Packers Most Likely to Lose Their Starting Spot by Week 8

wpr
Preferred Member Topic Starter

13 years ago

While we do have separate threads for Hawk and Sheilds I found the article that lumps them all together interesting.

5 Green Bay Packers Most Likely to Lose Their Starting Spot by Week 8
by Brian Carriveau

Whether due to age, ineffectiveness or lack of consistency, several players on the Green Bay Packers hold precarious grips on their starting jobs.

A poor training camp or a couple mental errors in a game could mean the difference between a spot in the starting lineup and a spot on the sidelines.

No one is throwing in the towel on these players. They'll receive every opportunity to prove themselves this season; they just have to take advantage of those situations.

Donald Driver

Following his attention-getting triumph on the reality television series Dancing with the Stars, Donald Driver's recently restructured contract with more than a million dollars in guaranteed pay has all but assured he'll be part of the Packers' plans in 2012.

But how big of a role will Driver play?

Marshall Newhouse

After a rookie season in which he saw action in exactly zero games, Newhouse was thrown to the wolves in 2011.

Filling in for an injured Chad Clifton, Newhouse had an up-and-down sophomore year.

A.J. Hawk

Solid, not spectacular, might be one of the best ways to describe A.J. Hawk.

The intangibles Hawk brings as a leader––being smart, communicating with teammates, not making mental errors and staying relatively healthy––are all positive traits.

Sam Shields

The unheralded hero of the Packers' 2010 Super Bowl just might have been Sam Shields, a college wide receiver that went undrafted and then made the transition to professional cornerback.

In just his rookie season, Shields played a large role in the Packers' nickel package, shutting down opposing wide receivers and coming up with a couple interceptions at the most opportune times, including the NFC Championship game.

Charlie Peprah

Charlie Peprah finds himself in a similar situation to A.J. Hawk as a player who's solid, but not a standout.

Filling in for injured safeties Morgan Burnett in 2010 and Nick Collins in 2011, Peprah has held down the fort, showing he's good enough to start in a Super Bowl and win it in 2010.

I really wanted to post the whole article but following Kevin's wishes I am putting the link for the rest of the story.

If Donald is the starter it is in name only. He won't have to wait until the middle of the season to be unseated. I suspect they know he is the #5 receiver at best (including Finley.)

With Sherrod's injury it is Marshall's job to lose. As long as he plays a solid game they won't pull him in favor of Derek.

With so many sub packages it is a misnomer is saying AJ is or is not a starter. He will be out on the field part of the time. He will be on the sidelines part of the time. Certainly Smith will see more playing time this year than last year. Some of those snaps will be at the expense of Hawk. I doubt AJ gets benched for the bulk of the game. And if so it will be a game to game decision depending upon opposition's offense.

technically I don't think Shields is a starter. That falls to Woodson and Williams.
As I said in the Shield's thread I expect him to have a better understand of the intricacies of a CB in the NFL. No doubt he assumed that his speed would cover all his errors last year. he is a little wiser now. It will only be a good thing if House or Hayward play themselves into a larger role.

Peprah is one of those guys that everyone loves to kick around. He has made the most of the talent that he has. Instead of appreciating his efforts many seem to complain because he is not All Pro caliber. I do expect him to lose out to either Woodson in his hybrid role. Especially if the young CBs come on strong. While others look to Jennings or Mc Millian to take over Peprah's position I think they are lat least a year away from doing so.

Wanna join the discussion?! Login to your PACKERSHOME forum account or Register a new forum account

nerdmann
Premier Member

13 years ago

Driver, Newhouse and Peprah are not starters.

As for Shields, the whole defensive backfield was hung out to dry last season. They were also required to tackle like LBs, being that no one in front of them was willing (or able) to do so. That should be over now.

The CBs won't have to cover for an inordinant amount of time, because we will be getting more pressure on the QBs. Also, we should be able to stop the run this year.

IF Shields loses his starting position, it will be temporary, and it will be due largely to outstanding performances by Davon House or Chris Heyward.

I think Datko is in the mix at LT.

As for Hawk, it wouldn't surprise me to see DJ Smith get more time. McCarthy had some good things to say about Smith today. Although in fairness to Hawk, the defense should be back to it's previous level, and he had a pretty decent year in 2010. Wouldn't mind seeing the rookie make a statement here either. What's his name? Manning? I see him beating out Francois.

“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”

DakotaT
Select Member

13 years ago

In the secondary in subpackages, I think what we might see is Shields and Tramon on the outside, House and Hayward in the slot and Woodson and Burnett playing safety. Peprah still starts in base if he beats out Jennings and Levine.

Hawk will be better this year because he has a tackling machine trying to take his job and he'll have a much improved line in front of him.

I expect a total turnaround on D this year, and if not - then Dom can hit bricks.

I believe Sherrod is our LT of the future but Newhouse will start the season. No clue on Datko yet. Grandpa Driver doesn't even belong on that list because he isn't the starter and shouldn't even make the team if things were actually fair. But since we have to give him a farewell tour some poor kid will have to spend the year on the practice squad instead of teh active roster.

Important Information:

The PACKERSHOME uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. More Details Close

Fan Shout

packerfanoutwest (10-Jul) : Us Padres fans love it....But it'll be a Dodgers/Yankees World Series

Zero2Cool (9-Jul) : Brewers sweep Dodgers. Awesome

Mucky Tundra (6-Jul) : And James Flanigan is the grandson of Packers Super Bowl winner Jim Flanigan Sr.

Mucky Tundra (6-Jul) : Jerome Bettis and Jim Flanigans sons as well!

Zero2Cool (6-Jul) : Thomas Davis Jr is OLB, not WR. Oops.

Zero2Cool (6-Jul) : Larry Fitzgeral and Thomas Davis sons too. WR's as well.

Mucky Tundra (5-Jul) : Kaydon Finley, son of Jermichael Finley, commits to Notre Dame

dfosterf (3-Jul) : Make sure to send my props to him! A plus move!

Zero2Cool (3-Jul) : My cousin, yes.

dfosterf (3-Jul) : That was your brother the GB press gazette referenced with the red cross draft props thing, yes?

Zero2Cool (2-Jul) : Packers gonna unveil new throwback helmet in few weeks.

Mucky Tundra (2-Jul) : I know it's Kleiman but this stuff writes itself

Mucky Tundra (2-Jul) : "Make sure she signs the NDA before asking for a Happy Ending!"

Mucky Tundra (2-Jul) : @NFL_DovKleiman Powerful: Deshaun Watson is taking Shedeur Sanders 'under his wing' as a mentor to the Browns QBs

Zero2Cool (30-Jun) : Dolphins get (back) Minkah Fitzpatrick in trade

Zero2Cool (30-Jun) : Steelers land Jalen Ramsey via Trade

dfosterf (26-Jun) : I think it would be great to have someone like Tom Grossi or Andy Herman on the Board of Directors so he/they could inform us

dfosterf (26-Jun) : Fair enough, WPR. Thing is, I have been a long time advocate to at least have some inkling of the dynamics within the board.

wpr (26-Jun) : 1st world owners/stockholders problems dfosterf.

Martha Careful (25-Jun) : I would have otherwise admirably served

dfosterf (25-Jun) : Also, no more provision for a write-in candidate, so Martha is off the table at least for this year

dfosterf (25-Jun) : You do have to interpret the boring fine print, but all stockholders all see he is on the ballot

dfosterf (25-Jun) : It also says he is subject to another ballot in 2028. I recall nothing of this nature with Murphy

dfosterf (25-Jun) : Ed Policy is on my ballot subject to me penciling him in as a no.

dfosterf (25-Jun) : I thought it used to be we voted for the whatever they called the 45, and then they voted for the seven, and then they voted for Mark Murphy

dfosterf (25-Jun) : Because I was too lazy to change my address, I haven't voted fot years until this year

dfosterf (25-Jun) : of the folks that run this team. I do not recall Mark Murphy being subject to our vote.

dfosterf (25-Jun) : Ed Policy yay or nay is on the pre-approved ballot that we always approve because we are uninformed and lazy, along with all the rest

dfosterf (25-Jun) : Weird question. Very esoteric. For stockholders. Also lengthy. Sorry. Offseason.

Zero2Cool (25-Jun) : Maybe wicked wind chill made it worse?

Mucky Tundra (25-Jun) : And then he signs with Cleveland in the offseason

Mucky Tundra (25-Jun) : @SharpFootball WR Diontae Johnson just admitted he refused to enter a game in 41° weather last year in Baltimore because he felt “ice cold”

Zero2Cool (24-Jun) : Yawn. Rodgers says he is "pretty sure" this be final season.

Zero2Cool (23-Jun) : PFT claims Packers are having extension talks with Zach Tom, Quay Walker.

Mucky Tundra (20-Jun) : GB-Minnesota 2004 Wild Card game popped up on my YouTube page....UGH

beast (20-Jun) : Hmm 🤔 re-signing Walker before Tom? Sounds highly questionable to me.

Mucky Tundra (19-Jun) : One person on Twitter=cannon law

Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : Well, to ONE person on Tweeter

Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : According to Tweeter

Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : Packers are working on extension for LT Walker they hope to have done before camp

dfosterf (18-Jun) : E4B landed at Andrews last night

dfosterf (18-Jun) : 101 in a 60

dfosterf (18-Jun) : FAFO

Zero2Cool (18-Jun) : one year $4m with incentives to make it up to $6m

dfosterf (18-Jun) : Or Lions

dfosterf (18-Jun) : Beats the hell out of a Vikings signing

Zero2Cool (18-Jun) : Baltimore Ravens now have signed former Packers CB Jaire Alexander.

dfosterf (14-Jun) : TWO magnificent strikes for touchdowns. Lose the pennstate semigeezer non nfl backup

dfosterf (14-Jun) : There was minicamp Thursday. My man Taylor Engersma threw

dfosterf (11-Jun) : There will be a mini camp practice Thursday.

Please sign in to use Fan Shout

2025 Packers Schedule

Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM

LIONS

Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM

COMMANDERS

Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM

Browns

Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM

Cowboys

Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM

BENGALS

Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM

Cardinals

Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM

Steelers

Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM

PANTHERS

Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM

EAGLES

Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM

Giants

Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM

VIKINGS

Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM

Lions

Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM

BEARS

Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM

Broncos

Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM

Bears

Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM

RAVENS

Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM

Vikings