Huge problem. However, I think it could be easily turned around with the right players added this draft. And, I do think Muir and Hargrove will prove to help this group, but neither can be counted on as sure fire starters, which is what we need. As it stands now though... DL is a huge problem.
-We have no adequate backup to either of Pickett or Raji. Those are big, big dudes who are both way more effective in a rotation. Howard Green is gone.
-We have no top flight DE talent on our roster. Figure, we should probably add starting calibre talent at both NT and DE. Especially knowing Raji's contract is up after the season.
None of this takes into account we also must add a starter at OLB, and possibly SS. We're really gonna have to "hit" with our picks in this draft.
Originally Posted by: play2win
Yes. This offseason is crucial and if the DL doesn't get addressed, we may go one and done in the Playoffs again.
You're new to the site and don't know all the posters' strengths and weaknesses so I'll tell you a little about me. I'm very weak at the inner workings of how a D works, or how the OL is supposed to work so I rely on a few other posters' comments and learn from them. However, I'm very strong on analyzing data and trends.
I was a big fan of high octane offenses until I got in a debate with another poster named RaiderPride. He said "Defenses win championships." So I did a lot of research to prove him wrong. Instead, I ended up proving him right.
High powered offenses are awesome to watch. But come Playoff time, historically, high powered defenses usually dismantle high powered offenses. We've seen it again and again throughout the years. In fact, I did another post showing how common Super Bowl winners have a top 5 D (in terms of points allowed, the stat that matters). We had one of the best offenses ever and were dismantled by the Giants, who had a top caliber D (statistically though, they were average but it was because some of their key players were injured until right before the Playoffs started. Once they got healthy, they had an elite D).
When we won the SB in 2010, we had a top 10 O but most importantly, we had the #2 D which was very close to the Steelers' #1 D that year. We got tons of SACKS, and we generated enough consistent pressure that the opposing QB had to rush his throws.
In 2011, our DL didn't do squat. In fact, it did so little work that CM3, our best pass rusher, had to play coverage too often. Yes, Clay is good in coverage but he's more needed putting the opposing QB on his back. With the failure of the DL, the rest of the D fell apart.
Without Jenkins, Raji went from being an elite player to just above average. He did not deserve the Pro Bowl nod because he wasn't by any stretch an elite player.
Yes, we're gonna have to hit with both our DL pick and our OLB pick. I'm willing to bet that 🇹🇹 picks #1 and #2 as either DL and OLB or vice versa. This is a need draft, not necessarily a BPA draft. It will be BPA for our later round picks, but not for our top 2.
We were 2 players away from winning the Super Bowl last year - a Cullen Jenkins equivalent and a pass rushing specialist. Instead, opposing Offensive Coordinators did everything they could to neutralize the only threat left - CM3. And they managed to do it all season long.
Our D went from #2 to #19. From a historian's point of view, it's no surprise we went one and done. That 15-1 record was deceptive. The 2010 team would have slaughtered the 2011 team.
My man Donald Driver
(thanks to Pack93z for the pic)
2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷