So Hayward and Perry are less disappointing players? Both high draft picks. Hayward and Perry have certainly made some impact plays.

A player is supposed to play. Hawk does that. Every game. Who's his backup? Doesn't matter. All of us know who Clay's backup is as he will be playing prominent minutes.

In 2006 draft, Mario Williams, Reggie Bush, Vince Young and D'Brickashaw Ferguson were picked above AJ. Williams has had injury issues and is not on the same team that drafted him. Bush is on his 3rd team and has never lived up to expectations. Young was a bad pick to start with. Ferguson has been solid for the Jets.

From the Packer standpoint, I would say that Hawk is a better pick than Bush or Young. About even with Williams and behind Ferguson. Either the entire draft is a disappointment or your standards are too high.

The player picked #5 in 2005 was Cadillac Williams. Is he headed to the HOF? He only played 2 complete seasons. Was injured or bad the other 5. Averaged only 3.8 yds/ carry. 4,038 yards in 7 seasons or 577/ year. If that is the standard for #5 picks, AJ is awesome!

The player picked #5 in 2007 was Levi Brown. He is currently out of the league. He played 81 games in 7 years with the Cardinals and Steelers. Just 4 games in the last 2 years. No post season honors. Nothing remarkable at all. Just average when not injured. Essentially, he was an average player for 5 years. AJ has been average for 8. Which is better?

Originally Posted by: QCHuskerFan 

AJ Hawk is not the problem. Teams can win with AJ Hawk, as the Packers have done. The biggest problem is the players around Hawk and/or the failure to find someone better. Hawk isn't the greatest, but there are many worse players in the league. I have no doubt he would be a very good #2 ILB beside a very good #1. The Packers just can't seem to find a very good #1 ILB, so Hawk keeps having to play that role.

He could be better, but he could be much, much, worse. I'm OK with him. The Packers just need to improve all of the other linebacker positions with players that will stay healthy. At least he showed a little improvement last season. Every team needs guys like AJ Hawk.

Originally Posted by: DoddPower 

AJ Hawk is or isn't a problem depending on context.

Is AJ Hawk worth a cap hit of 5.1 million this year? No. It would cost too much to cut him, though, with 3.2 million in dead money should he be released. Ain't happening. We're stuck with Hawk at 5.1 million this season. Depressing to me.

Has AJ Hawk lived up to his draft status? Nope... nowhere near it. A total failure as a 5th overall.

Does AJ Hawk have value in general? Yes...but it's limited and limited to 1st and 2nd down. He's not even a 3 down LB. Again, 5.1 million for 2 mediocrely played downs.

Does AJ Hawk have the confidence of Dom Capers? Yes...he "runs" the D. So, is that a positive. Has Hawk's running of our D been a good thing? Packers think it is. I don't really know.

Does AJ Hawk show up week to week? Yes, he brings his middling skills almost every Sunday.

Did he have one of his better years last season? Yes. Remarkably, so. Not sure how/why this happened considering he had little help around him. Anomaly, or sign of better days for AJ? Hard to say considering he's been average for years and a little better than that last season.

For my money, AJ Hawk is the poster child for everything I hate about our organizational approach. He's okay ...just not good enough but we'll keep on going with him, at least he's reliable and "could be worse".

Originally Posted by: uffda udfa 

Hawk is the 5th best player taken in the first round of the '06 draft.

He lived up to his status.

Originally Posted by: Dexter_Sinister 

LOL! Are you serious? So, using your logic, (here we go again) Alex Smith is better than Aaron Rodgers because Smith went 1st overall and Aaron 24th? You should be glad you're not a Niners fan or that's the kind of thing you'd be drafting in defense of your team taking Alex Smith...he was best because he was 1st. Wow.

Vernon Davis went 6th overall, but he's not as good because Green Bay made the mistake of selecting Hawk instead? Haloti Ngata went 9th overall...but he's not as good as Hawk because we didn't draft him at 5? I'll take Nick Mangold or Tamba Hali from that 1st round over AJ. I would mention the guys before him, too, but they're out of bounds because being drafted higher means better? [palm]

Wait, or do you mean that Hawk was the 5th best if you look at the players 1-32 and ranked them?

Originally Posted by: uffda udfa