wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member Topic Starter
14 years ago
Players under contract:

No.       Name                           Pos      Ht         Wt        Age      Exp.     College            Acquired

52         Clay Matthews                 OLB      6-3        250       23         R          USC                D1b-09

56         Nick Barnett                  ILB       6-2        236       28         7          Oregon State    D1-03

50         A.J. Hawk                     ILB       6-1        250       26         4          Ohio State        D1-06

54         Brandon Chillar              ILB       6-3        237       27         6          UCLA                UFA-08 (STL)

59         Brad Jones                   OLB      6-3        239       23         R          Colorado          D7-09

51         Brady Poppinga              OLB      6-3        250       30         5          BYU                 D4b-05

55         Desmond Bishop             ILB       6-2        238       25         3          California          D6b-07

99         Jeremy Thompson            OLB      6-4        260       24         2          Wake Forest     D4a-08

57         Cyril Obiozor               OLB      6-4        249       23         R          Texas A&M       FA-09

49         Robert Francois             ILB       6-3        255       24         R          Boston Coll.      FA-09

 

Unrestricted free agents:

No.       Name                           Pos      Ht         Wt        Age      Exp.     College            Acquired

74         Aaron Kampman           OLB      6-4        260       30         8          Iowa                  D5a-02

 

Restricted free agents:

None.


Linebackers 
The good news: The Packers finished the regular season ranked second in the NFL in total defense, and it was in large part due to the play of the linebackers, particularly Matthews, the rookie first-round pick who earned a trip to the Pro Bowl with a fabulous first season. When GM Ted Thompson traded one second- and two third-round picks to the New England Patriots to move up into the first round to take Matthews at No. 26, it turned out to be a stroke of brilliance albeit completely out of character for Thompson, whos more accustomed to trading back, not up. Matthews team-high 10 sacks set a rookie team record, and he added a forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, an interception and six pass break-ups despite not even being a starter to open the season. When Kampman suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee against San Francisco on Nov. 22, rookie seventh-round pick Brad Jones entered the starting lineup and there was little drop-off. Inside, Barnett got stronger and stronger as the year wore on as his torn ACL from 2008 continued to improve, and while Hawk still has more than a few detractors, his play was steady and at times terrific. Chillar played well enough to earn himself a four-year contract extension.



The bad news: The fact that there wasnt much drop-off from Kampman to Jones can be taken two ways: Either Jones played extremely well for a rookie seventh-round pick, or Kampman simply wasnt very good. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. Whatever the case, the team needs more production from the left outside linebacker spot in 2010. The same is true inside, where Hawk faded down the stretch after a pretty solid run and Barnett, while an effective leader and solid player, needs to make more of an impact: While he had four sacks, he didnt have a single turnover-causing play no interceptions, no fumbles caused or recovered. Bishop remains a fan favorite in training camp and constantly flashes big-play ability in the summertime, but when he does get the occasional opportunity when the games start to count, his limitations become readily apparent. Chillar, meanwhile, had some surprising coverage problems during the course of the year and might not be the every-down linebacker hes been paid like.



The big question: What does Kampmans future hold?



Of all of the Packers difficult offseason decisions, what to do with Kampman could very well be No. 1. Do they truly believe he can be productive as a 3-4 outside linebacker? Does he? Or would he rather leave Green Bay, his NFL home for the past eight seasons, and join a team that runs a 4-3, where he earned a pair of Pro Bowl selections? And do the Packers use one of their franchise or transition tags on him and then trade him to a 4-3 team? All those questions and they dont even take into account the uncertainty of Kampmans comeback from the knee injury, and how that might affect his market value. The fact of the matter is that publicly, the Packers have said again and again and again that they believe Kampman can be productive as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Thats been the party line, and no one on the staff has strayed from it. But now its time for them to put their money where their mouths are. If they truly believe that, then Kampman will get a fair market offer. If they let him walk or franchise-tag him with an eye on trading him, itll prove that all that talk was nothing more than spin.



Offseason outlook: There are more than a few Packers fans with visions of Michigans Brandon Graham, possibly the top-rated outside linebacker in the draft, going to the Packers at No. 23 and lining up opposite Matthews for years to come. Theres a better chance of that happening than there is of the Packers signing any of the top outside linebackers in free agency be it restricted free agents like Denvers Elvis Dumervil or San Diegos Shawne Merriman, or unrestricted free agents like Arizonas Karlos Dansby or Tennessees aging Keith Bulluck. The inside linebacker crop is even thinner. Thus, while the 3-4 demands depth at linebacker, the position is pretty well-stocked overall. It seems the only way theres a major addition here is if Kampman departs.


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Zero2Cool (2h) : Jets released K Riley Patterson and signed K Anders Carlson to the practice squad.
wpr (2h) : Thanks guys
Mucky Tundra (22h) : Happy Birthday wpr!
Zero2Cool (22h) : Anders Carlson ... released by 49ers
dfosterf (7-Nov) : Happy Birthday!😊😊😊
wpr (7-Nov) : Thanks Kevin.
Zero2Cool (7-Nov) : Happy Birthday, Wayne! 🎉🎂🥳
beast (7-Nov) : Edge Rushers is the same... it's not the 4-3 vs 3-4 change, it's the Hafley's version of the 4-3... as all 32 teams are actually 4-2
Zero2Cool (6-Nov) : OLB to DE and player requests trade. Yet folks say they are same.
beast (5-Nov) : In other news, the Green Bay Packers have signed Zero2Cool to update their website 😋 jk
beast (5-Nov) : Might just re-sign the kicker we got
beast (5-Nov) : Are there any kickers worth drafting next year?
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Preston Smith for Malik Willis
Mucky Tundra (5-Nov) : Getting a 7th rounder from the Stillers
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : At least we get 7th round pick now!! HELLO NEW KICKER
Mucky Tundra (5-Nov) : Steelers getting a premier lockdown corner!
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Packers are trading edge rusher Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers, per sources.
Mucky Tundra (5-Nov) : Preston Smith traded to the Steelers!!!!
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : CB Marshon Lattimore to Commanders
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Bears are sending RB Khalil Herbert to the Bengals, per sources.
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : ZaDarius Smith continues his "north" tour.
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Let the Chiefs trade a 5th for him
Zero2Cool (5-Nov) : Nearing 30, large contract, nope.
Martha Careful (5-Nov) : any interest in Marshon Lattimore?
Zero2Cool (4-Nov) : What does NFL do if they're over cap?
Mucky Tundra (4-Nov) : They've been able to constantly push it out through extensions, void years etc but they're in the hole by 72 million next year I believe
hardrocker950 (4-Nov) : Seems the Saints are always in cap hell
Mucky Tundra (4-Nov) : Saints HC job is not an envious one; gonna be in cap hell for 3 years
Mucky Tundra (4-Nov) : Dennis Allen has now been fired twice mid-season with Derek Carr as his starting QB
Zero2Cool (4-Nov) : Kuhn let go
beast (4-Nov) : I wonder if the Packers would have any interest in Z. Smith, probably not
Zero2Cool (4-Nov) : Shefter says Browns and Lions will figure out how to get a deal done for Za'Darius Smith..
Zero2Cool (4-Nov) : Packers are more likely to have 1,000 yard rusher than 4,000 yard passer
Zero2Cool (3-Nov) : It's raining hard.
Zero2Cool (3-Nov) : Packers inactives vs. Lions: CB Jaire Alexander S Evan Williams C Josh Myers Non-injury inactives: WR Malik Heath OL Travis Glover DE Bren
packerfanoutwest (3-Nov) : Malik Willis: My focus is helping the Packers win, not proving I can start elsewhere. But he could
Zero2Cool (1-Nov) : I had Texans, but the loss of another WR flipped me
wpr (1-Nov) : I thought about taking the Jets but they've been a disaster. Losing to the Pats last week
Zero2Cool (1-Nov) : Surprised more didn't pick Jets in Pick'em.
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