GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The sting of watching Colin Kaepernick run circles around Packers defenders for the second consecutive postseason was enough to spark a change in the way Green Bay plays D. No, it wasn't the only reason. But a huge one.

The 49ers quarterback combined for 279 rushing yards in two playoff losses for Green Bay, and suddenly, the Pack needed to get more athletic and more versatile. And so, they went to work. They signed Julius Peppers, debunking the notion that GM Ted Thompson doesn't spend in free agency. They re-signed B.J. Raji to a fiscally responsible deal and put him back at nose tackle, a move that already has coaches excited. He'd been pushing that shift away from end, too. And, as Raji revealed Sunday, the Packers plan to unleash that front line and let everyone attack. "Just be more aggressive," Raji said.

So much, though, depends on Peppers, who, at 34 years old, is at a point in his career when most players wind down. When I asked a Packers source where they'll play the 12-year veteran, I was told: "Everywhere."

Of all the quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers stands alone at the top. This summer, Around The League will rank the best players in each position heading into the 2014 season.

But how much does Peppers truly have left? That's what the Packers set out to find when they studied last year's Chicago film before making the move to sign him. According to team sources, this is what they discovered: Peppers was as flexible as any 20-something player, bucking the general trend that older guys get stiffer. One veteran Packers staffer pointed out that Peppers had the walk of a younger player, loose and flexible. One called him a "physical freak. Just a freak." These are traits that talent evaluators build their reputations on.

And when Packers folks further examined the tape, they didn't find the lackadaisical effort that pundits accused Peppers of in 2013. When Peppers combines with a healthy Clay Matthews, the Packers believe they'll bring pressure like they haven't in quite some time.

And considering what this team has on offense -- that Aaron Rodgers guy is pretty good, and the offensive line depth is impressive -- Green Bay should have every opportunity to contend in a major way.

Ian Rapport  wrote: