ILB

The most glaring shortcoming the Packers have in what otherwise may be the best roster in the league going into 2015 is at ILB.

Of the four guys on the roster, two of them, if not for the lack of existing replacements, should be cap casualties, and even with the complete lack of depth at the position should still be cut. Their respective price tags are only overshadowed by their liability on the field.

Hawk can be promoted to assistant linebacker coach in charge of gameday alignment setting and hyperbaric oxygen chamber construction. He's been the absolute model of availability, so Teddy's going to have to keep him from being available because Hawk won't do it for him. Brad Jones can just go away, along with his fall-to-the-ground tackling and hug-the-route-runner-before-he-beats-you-like-a-drum coverage techniques.

Barrington is maybe serviceable as a two-down guy but has been exposed on third downs repeatedly. He's a good special teamer and part-time linebacker in my opinion.

Bradford actually looked like he might be instinctive and aggressive and seems fairly fluid in the middle in the few series he's been seen, but as a DE convert who would seem to be too short to consistently cover rangy tight ends probably has similar game to Barrington.

So there are two guys, both of whom probably make good backups at the thumper spot - an no one else.

A lot of questions and I sure don't have the answers at this point.

Who's the guy in free agency, and who's the next Bobby Wagner/CJ Mosely in the draft, and will he fall to 30?

i wrote in another thread somewhere that the two main guys in the draft both have glaring problems, one has never covered anyone, and i think the other one might be undersized, i can't remember

and as for free agency, there is no quality due to be available

I'm no expert, but I thought Sam Barrington made a pretty big jump from year 1 to year 2. Do you think he could make another to year 3? If so he might be pretty damn good.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/

2015 NFL Free Agents

ILB's available in Free Agency.

Jamari Lattimore 28 Yrs - Green Bay - ( 2014 CAP HIT = 1.431 M )

David Harris - 31 Yrs - NY JETS - ( $7.0 M )

Brandonn Spikes - 27 Yrs - Buffalo - (3.25 M )

D.J. Williams - 32 yrs - Chicago - ( 1.407 M )

Rolondo McCalain - 25 Yrs - Dallas - ( 0.7 M )

Josh Maugo - 27 Yrs - Kansas City - ( 0.645 M )

Mark Herzlich NY GIANTS (looking for more info.)

Rey Maualuga - 28 Yrs - Cincy ( 3.83 M )

Heath Farwell - 33 Yrs - Seattle - - ( 1.67 M )

Mason Foster - 25 yrs - Tampa Bay - ( 1.562 M )

Dane Fletcher - 28 Yrs - Tampa Bay - ( 1.2 M )

Jasper Brinkly - 29 Yrs - Minny - ( 0.83 M )

Nate Irving - 26 Yrs - Denver - ( 0.82 M )

Casey Matthews - 26 Yrs - Philly - ( 0.76 M )

Akeem Dent - 27 - Houston - ( 0.725 M )

Andrew Gachkar - 26 Yrs - San Diego - ( 0.656 M)

Chris White - 26 yrs - New England - ( 0.645 M )

Ramon Humber - 27 Yrs - New Orleans - ( 0.635 M )

Kelvin Sheppard - 27 Yrs - MIAMI - ( 0.607 M )

Jerrell Freeman - 28 Yrs - INDY - ( 0.577 M )

Steven Johnson - 26 Yrs - DENVER - ( 0.574 M )

Michael Wilhoite - 28 Yrs - San Francisco - ( 0.570 M )

Stevenson Sylvester - 26 Yrs BUFFALO - ( 0.570 M )

Craig Robertson - 26 Yrs - CLEVLAND - ( 0.570 M )

Larry Foote - 34 Yrs - ARIZONA - ( 0.570 M )

Dom DeCicco - 26 Yrs - MINNY - ( 0.570 M ) RFA

Darryl Sharpton - 27 yrs - CHICAGO - ( 0.543 M )

Ben Jacobs - 26 Yrs - CAROLINA - (0.504 M ) ERFA

Josh McNary - 26 INDY - ( 0.495 M ) ERFA

Nick Bellore - 25 Yrs - NY JETS - (1.431 M )

Jason Trusnik - 30 Yrs - MIAMI - (1.072 M )

Nathan Stupar - 26 Yrs - ATLANTA - (0.495 M) ERFA

Josh Bynes - 25 yrs - DETROIT - (0.470 M) RFA

Orie Lemon - 27 Yrs - TAMPA BAY - ( 0.335 M ) RFA

James Morris - 23 Yrs NEW ENGLAND - ( 0.303 M ) ERFA

Moise Fokou - 29 Yrs - NEW ORLEANS - ( 0.201 M ) UFA

Zac Diles - 29 - CLEVLAND

Forgot about Lattimore. Between the three of them, they're still at least one stud short I'd say.

I like McClain from the Boys if he doesn't re-retire. With Sean Lee presumably coming back maybe he's available at relative value.

I'm all for draft and develop but I wouldn't complain about a free agent and a high pick at the position. Teddy will probably drive everyone nuts again in the offseason and then pick up a gem in the draft like he did at running back a couple years back.

Putting Clay in the middle isn't the long-term answer.

Barrington has only started 7 games in the last two years, so I'm willing to give him a little more time. He's 6'1" 240 lbs.

Luke Kuechle is 6'3 238 lbs. Bobby Wagner, 6'0" 241 lbs. Besides lacking experience, Barrington lacks elite speed. At the Combine he ran a 4.91 40 yd. Kuechle ran 4.58. Clay ran a 4.67. Carl Bradford is 6'1" 252 lbs. and ran a 4.76 40 yd.

As a point of reference, Jimmy Graham is 6'7" 265 lbs. He ran a 4.56 at the Combine.

Rey Maualuga, a top free agent MLB, is 6'2" 255 lbs. He ran a 4.91 40 yd.

Size and speed is the ideal, but IMO the Packers' defense needs speed more than anything at that position...speed and sure tackling ability.

Sean Lee runs a 4.71 forty and McClain a 4.68...both not official Combine times.

Maualuga has deceptive speed, he's slower than he looks. Has his good points, but he's also a dumbass. A late stupid PF cost the Bengals a victory over the Bears (& a Bear loss when it looked like that meant something).

I like Spikes from Buffalo. He's banger with an attitude. We could use one of those kinda guys.

Another guy who might get a look in training camp is Nate Palmer. he was moved inside last August before tearing his MCL.

http://packerupdate.net/?p=37093

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Palmer, who tore his MCL and spent the entire season on IR, was a pedestrian outside linebacker in 2013 before being moved inside last August. My guys at training camp immediately raved about his work, and I was equally impressed during the preseason finale. The former Illinois State star wasn’t big or explosive enough to be an impact player outside, but he has the ideal size and athletic ability to be productive inside. He’s 245 pounds and ran a 4.6 at the Combine. He also can deliver a hit – something A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones rarely did in over 1,000 combined snaps this season

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You guys are forgetting a player already on the roster who I have a strong feeling is a week one starter. Joe Thomas udfa from last year. He flashed good potential is the preseason. I was surprised when they just stashed him on ir at such a weak position on the roster.

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Originally Posted by PaCkFan_n_MD

You guys are forgetting a player already on the roster who I have a strong feeling is a week one starter. Joe Thomas udfa from last year. He flashed good potential is the preseason. I was surprised when they just stashed him on ir at such a weak position on the roster.

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He must have been released after being placed on IR because he was signed to the Packers practice squad in November. He's now on their regular roster.

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Originally Posted by vince

Forgot about Lattimore. Between the three of them, they're still at least one stud short I'd say.

I like McClain from the Boys if he doesn't re-retire. With Sean Lee presumably coming back maybe he's available at relative value.

I'm all for draft and develop but I wouldn't complain about a free agent and a high pick at the position. Teddy will probably drive everyone nuts again in the offseason and then pick up a gem in the draft like he did at running back a couple years back.

Putting Clay in the middle isn't the long-term answer.

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I disagree. Clay is an ILB. His talent is his ability to range/tackle vs. the run and be unpredictable as a rusher, and a solid cover guy. I am completely sick of seeing him lineup one on one vs. the tackle and getting stonewalled. He is not and has never been an elite pass rusher. He should accept his role and be the best ILB in the game instead of 10th-15th best OLB.

I like Barrington as a starter going forward... I agree that he made a big jump from year 1 to year 2. Our defense improved a great deal when he was inserted into the lineup - he doesn't get all the credit of the improvement, but he certainly improved our on-field performance.

I hate to give dunderdummy any credit, but he did a decent job after the bye of putting players in a better position to be effective - of course he can't help himself, and is always the next snap of the ball away from a major brain fart, but at least for a few game stretch he actually did his job.

We do need more help inside though... Hawk and Jones will both be gone hopefully. Lattimore has proved he's not an NFL calibur starter. I haven't looked at the FA crop much yet - still licking my wounds about the way MM and dunderdummy flubbed a shot at the SB away.

Barrington is a keeper - other than him, we need to completely retool ILB.

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Originally Posted by vince

I like McClain from the Boys if he doesn't re-retire. With Sean Lee presumably coming back maybe he's available at relative value.

Putting Clay in the middle isn't the long-term answer.

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http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/...olando-mcclain

Rolondo McClain... concussion (s). A strong player for Dallas last season and really so young.

Mike McCarthy hopes to use Clay Matthews outside where he feels he belongs.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/...olando-mcclain

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Originally Posted by KYPack

Maualuga has deceptive speed, he's slower than he looks. Has his good points, but he's also a dumbass. A late stupid PF cost the Bengals a victory over the Bears (& a Bear loss when it looked like that meant something).

I like Spikes from Buffalo. He's banger with an attitude. We could use one of those kinda guys.

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http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5762/brandon-spikes

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Originally Posted by woodbuck27

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5762/brandon-spikes

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Spikes is an old school plugger type. A fill guy, mediocre in cover, solid against the run. I'd hate to see him and Perry on the field at the same time, but would like to see both of 'em on the same roster. Spikes is a 3-4 ILB, which means he will appeal to 16 teams in FA, at the most.

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Originally Posted by Maxie the Taxi

Barrington has only started 7 games in the last two years, so I'm willing to give him a little more time. He's 6'1" 240 lbs.

Luke Kuechle is 6'3 238 lbs. Bobby Wagner, 6'0" 241 lbs. Besides lacking experience, Barrington lacks elite speed. At the Combine he ran a 4.91 40 yd. Kuechle ran 4.58. Clay ran a 4.67. Carl Bradford is 6'1" 252 lbs. and ran a 4.76 40 yd.

As a point of reference, Jimmy Graham is 6'7" 265 lbs. He ran a 4.56 at the Combine.

Rey Maualuga, a top free agent MLB, is 6'2" 255 lbs. He ran a 4.91 40 yd.

Size and speed is the ideal, but IMO the Packers' defense needs speed more than anything at that position...speed and sure tackling ability.

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Bradford hopefully gets a full camp shot at ILB.

we still have adrian hubbard right?

starting ILB for a national champion that ran a 3-4

edit... nvm, he was an olb

we have shit

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Originally Posted by red

we still have adrian hubbard right?

starting ILB for a national champion that ran a 3-4

edit... nvm, he was an olb

we have shit

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I think its a step above shit. Between Matthews roaming, Barrington and the two young guys, you will get the Run Defense plugged up.

They do need speed and a dime linebacker though, that might not be on the roster unless you pull Clay completely off pass rush duty.

Barrington showed promise but I'm not going to get burned again expecting him to keep improving. I feel like I've seen a half dozen guys in a Packer uniform look like promising finds only to quickly show why they were late round projects.

Clay is good for spot duty at ILB but still the best edge rusher we've got and paid like it.

The course of action for the offseason is to work on the assumption is that the cupboard is bare IMO.