"If we could start where we were after the bye week, we would have been the fifth or sixth run defense in the league, where we were down in the bottom five the first half," Capers said. "You saw how much change that made.

"Hell, we played the two best running teams in the league (Dallas' DeMarco Murray and Seattle's Marshawn Lynch) in the playoffs and because we played the run pretty well we were able to get nine sacks in those games. You didn't see those teams get sacked that much."

Either because of the way the season ended or because of the way it started, Capers and coach Mike McCarthy made stopping the run an emphasis all off-season. Their decision to keep Matthews inside, keep the bulkier Nate Palmer and Jake Ryan as backups over undersized Joe Thomas and Carl Bradford and re-sign end/nose tackle Letroy Guion despite an off-field arrest are part of that commitment.

What's more, there have been some changes in the way Capers is attacking the run, none of which he or the players was willing to share heading into the season opener against Chicago at Soldier Field Sunday. But it wouldn't be surprising if Capers continued to keep a safety in the box and used packages with linebacker-sized Sean Richardson as a third safety.

The Packers are going to know pretty quickly whether they're a competent run defense because they face three 1,000-yard rushers from last year right out of the gate: Chicago's Matt Forte (1,038), Seattle's Lynch (1,306) and Kansas City's Jamal Charles (1,033).

All we can do is hope that Raji loves Raji enough to put forth a good effort in a contract year.

He has to learn to enjoy being double and triple teamed each down he is in there.

Originally Posted by: CaliforniaCheez 

I expect raji to get better as the season progresses, he was gone for a full year lets remember. And tbh im not gonna base how he will play going into the season by his preseason performance. To be frank the rest of the starters didn't even play all that well in the preseason, it's more about the young guys than the vets. Ima wait a couple games in to judge how he's looking this year, I do feel he'll improve the run D though. He's coming in at a healthy weight and looks to contribute alot. And when Guion comes back at the end, we're gonna be that much better. Also Pennel is a beast I'm thinking he's gonna be rotated in there alot. Hell play him at end sometimes, I doubt Boyd is any more nimble than he is.

Originally Posted by: Gaycandybacon 

He's been away for a year, but hasn't played his actual position in a few years.

Originally Posted by: nerdmann