Stout isn't necessarily the word I'd use. When I think of stout, I think of "Wilson / Raji / Pickett" and their massive bodies.

Neal and Jones are both undersized any way you cut it. With both on the edges, you have much better pass rush options, but I'm definitely worried if Neal and Jones are getting extended playing time in base-packages. Our OLBs (especially Clay) are already dreadful at maintaining gap discipline, and without a beefy front 3 to hold up, a running team (or Vikes with AP) will definitely eat us alive.

I read somewhere (JSOnline?) someone suggesting that a good DE in front of Perry could make Perry look much better than he actually is (I admit I don't think too much of Perry at the moment). If Jones can prove a useful rusher and be the DE in front of Perry, I am excited by the potential of a Neal-Claymaker and Jones-Perry/Moses lineup off the edge. There is definitely some positive stuff to build off of between Neal-Mathews combo that had some success last year.

Originally Posted by: all_about_da_packers 

DL - Mike Neal, B.J. Raji, Datone Jones
LB - Clay Matthews, A.J. Hawk, Desmond Bishop, Nick Perry

That looks like a stout front seven to me, but I think someone said Raji is actually better at DE?

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 

Nobody gets extended playing time in base packages on this team lol. Either way when you are talking an inch of height or 10 lbs here or there it really means nothing compared to simply can the guy play football.

Originally Posted by: steveishere 

Not sure what you mean by "nobody getting extended playing time" because that's not true on some levels. Basic level: Raji and Pickett play extensively in base packages.

Wilson was the 3rd DE, and let us assume he gets injured (which he did for a few weeks last season). Who on the current depth chart replaces Wilson? Neal - the guy who has missed a good chunk of games every season he has been in the league. After that, Mike Daniels - nowhere near the size (it matters!) to play DE.

D. Jones could be looking at playing extended (note: not meaning all the snaps) if things go wrong.

Now why DOES size matter? Because our 3-4 base is predicated on D-linemen eating up blockers. You want to leave the LBs free to go to the ball and make the tackle without meeting resistance (o-linemen) along the way. Jones, at 6'4 - 284 is not going to demand more than 1 blocker. That's a problem you cannot go around.

Originally Posted by: all_about_da_packers 

Not sure what you mean by "nobody getting extended playing time" because that's not true on some levels. Basic level: Raji and Pickett play extensively in base packages.

Wilson was the 3rd DE, and let us assume he gets injured (which he did for a few weeks last season). Who on the current depth chart replaces Wilson? Neal - the guy who has missed a good chunk of games every season he has been in the league. After that, Mike Daniels - nowhere near the size (it matters!) to play DE.

D. Jones could be looking at playing extended (note: not meaning all the snaps) if things go wrong.

Now why DOES size matter? Because our 3-4 base is predicated on D-linemen eating up blockers. You want to leave the LBs free to go to the ball and make the tackle without meeting resistance (o-linemen) along the way. Jones, at 6'4 - 284 is not going to demand more than 1 blocker. That's a problem you cannot go around.

Originally Posted by: all_about_da_packers 

If Jones is a good football player it won't matter if he weighs 290 or 300. Teams aren't just going to look at the sizes of the players and go "oh we need to double team that guy cause he's listed as 10lbs heavier" if there's a slightly smaller guy on the line wrecking people. They are going to block the guy who is tearing people up.

Originally Posted by: steveishere 

Not sure what you mean by "nobody getting extended playing time" because that's not true on some levels. Basic level: Raji and Pickett play extensively in base packages.

Wilson was the 3rd DE, and let us assume he gets injured (which he did for a few weeks last season). Who on the current depth chart replaces Wilson? Neal - the guy who has missed a good chunk of games every season he has been in the league. After that, Mike Daniels - nowhere near the size (it matters!) to play DE.

D. Jones could be looking at playing extended (note: not meaning all the snaps) if things go wrong.

Now why DOES size matter? Because our 3-4 base is predicated on D-linemen eating up blockers. You want to leave the LBs free to go to the ball and make the tackle without meeting resistance (o-linemen) along the way. Jones, at 6'4 - 284 is not going to demand more than 1 blocker. That's a problem you cannot go around.

Originally Posted by: all_about_da_packers