texaspackerbacker
12 years ago

If the ZBS is more of a personnel thing and our guys are too small and mobile to run it, then why do you like EDS so much at center? Currently listed, he is the smallest out of the Packers starting offensive lineman. Jonathan Cooper is slightly (and I mean slightly) bigger than EDS but he is one of the best run blocking center/guards (considered a mauler, not finesse) in the draft and is also an exceptional pass blocker.

With the defense the Packers currently run, big fatties like Raji and Pickett are guys the Packers need. Star Lotulelei had to leave the combine early due to some tests that showed heart problems. Since then, his heart problems have been cleared...for good. Lotulelei comes from a 3-4 system so he has already proven he can play in it. He is quick and powerful and if I had to make a professional comparison I'd say he is a Cullen Jenkins-type of player.

That is my reasoning for moving up for these two players. They have incredible day 1 talent and if either of them slip into the teens, it would be great to move up and draft one of them.

I'm no expert though. 😄

Originally Posted by: Yerko 



Good for the Samoan Star if his heart is not a problem. Supposedly, however, he will be long gone by the time the Packers draft. Granted, Cooper might be the right type of center and slightly better than EDS - key word being slightly. However, I really think/hope there is no chance we draft a center in the first (or 2nd, 3rd, or 4th) round. We have a significantly greater need for a D Lineman. The only way we take any O Lineman early is if there is a strong lack of confidence in Sherrod or Bulaga or both - and then, of course, it would be an OT, probably one suitable for the ZBS. As for the "fatties", I commented on that elsewhere, but suffice it to say, Raji is a colossal disappointment to me. I hoped he would have real toughness stopping the run as well as a decent push up the middle in rushing the passer. He has been pathetically lacking in both areas IMO. I see him single-blocked; I see him chasing down plays he should have jammed up; And I don't see him getting anywhere near QBs or collapsing the pocket on them. Let's put up with Raji one more year, then NOT sign him to a big contract. Get some big tough journeyman for about 1/8 as much money who will play NT as good or better than Raji.
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play2win
12 years ago

Maybe the grass just seems greener on the other side of the fence, but I recall Wilfork and Ngata being that kind of tough hard to push out of the way guy I hoped Raji would be. I don't remember that much about Warren and Seymour and those others, but I don't recall guts hanging over the belt like Raji and Pickett either. I agree with you about the 80% of the snaps. I'd like to see them rotate at NT for now. I dread the thought of Raji being paid big money at some point, though. The big lump has been a colossal disappointment from my perspective. We won the SB IN SPITE of Raji. Pickett played OK, but not the kind of game you expect from somebody with his body type. Green actually did show some toughness, as I recall. We should NOT re-sign Raji, but instead get somebody like Green for 1/5 to 1/10 as much.

Originally Posted by: texaspackerbacker 



texas, maybe you are forgetting...

BJ Raji, with Howard Green, Cullen jenkins and Ryan Pickett playing alongside him in 2010 had 7.5 sacks, 5 PDs and a pretty famous INT in the playoffs returned for a TD, the first DL in the history of the Packers to do so. That one play won the NFC Championship for us. Also was the elephant blocker for Kuhn's score at ATL in the playoffs.

We kiss Jenkins and Green goodbye, then don't replace them for 2 years, and you question Raji's production? Its called a 3-4 defense for a reason. We've essentially been playing 2-4 for two years now, as no one has picked up the slack of those two player losses, and we have zero depth to work a rotation. At least Neal flashed some last season in the 13 games he played in. But, it is clear we need more than that.

During that SB we won, the one you are so heavily criticizing him for, he played twice as many snaps as any other defensive lineman, 60 snaps. 2 assists, 4 QB pressures and a QB hit.

Bring some legit players into our DL and Raji's production will soar again, just like IT DID in 2010. Don't rewrite history.
PackerTraxx
12 years ago
p2w, I agree, it's puzzled me why so many are down on Raji. We would be in deep dodo without him. As you said, he's lost his supporting cast. We have no 3-4 DEs and our only hope right now is for Neal to break out. My #1 hope is that we can pick up one 3-4 DE that can contribute this year and two would be outstanding. Then if Worthy can effectively bulk up to 320-330 and play NT we would really have something going on our DL. I don't know if that's possible but it sure would be nice.
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wpr
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  • Preferred Member
12 years ago
Raji is a good player but he is not the entire DL by himself. Give him some trench buddies and he will shine once again.
Personally I prefer him to be a DE and not NT.
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