wpr
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14 years ago

Packers by position: Defensive line by Rob Demovsky 

Once again this April, the Press-Gazette will provide a pre-draft breakdown of the Packers roster at each position by beat writer Rob Demovsky. This will lead up to the start of Pete Doughertys annual position-by-position draft series on April 21.

Defensive line

What they have


Ryan Pickett, B.J. Raji, Mike Neal, Howard Green, C.J. Wilson, Jarius Wynn, Justin Harrell, Jay Ross

Position analysis


Rajis an impact player and probably should have been a Pro Bowler last season. Hell be the anchor at nose tackle for years to come. Pickett was fine in his move from nose to end and still looks like hes got good football in him, although hes not a three-down player. He can play the occasional snap in the nickel but isnt a full-time pass rusher. Neal is all potential. He had a tremendous training camp and seemed ready for a high snap count until a shoulder injury ended his season almost before it got started. He had three tackles in a sack in his only real playing time at Washington in Week 5, but its a sign of what he could become if hes healthy. Hes strong as an ox. Whether he can step in and be a starter will depend on how he holds up. Green, like Pickett, is mostly a two-down player, but hes an effective one. With him, Pickett and Raji, the Packers have a beefy front thats tough to run against. It looks like he was more than just a stop-gap, in-season filler. Wilson has more potential than Wynn, although both will have to fight to make the roster. Harrells injury-filled career almost certainly is over in Green Bay. Ross was a practice-squader last season.

The future


The Packers almost certainly arent going to re-sign veteran end Cullen Jenkins, whose contract expired. Hes seeking more money than GM Ted Thompson will be willing to pay him, but some team probably will. Even suspended end Johnny Jollys second drug arrest wont be enough to change Thompsons mind about Jenkins. So hes going to have to address this position, and theres a good chance he could do so with the 32nd pick. A half-dozen defensive ends might be taken before the Packers pick, but Ohio State defensive end Cameron Heyward might be there for Thompson at that pick. Hes the son of the late NFL running back Craig Ironhead Heyward. North Carolinas Marvin Austin might be there, too, but character issues probably would scare Thompson away. This is a deep draft at defensive line, so perhaps Thompson could address the position with a later pick.


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wpr
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14 years ago
Packers draft needs by position: Defensive Line By Tom Silverstein 


This is the sixth in a position-by-position series evaluating the Green Bay Packers needs entering the 2011 draft.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Need level: Moderate to high

On the roster:
DE Ryan Pickett, NT B.J. Raji, DE Howard Green, DE C.J. Wilson, DE Mike Neal, DE Jarius Wynn, NT Jay Ross, DE Curtis Young and DE Justin Harrell.

Free agents: DE Cullen Jenkins.

Outlook: The line improved when Pickett got healthy, Raji began to play like a first-round pick and Green came in and offered some relief, but the run defense wasnt that good down the stretch. At times, the Packers were able to stifle offenses on first down and create better down-and-distance situations, which greatly aided the whole defense. A big problem for the Packers is that Jenkins, the best pass-rusher of the bunch, is as good as gone after not receiving any offers to stay. Then consider that the hefty Green and Pickett have been unsupervised for three months and might be letting their weight go and Neal is coming off a torn rotator cuff and has shown susceptibility to injury. Wilson came on late in the year and showed that with a strong off-season and continued improvement he could replace Jenkins at right end. Hes a good run defender, but nowhere near the inside rusher Jenkins is. Neal could fill that void. He showed in the Washington game that he can be a disruptive force in nickel situations, but again, he has to show he can make it through a season. Wynn was up and down all year and needs to use his physical talents better when pass rushing. Harrell is coming off a torn ACL, and while he looked good in camp last year and made the team, hes an injury waiting to happen.

Eye-opening stat:
In the 13 games in which Green played, the defense allowed opposing runners to average 4.5 yards per carry.

Whats available:
There is help at this position for 3-4 teams like the Packers, especially at the end of the first round where there will probably be a run on ends. Theres probably not a lot of agreement among teams on which player is the best of the group, so its hard to say who will be available. Iowas Adrian Clayborn has a birth-related nerve condition, Temples Muhammad Wilkerson looks the part but is very raw and Ohio States Cameron Heyward is enormously strong but far from a sure thing. On the third day of the draft, GM Ted Thompson could think about sturdy Mississippi State end Pernell McPhee or powerful Southern Arkansas lineman Cedric Thornton to beef up his run defense. Late in the draft there will be an opportunity to pick up a sleeper because of the depth at the position.

Bottom line:
Thompson doesnt have to come out of this draft with a high pick at defensive end, but given the way injuries have hit this unit in recent years, he better make sure he has plenty of depth. Right now, he doesnt. Ideally, Thompson would like Neal to step in and take over all of Jenkins duties, but he has to protect himself if Neal is injury prone. Wilson could also step in and replace Jenkins or Green on run downs and the Packers wouldnt lose anything. If Thompson is able to add a pass-rushing outside linebacker then it will take some pressure off him to replace Jenkins rush with a lineman.


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Stevetarded
14 years ago
They like to talk about how bad the run defense was but that's going to happen when you only use 2 lineman most of the time.
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beast
14 years ago

They like to talk about how bad the run defense was but that's going to happen when you only use 2 lineman most of the time.

"Stevetarded" wrote:



It also happens when 4 of your top 5 DL miss time with injuries. Raji is the only one of the of the top five from the start of the year that didn't have injuries. Jenkins and Pickett has some injuries and Neal and Harrell went to the IR. Green, Wilson and Wynn stepped it up and at least stayed healthy.

Packers DL coach talked about he felt kind of sorry for the guys the time when Jenkins and Pickett both went down early and he was working with 3 DL for the whole game.

And that Wynn got the wind knocked out of him one play, Capers called for the 3-4 and he had to tell Wynn gotta stay out there.

He also talked about how he trying to find time to get Raji some breathers but it was hard because he was very important in many of the different packages.... and how when he finally found time Raji waved him off a couple of times and stayed in the game.
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nerdmann
14 years ago
I like our depth on the DL.
“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.”
coltonja
14 years ago

I like our depth on the DL.

"nerdmann" wrote:



I don't know how. Look at the list- Wilson and Neal both are coming off of injuries and are inexperienced. Green is a two down player. Pickett isn't the pass rusher Jenkins is. Wynn, who's that? (Just kidding, but seriously) And Raji is a freak.

We need some help here. Jenkins is a pretty big loss. Not many 3-4 DE get sacks like that and we need other pass rushers on the outside to take the focus off of CM3. Raji can get pressure in the middle, so adding a threat at DE would be sick.
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Thanks to pack93z for the sig!!!
beast
14 years ago

I like our depth on the DL.

"coltonja" wrote:



I don't know how. Look at the list- Wilson and Neal both are coming off of injuries and are inexperienced. Green is a two down player. Pickett isn't the pass rusher Jenkins is. Wynn, who's that? (Just kidding, but seriously) And Raji is a freak.

We need some help here. Jenkins is a pretty big loss. Not many 3-4 DE get sacks like that and we need other pass rushers on the outside to take the focus off of CM3. Raji can get pressure in the middle, so adding a threat at DE would be sick.

"nerdmann" wrote:



Wilson was injured? I don't remember Raji, Green, Wilson or Wynn being injured. But the rest were.

I think Raji and Neal can/could be beasts, if they stay healthy and keep growing. (Raji could be a beast already).

I think Pickett, Green, Wilson and Wynn are just role players but Pickett and Green can be very good role players. I think Pickett run stopping and taking up blockers does help Matthews focus in more on pass rushing or what ever role is called. And Green maybe a NT but surprises will a nice pass rush once in a while. But it would be really nice to have another pass rushing DL if Jenkins isn't resigned. I don't think Wynn (who was cut at the start of the season) is the answer. Wilson has some potential but I'm not sure if he's ready to make the jump (even less so with not offseason training)

The other thing you have to factor in is the OLB position as in the nickel 2-4 the OLBers are like 4-3 DEs... and I really liked Zombo. I think he could take a huge jump IF he gets offseason training from Greene. The kid has the power and is physical enough, he needs to learn how to use it better and a lot of the little things.
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nerdmann
14 years ago
Wilson played better than expected, imo. I think he could make a big leap in year two. And Neal is gonna be dominant. He was in the short time he played.
“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
14 years ago
Run downs - Pickett - Raji - Green or Wilson

Pass downs - Raji - Neal

Green spells Raji at Nose Tackle ocassionally

Pick up a 34 DE in the 3rd or 4th round for depth. I dont' see this as a need position at all. Like usual, Uncle Ted is a year ahead of everything with his drafting of Neal and Wilson last year.

Jenkins can squak all he wants - he saw the writing on the wall, but it isn't as if we didn't pay him alot of money on his last contract. If memory serves correctly, he was an undrafted free agent and is now a millionaire. Nothing to whine about Cullen - thank you for your services.
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nerdmann
14 years ago

Run downs - Pickett - Raji - Green or Wilson

Pass downs - Raji - Neal

Green spells Raji at Nose Tackle ocassionally

Pick up a 34 DE in the 3rd or 4th round for depth. I dont' see this as a need position at all. Like usual, Uncle Ted is a year ahead of everything with his drafting of Neal and Wilson last year.

Jenkins can squak all he wants - he saw the writing on the wall, but it isn't as if we didn't pay him alot of money on his last contract. If memory serves correctly, he was an undrafted free agent and is now a millionaire. Nothing to whine about Cullen - thank you for your services.

"DakotaT" wrote:





I love Cullen and he's a great player, but he's always battling through injuries. Now that he's 30, can he continue to do that?
“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.”
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