. How does Mike McCarthy harness his sudden abundance of weapons effectively?
8. Who stays, who goes? Don't expect Ted Thompson to be a player in free agency. It's not in his nature and there's no need to. But depending on how free agency is constructed under the new CBA, he'll have some tough decisions to make. We could see an unprecedented, abbreviated feeding frenzy. GMs have been licking their chops for months to fill needs. Who does Thompson retain?
7. Is Cullen Jenkins replaceable? His exit may be a foregone conclusion. But for a 3-4 end, Jenkins is a mutation. Beyond a mere space-eater, he totaled seven sacks in 11 games last season. Finding an adequate replacement (see: grooming Mike Neal) will be at the top of Dom Capers' to-do list.
6. Judgment Day? Character has weighed heavily in the makeup of the current roster. Will the Packers brass deal with Johnny Jolly and Brandon Underwood swiftly?
5. New toys. A pair of rookie offensive weapons fell in the team's lap in the draft. On paper, Kentucky's Randall Cobb and Hawaii's Alex Green fit in immediately. One in the return game, the other as a third-down back. First, though, they need to get on the field.
4. Goodbye Barnett? Desmond Bishop broke out last year, entrenching himself as a starter. Barnett's play isn't exactly deteriorating. But coming off of a season-ending wrist injury, he's set to make $5.5 million in 2011. Green Bay might deem its situation at ILB a pork project.
3. The battle at running back. Remember when many fans practically were hoisting pitchforks at 1265 Lombardi Avenue, urging management to pursue Marshawn Lynch? Hit-and-run, gun charges and all? A distant memory. The competition in Green Bay's backfield will be heated. Returning from an ankle injury, Grant says it's still his job to lose. Unsung hero James Starks is breathing down his neck. Green isn't far behind and the likes of Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn could still be in the picture. Ding, ding.
2. The motivation meter. Drive should not be a problem. The roster is stocked with players with something to prove, players that watched a Super Bowl victory in basketball shorts. For a defending champ, that's rare. Does Pat Riley's old "Disease of Me" theory set in? Or will the chemistry McCarthy and Thompson carefully crafted prevail?
1. Above all, can Aaron Rodgers get even better? He was borderline invincible by year's end with a 109.8 postseason passer rating. The greats always hunt down a weakness in their game and attack in the offseason. Maybe Rodgers, three years in as a starter, is just getting started.