Packers Free Agent Needs: Linebacker
by Brandon on Feb 25, 2010 7:00 AM CST
in Green Bay Packers Free Agency
22 comments
Just a reminder, I'm not discussing restricted free agents. So LB Shawne Merriman isn't available as far as I'm concerned. It's very unlikely any team will surrender one or two high draft picks and hand out a huge contract on the eve of the 2011 lockout for any player.
While it would seem obvious for the Green Bay Packers to consider a free agent outside linebacker who could provide a pass rush opposite LB Clay Matthews, the free agent period is effectively over at this position. Back in December, they resigned LB Brandon Chillar to bring their payroll up around $15 million for the linebackers currently under contract. I would love to discuss whether to resign LB Aaron Kampman, but it doesn't matter since it's nearly certain he'll be signing elsewhere.
Another reason why the Packers won't pursue any unrestricted free agent linebackers is because there aren't any good fits. The best ones, according to Pro Football Focus and Football's Future, are all better suited inside, or outside in a 4-3 scheme. The Packers certainly don't need another inside linebacker. They need someone to play outside and provide a pass rush. There is the soon-to-be-free LB Joey Porter, but as I mentioned a couple weeks ago, I can't imagine the Packers pursuing him.
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I think we’ll be fine at OLB. We can take another flyer on a mid round guy and let him and Brad challenge each other for that other spot. I could also see this being the kind of position where Thompson goes after a middle of the pack FA and gives him a chance to come in and become a starter.
It will be tough to see Kampman go, I really like him, but its the right thing to do. Would have been nice to get SOMETHING for him, but I think we should get a nice compensatory next year for him though. I think he’s got a couple more pretty good years left in him.
Another year of Brad Jones= Another year of little pass rush
When Clay is chipped, our D gets lit up. We need another pass rusher on the other side, and Brad Jones is not a good pass rusher. He’s a serviceable OLB that does a good job in stopping the run, but that’s it.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
agree
with the 23rd pick in the nfl draft the green bay packers select sergio kindle or brandon graham.
pass rush threat on the other side of matthews, last year, all the teams knew that matthews was coming 90% of the time. pretty predictable pass rush, if you get another pass rusher on the other end, well not so predictable. that’s what the 3-4 should be——— unpredictable
I hear you guys but Jones was a rookie last year who came in only half way through the year. I think like TrevorR I see TT taking a guy in the mid-later rounds or a cheaper FA to try and challenge Jones.
I think more of the problem with our pass rush last year was the lack of rush up the middle. Pickett and Jolly rarely got any push whatsover, and it allowed Qb’s to just simply step up in the pocket to buy themselves some extra time. I know the DL is supposed to just consume blockers but that’s not necessarily the case when their rushing the Qb. I don’t think they should be in the backfield sacking the Qb but when their getting pushed backwards that’s not good either.
What we really need to happen next year is have Raji provide that great pass rush like everyone thought he would. He’ll be 100% going into next year and after going through a full offseason I would like to think he is going to live up to all that hype.
by packallday555 on Feb 25, 2010 10:55 AM CST up reply actions
Sounds like we have the same thoughts on Jones. I don’t think he’s going to be elite but since he was a rookie, I’d like to think he’s going to get better with more time as a pro and more time in this system. He might end up surprising most of us…who knows! He NEEDS competition though…
Right, I mean most guys don’t come in and instantly have the impact Clay did for us. He provided a decent pass rush off the edge and most of the time where we got hurt was Qb’s being able to step up. That’s more on Pickett/Raji and Jolly then it is on Jones. I’m not against bringing someone in to compete with him. Just thinking about his play this year though as a rookie who was drafted in the 7th round, I just don’t see TT viewing his position as enough of a need to use a 1st round pick on it.
by packallday555 on Feb 25, 2010 11:52 PM CST up reply actions
Yes, he's a rookie
However, are you willing to be patient on a rookie 7th Round draft pick to provide the pressure we need? The whole point of switching to the 3-4 was to mix up our blitz packages and confuse the offense, not rely on one pass rusher. Otherwise, there was no point in switching. Like I said though, Jones is serviceable. Maybe he does prove me wrong, but do we want to skip this position another year and go through all the complaints about getting lit up by good offenses again next year? That thought scares me considering we have a tougher schedule.
Yeah, Jones was a rookie and inexperienced. However, he’s only 232 lbs! That is WAY undersized for a 3-4 OLB. For a 4-3 OLB, yeah, that is just right. If this position is ignored though, I hope you guys are right. I hope I don’t come off as a “Know it All” type of guy, because I’m not. I’ve been wrong before such as with Ryan Picket. I thought he’d flop as a NT in the 3-4.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
I don’t have HUGE expectations with Jones either…BUT I am just saying before we doom him to the bench, lets give him a chance to progress. Remember Rodgers was awful in his rookie year…sometimes it might take a guy a little while to really grasp it. You may end up being right though…hopefully he’ll at least be a nice guy to fill in off the bench!
No, I totally understand where your coming from. Players just generally improve as they have more experience, and like you said Jones provided a solid pass rush this season so I am hoping/thinking it will improve. Going through an offseason and working with Greene a little more might do wonders for him. I personally would like to see us draft a guy like Eric Norwood, who projects as a 3-4 OLB, is a great pass rusher, and isn’t expected to go until the 3rd or 4th.
by packallday555 on Feb 25, 2010 11:57 PM CST up reply actions
I don’t like the idea of drafting another LB, and aside from pass rushing even in Capers defense the OLBs have to cover. Graham and Kindle might not be particularly good at that particular skill. Need we remember how well Aaron Kampmen looked in coverage. I think it would be smart to take a look at what we have compared to what is available through the draft. Jones didn’t do half bad, but doesn’t bring much of a pass rush. Jeremy Thompson didn’t see the field much mostly due to injuries if I’m not mistaken. Then there is the wild card Cyril Obiozor who is Kevin Greene’s pet project. Does any of them develope with another year of work in the defense or do the Packers need to bring in more talent? I think the smart money is on the three young players who already know the defense.
I forgot all about Jeremy Thompson
He was supposed to be the ideal 3-4 OLB, but in the few snaps he saw, he lacked intensity to play that position. I hope he transitions well in his 2nd season as a 3-4 OLB.
"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi
Yeah, seeing Thompson actually play would be nice but at this point who knows whether or not it’ll happen. He has the ideal size and athletic ability to be a 3-4 OLB and MM absolutely raved about him in the offseason before 2009. I can’t say I actually expected a whole lot out of him but I have to admit I did think he’d at least have some impact. Hopefully between the 3 guys we have one of them deems themself worthy of the starting positions but I wouldn’t be against bringing a guy in to challenege them a bit.
by packallday555 on Feb 26, 2010 11:26 AM CST up reply actions
I do agree with you…I’d like to leave room for Jones to take a step to the next level though. He WAS just a rookie and he WAS just thrust into the starting job, there is still a chance taht another year in the position and system could see him really improve. That said, I’d like to see some competition. I would NOT like to see it be our first round pick and I just don’t see people available to us as FA that will do that…not at a reasonable price at least.
the way jabooty and i see it is that we would like to be like pitt has with harrison and woodley. sometimes harrison is coming and sometimes woodley is coming———-unpredictable. the packers we’re very predictable in their blitz’s last year. clay coming off the corner and crossing the ilb’s .
a good blitzing olb helps out the db’s. makes their job easier, only have to cover a guy for 2.5 seconds, which should be expected at the nfl level. kindle or graham fits the biggest need in my opinion…
I would love that too…who wouldn’t. Those guys didn’t show up overnight though! There was SIX years between the two of them coming into the league…
Who wouldn’t want what Pitt has in that position…they are what we are striving to accomplish!!
I think we can get by with Jones and some later round challenger better than we can get along without another OT or CB to work into the system…that is just my opinion though.
Totally get where your coming from but Jones may be able to progress to the point where we really can become unpredicatable. I mean the guy didn’t get his chance until the 2nd half of the season. Even Clay didn’t really come on til his 8th or 9th game and Jones 9th game was his last. I just would like to see the guy get a chance to start again because he is a smart player, who is great in coverage. All that needs to improve is his pass rush, and I think putting on some weight and getting more experience could help that.
by packallday555 on Feb 26, 2010 12:01 AM CST up reply actions
imo their is only 2 LT coming out this year that can start and be effective from day 1. that being okung and that kid out of rutgers (davis). bulaga, imo, will be a fine RT not an LT and the others will need a year or 2 to develope, so if you can’t get a legitimate LT at 23, than you should look at olb. that pick will help the packs soft pass rush and make the db’s cover for a shorter period of time.
tt just has to sign cliffy for 2 years and cross his fingers. draft your LT in the 3rd or 4th and hope he pans out.
if pickett is worth 7 million and he protects barnett and hawk. how much is cliffy worth,afterall alls he has to do is protect our franchise(rodgers)
I kind of think he will be the starter at ILB. He was playing a lot towards the beginning of the year until getting injured and then it seemed like his transition back into playing went a little slow. I don’t really see TT giving him the kind of contract he did if he didn’t have more plans for him then just being our nickel guy.
by packallday555 on Feb 26, 2010 12:03 AM CST up reply actions
Don't ForGet About HUGHES!!
If we don’t go LT @ #23… Kindle will probably be gone… but, Hughes & Graham may be available… We NEED an OLB more than a CB… IMO… hermit is right… THE PASS RUSH will help the secondary!!! PRESSURE 1st!!!!
GO PACK!!!!!
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