Defensive End Roundup - Jason Taylor or Vonnie Holliday?

by Brandon on Mar 3, 2009 8:00 AM CST in Green Bay Packers News

DE Jason Taylor was just released by Washington. His awful (for him) 2008 season is a giant warning sign that, at age 35, he's done. But he was an elite pass rusher as recently as 2007. He wouldn't start at right defensive end; at 255 lbs. he's undersized for a defensive end in a 3-4 defense. But he would play a lot as a hybrid right OLB/DE. Unfortunately teams have lost their mind with insane contracts for defensive lineman this offseason, see DT Colin Cole, and I expect there is enough crazy free agent money out there that someone will overpay for him. So far, there are 12 teams interested in him. Also, after watching DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila go from a quality speed rusher to useless and released in one season, I'm very concerned that the decline Taylor suffered last season is real.

Here are the stats last season for some defensive lineman:

Games	Sacks	Tackles
16	3.5	29
15	2.0	20
14	0	24
10	2.5	22

In order, those are the 2008 stats for DE Vonnie Holliday, DE Igor Olshansky, DE Marques Douglas, DE Chris Canty and DE Mike Wright. Why these players? Because they've been discussed as possibilities for the Packers here, here, and here.

Holliday is a former Packer 1st round pick that underachieved in the late 1990s. Olshansky was benched late last season in San Diego. Douglas signed a free agent contract in Tampa last season, and was such a disappointment he was traded to Baltimore before the season even began. Canty just got overpaid at $7 million per season. Wright would be missed in New England, but there is no starting job available for him and it doesn't make sense to pay him like a starter.

The one thing they all have in common; their previous teams aren't going to keep them (so far).

The moral here is that there are a lot of players like this available around the league and there is no need to overpay for them. Or it's easy to find and replace players like them.

Poll

Which currently available free agent defensive end should the Packers pursue?

Jason Taylor

164 votes

Vonnie Holliday

181 votes

Igor Olshansky

163 votes

Marques Douglas

13 votes

Mike Wright

80 votes

601 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I started to

write about Taylor in the homecoming for Holiday post but then just couldnt do it and have some people get on a broken down bandwagon. Taylor used to be great. But he has aged, had a season full of injuries, and now some commitment issues. I am glad his reasoning for those issues are to be with his family and not off causing trouble but the Skins asked for him to show up to 75% of the offseason and he wouldnt. he is also very expensive for declining numbers…

by bizzle4 on Mar 3, 2009 9:20 AM CST reply actions

I got to see him play the entire year living in 'Skeen's country

and he looked just horrible on some days. Kareem McKenzie of the Giants made him look as bad as he’s ever looked this year, though also looked good late in the year against the Eagles. I would prefer not to pick him up, and I’m pretty confident we won’t. I just think he want’s to be in Miami, whether as a Dolphin or retiring there.

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey

by jobe on Mar 3, 2009 5:49 PM CST up reply actions

Wright is Right!

Pick up Mike Wright… He is the best fit for the Packers 3/4, along w/ Holliday who is 34. But Wright is only 27. AT 6’4 and 295 he has the size needed, but he also has some pass rush. The pack will be playing a 1-gap 3/4, not the usual 2-gap! You will want someone w/ more mobility, so count out Igor. Holliday would be my second choice. Even though older, He still has some left, can mentor some draft picks and be a locker room presence.

If I am THompson I have already called Wright and Holliday. Oh yeah, he already HAS called.

by Strohman on Mar 3, 2009 11:17 AM CST reply actions

I agree that Wright would be right. He is younger than most of the available guys and has some athleticism. Also, don’t discount the fact that he would be coming from a program with a history of winning. We need more guys who expect to win every game. Those are the guys that dig deep in the 4th quarter when they are exhausted and make that extra play. We can do without the guys who just want to collect a paycheck.

by juggernaut400 on Mar 3, 2009 2:29 PM CST up reply actions

Wright sounds like a good player and he is young. The patriots gave him a second round tender last offseason so they must have seen something in him.

by packallday555 on Mar 3, 2009 4:26 PM CST reply actions

They like him

But they aren’t going to pay him $4 million per season to be a backup. And they aren’t going to dump one of their starting defensive ends, who are both good players, for him. He might be well worth a $10-$12 million over 4 year deal. But I haven’t read that he’s scheduled to visit either.

by Brandon on Mar 3, 2009 10:35 PM CST up reply actions