I'm with Zombie - I also think we'll be in the playoffs. Is it possible that we'll suffer a rash of injuries or player/scheme regression and fall back to .500 or below? Maybe, but I doubt it. I think the team as-constituted is a playoff team, and it should be again next year.
Defense - Should improve by no other virtue than more experience; both the players in the scheme and Capers understanding his personnel more thoroughly. However, with the addition of a couple key pieces, it could be the elite defense we would all love to see (and that it'll need to be, whether Favre comes back or not): 1. Rush LB opposite Clay - I may be the only one who believes this could still be Kampy, but so be it. If it's not him, it'll likely have to come from the draft or big strides from Jones or someone else - I don't see a lot to work with from a FA standpoint. 2. Safety upgrade. Bigby's a good guy, and I like him. He's not good enough, though. I'll dream about Mays until he's drafted by some other team, but in any case if they shore up this position they go a long way to addressing the middle-of-the-field concerns.
Bottom line: It should be better with no changes other than injured players returning and FAs being re-upped. With a couple additions (I'm counting Kampy in this category, since he needs a contract and the general belief is that he's not going to be here), they could absolutely have the kind of lineup to execute the 3-4 at a very high level.
In My Dreams: We re-sign Kampy and do a little wheeling and dealing to move up in the first to draft... Taylor Mays. Kampy rotates with Jones and we get consistent pressure from the front seven. Mays terrorizes slot receivers, RBs and TEs, freeing Collins up to ball-hawk and the ILBs to get after the QB. (
Assumptions: Collins, Tramon, Pick, and Jolly are re-signed, Harris returns to play at a high level, Lee and/or Underwood develop at dime.)
Offense - Last year it became clear that the defense was problematic. We all saw the response to that need - you can quibble about the results, but the need was most certainly addressed. This year's Captain Obvious Award goes to the offensive line. I wouldn't be shocked to see a change in the coaches, and I
would be shocked if we don't come out of the draft with at least Gabe Carimi, who could easily take over at RT and might even translate to the left side. Granted: This is not a new need, and those who criticize Thompson for being negligent when it comes to the O-line have a very valid argument. Still, the need is so glaringly obvious at this point that I don't see how he could ignore it again. I see something getting done, and if that nets only a couple seconds more for Rodgers or a couple more holes for Grant, that'll be enough.
Bottom line: The line has to be addressed. If it isn't, though, the offense will still do well, because it's demonstrated that it already can, and because of things like the continued development of Finley. If it is addressed, this offense will be a juggernaut.
In My Dreams: The current O-line coaching staff is replaced with people who know what they're doing, and the zone scheme is, finally, put to sleep. We come out of the draft with Gabe Carimi and
Vladimir Ducasse . During camp and preseason, Carimi and Lang compete @ tackle, with Carimi suprising everyone and taking over LT and Lang assuming RT. Meanwhile, Ducasse wipes the field with Colledge and takes over @ RG. Nothing else changes on offense, because nothing else has to change, and we score largely at will. (
Bonus: In the first Vikings game, Allen burns Carimi for a sack. Once. Carimi gets pissed. Bad things happen to Allen from that point on. I may or may not be a UW-Madison alum.)
To be a realist, I think the team is capable of repeating this year's performance, but without some attention to the problem spots on the roster they'll have to fight for it, just like they did this year - and I think we'd all prefer an improvement over a repeat. Just as Aaron and the offense (line aside) took another step this year, the defense should improve with experience, and if the offensive line is addressed you're looking at a good team. If they make the right additions in a couple key areas, you're looking at one hell of a good team.