wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member Topic Starter
13 years ago

How the Packers Defensive Line Will Look Come September 

With the lockout looking like it could finally be ending, let's take a look at how free agency will impact the Green Bay Packers defensive line.

Obviously, the big potential departure from the team is DE Cullen Jenkins, who last year posted seven sacks in only 11 games. Despite his injury problems last year, Jenkins was still a big impact player on the NFL's second-ranked defense.

If (more likely when) Cullen Jenkins joins another team the Packers will have to carry on with the players they already have on there roster. I highly doubt Ted Thompson will add anyone in free agency, especially since he showed by winning the Super Bowl that his way works.

With that being said, let's take a look at who else is on the roster.

The Packers are set at NT, with B.J. Raji about to explode and take the league by storm, and Ryan Pickett being able to mover over to the nose if needed along with Howard Green. Raji had 5.5 sacks last year, which is very impressive for a 330-lb NT.

Pickett of course will be a starting DE first. He played nicely at that spot last year, doing a more than adequate job stuffing the run. The other starting job will likely go to last years second-round pick Mike Neal. Neal showed some promise early on but went on IR with seemingly half of the team. Second year player C.J. Wilson could contribute at DE as well.

He has shown that he can stop the run pretty well in his limited time and should be improved going into this season. Another player that could add to the defensive line is DE/NT Howard Green, who was picked up during the season last year and made his impact felt. A big part of why Nick Collins was able to get his pick six in the Super Bowl was because Green got right into Big Ben's face and almost got a sack.

Ultimately, it will be hard for the Packers to replace Cullen Jenkins' sack production, but overall they should do a good job replacing him. After all, he did only have 18 tackles on the season and the Packers played five games without him last year.



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porky88
13 years ago
Base defense will feature the best run stopping trio they have. I think that is Ryan Pickett/B.J.Raji/Howard Green, which was the starting lineup in the Super Bowl by the way. However, C.J. Wilson could make a push for Green. In my view, Neal plays the 2-4-5 package along side of Raji. That is where the Packers do most of their pass rushing.
beast
13 years ago

Base defense will feature the best run stopping trio they have. I think that is Ryan Pickett/B.J.Raji/Howard Green, which was the starting lineup in the Super Bowl by the way. However, C.J. Wilson could make a push for Green. In my view, Neal plays the 2-4-5 package along side of Raji. That is where the Packers do most of their pass rushing.

Originally Posted by: porky88 



If 100% healthy I don't understand why Wilson would make a push and Neal wouldn't... I think if totally healthy Neal is better than Wilson.

I think the coaches should think about telling Green forget about NT, leave that to Raji/Pick and think about DE and try to lose some bad weight and get quicker. That's what they told Jenkins last offseason, to lose some weight and get quicker... he was surprising quick at times for a 335+ guy...
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nerdmann
13 years ago
Harrell's really got a chance to bust out this year!
“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.”
wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member Topic Starter
13 years ago

Harrell's really got a chance to bust out this year!

Originally Posted by: nerdmann 




AGREED!!!!
A Knee, a hip, his back...
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peteralan71
13 years ago

Harrell's really got a chance to bust out this year!

Originally Posted by: nerdmann 



-1

Green Bay: Home of the Green & Gold. And the hunter orange. And the camouflage.
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DakotaT
13 years ago
At least Bustin has luck on his side.
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DarkaneRules
13 years ago
My eyes are on Mike Neal to show what he can do. Everything I have seen of him has been pure dominance. Would love for that to translate well in games with us. Hopefully that injury, like most last year, was just a fluke.
Circular Arguments: They are a heck of an annoyance
porky88
13 years ago

If 100% healthy I don't understand why Wilson would make a push and Neal wouldn't... I think if totally healthy Neal is better than Wilson.

I think the coaches should think about telling Green forget about NT, leave that to Raji/Pick and think about DE and try to lose some bad weight and get quicker. That's what they told Jenkins last offseason, to lose some weight and get quicker... he was surprising quick at times for a 335+ guy...

Originally Posted by: beast 


Wilson quietly was a nice find in last year's draft. He's discipline and plays the run well. Neal is much more of a rusher, but I think opponents can run at him more than they can run at Wilson. However, a drastic improvement could change that, but I don't think the Packers look at Neal as a three-down lineman. They want him to rush the QB.
beast
13 years ago

Wilson quietly was a nice find in last year's draft. He's discipline and plays the run well. Neal is much more of a rusher, but I think opponents can run at him more than they can run at Wilson. However, a drastic improvement could change that, but I don't think the Packers look at Neal as a three-down lineman. They want him to rush the QB.

Originally Posted by: porky88 



I think Neal is much more of an over powerer (not a word but so be it) he can over power guys in run or pass plays. If you beat your man and get to the ball carrier fast you can win both run and pass plays...
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Zero2Cool (29-May) : What did you do??
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beast (29-May) : OMG the website is now all white, even some white on white text
beast (29-May) : Henderson, who admits to taking cocaine during the Super Bowl against the Steelers, might dislike Bradshaw as he lost two Superbowls to him
wpr (28-May) : Hollywood Henderson said Bradshaw “is so dumb, he couldn't spell 'cat' if you spotted him the C and an A.”
Mucky Tundra (28-May) : Cooper stock=BUY BUY BUY
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buckeyepackfan (28-May) : He wad all butt hurt because Aaron duped the media saying he was immunized.
buckeyepackfan (28-May) : Bradshaw needs to retire. He's been ripping on Rodgers ever since the covid crap. He was all hury
Zero2Cool (28-May) : Terry Bradshaw doesn't want Rodgers in Pittsburgh lol wow
Zero2Cool (27-May) : one day contract, which he also feels is pointless, but if Packers came to him, he would
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dfosterf (26-May) : "Open the pod bay doors, HAL"
buckeyepackfan (25-May) : Haven't we all seen thus movie? It doesn't end well!! Lol
Zero2Cool (25-May) : lol Anthropic’s new AI model turns to blackmail when engineers try to take it offline
dfosterf (25-May) : Claude Opus 4
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beast (22-May) : Colts Owner Jim Irsay has passed away
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Zero2Cool (19-May) : Packers have signed first-round pick Matthew Golden, leaving second-round tackle Anthony Belton as their only unsigned draft pick
beast (19-May) : Supposedly he has to take his image, and name off of it... but otherwise could keep selling wine if he wanted to.
Zero2Cool (19-May) : he giving up his win business?
beast (19-May) : Speaking of Woodson, sounds like he'll be a minority owner (0.1%) of the Browns
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dfosterf (15-May) : Ryan Hall y'all does a great job of tracking thesr
Zero2Cool (15-May) : Fear not!! I planned to do 33mi bike ride tomorrow morning, so ... yeah
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dfosterf (15-May) : Sure looks like these tornadoes are headed towards Green Bay
Zero2Cool (15-May) : Woodson of Charles fame was reluctant and then loved it. that didn't really come out until post career
Mucky Tundra (15-May) : IE "We bought into the Bears and they let us down, we have no choice to seek alternatives"
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