Reasons for Hope on Defense 2017 edition

[pbmax]

1. Kenny Clark. Everyone sobbing in their Cheerios or trying to hang Thompson with their blankies over not signing a lineman to cover for Guion's coming non-paid vacation has forgotten about the rookie. Outside of Daniels, he was the most effective D lineman at the end of last season and in the playoffs. He even show some pass rush which in vital in the 2-4-5, otherwise known as the base defense.

2. Jon and Ponch. 3rd and 2nd years, if healthy, might give the Packers a functional middle even if Clay isn't moved full time. They looked marvelous together early last season under injuries and Zeke Elliot pulled the rug out from under them.

3. Jayrone Elliot. Even I have my doubts here, but if this Fuckdoggle number from Demovsky is close to true

Although he has just four sacks over the past two seasons combined (one in 2016 and three in 2015), they have come on just 310 snaps, including playoffs. That works out to a sack every 77.5 snaps. That’s on par with Julius Peppers' mark of one sack every 75.1 snaps over the past two seasons and far exceeds Clay Matthews (one for every 127.4 snaps) and Datone Jones (one for every 264.5 snaps). By comparison, Nick Perry, who was re-signed to a five-year, $60 million deal by the Packers, had one sack for every 58.3 snaps he played the past two seasons.

then Jayrone might make you remember Julius Peppers fondly, rather than with lust in your heart. He got some guaranteed money in his non-tendered agreement, which means the Packers want to see more.

4. Holy Fackrell. If the replacement Spider Monkey gets a little stronger, he might be a better pass rusher than Elliot. If either Fackrell or Elliot can be a 3rd down pass rusher and let Matthews come from wherever, it might have a Woodson effect on the opponents passing game.

5. Kentrell Brice. Hyde is gone but this kid has athletic traits to burn and he likes to hit people. He's the 3rd safety but I would not be surprised if he got some work as a slot guy versus bigger pass catchers. I also think the team might survive the loss of a starter with him out there. More experience and knowledge of the defense might make him effective all game long.

6. Ha-Ha and Burnett. I am not a big fan of Burnett at ILB, but the combo is as good as any center backfield since Collins was playing. Once again I am hopeful communication issues will disappear with those vets back there.

7. House. Yes, kinda an if, but IF he returns close to his 2015 form, its a nice upgrade from anything on the bench at the beginning of last year.

8. Randall and Rollins. If healthy, it cannot be worse than last year. They need one to be ready to start by camp. Only one because either the youngsters behind them or some UDFA from Miami will take a job next year.

[Tony Oday]

Still would love two more vet CBs and a vet RB.

[Tony Oday]

You also missed Lowry.

[pbmax]

You also missed Lowry.

You write up alligator arms and I'll put him in there.

[BZnDallas]

There are definitely some reasons to have optimism. I like your list PB. I think Clark, Fackrell and Brice are the 3 I'd love to see the most improvement from. But any improvement from the ILBs or Elliot could give a shot of adrenaline to the D.

However that doesn't take away from the fact we could use a CB1. Although I think a healthy Randall, if he gets some confidence back, could be our guy. The OLB depth with Elliot and a draft pick or 2 could really help in closing up some holes, IF, they do their part in the draft and develop system.

[RashanGary]

Randall is better than his injured sophomore year. He got injured in week 1. Battled through, finally had surgery. Came back early and was nicked up in other ways the rest of the way. He will be better, much better. I'd bet on it.

[texaspackerbacker]

Nobody has mentioned Gunter. Some people seem to disrespect him for lack of speed, but I'd say instinct - which he has plenty of - trumps speed. I'd rather we had a top notch #1 Corner and Gunter as #2, but as of now, Gunter is the best we've got.

[gbgary]

Nobody has mentioned Gunter. Some people seem to disrespect him for lack of speed, but I'd say instinct - which he has plenty of - trumps speed. I'd rather we had a top notch #1 Corner and Gunter as #2, but as of now, Gunter is the best we've got.

yup...as shocking as that is to think about. they put him on everyone's #1 wr and he held his own most of the time.

[red]

Randall is better than his injured sophomore year. He got injured in week 1. Battled through, finally had surgery. Came back early and was nicked up in other ways the rest of the way. He will be better, much better. I'd bet on it.

No he did not, he got hurt in week 4, after a week 2 game where he made many of the same boneheaded mistakes that he was making at the end of the year

[red]

I feel like we on could have just brought back this same thread from last offseason, or the 5 or 6 offseason before that

"Oh, if only the manic Easter bunny comes down from the sky and touches these 10 players who either sucked last year or did next to nothing with h his manic bunny tail, then our defense will be great"

Yet we can't ntinue to be a joke on defense year after year

[BZnDallas]

I feel like we on could have just brought back this same thread from last offseason, or the 5 or 6 offseason before that

"Oh, if only the manic Easter bunny comes down from the sky and touches these 10 players who either sucked last year or did next to nothing with h his manic bunny tail, then our defense will be great"

Yet we can't ntinue to be a joke on defense year after year

Easter Bunny huh? So is that what you call it when rookies and other young players learn and get better? So the Easter Bunny had to touch Nick Collins 2 or 3 times?

This league has thousands of examples of young players learning and getting better. Just bc that learning curve isn't fast enough for you, doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

"Easter Bunny" hahaha

[3irty1]

Randall had the best game of his career week 1 last year, and showed enough during his rookie campaign that hope for his improvement isn't baseless. Its much like the Casey Hayward situation... only hopefully Randall will have his 2nd good season with the Packers. Randall's improvement is the right combination of needed to happen and likely to happen that this thread is made for.

Goodson has been a little like House. Has great man-to-man skills, good speed and length, but can't stay on the field. I could see a House 2015/2014 type season from him finally.

Perry and Matthews too could give a lot more production than last year with even average health between them. And they better for what they're pulling down. Elliot and Fackrell seem about as competent as the parade of backups we get a few promising snaps out of before turning over.

Clark, Lowry, and Daniels make that group look like the strength of the D at this point IMO. I'm secretly hoping a high draft pick gets added here.

I think we'll be seeing Burnett play some slot in a double switch with Brice this year. Gotta love the safety situation even minus Hyde.

The ILB are better than we're used to, but its hard to imagine them putting on a show. They already seem like overachievers to me.

All in all its easy to imagine how things could go right. Its always easy to imagine everyone getting hurt too. The hope for me is that while the D is consistently disappointing, they fail in a variety of ways. Each level of D has sucked and been top notch. They just need to put it all together.

[pbmax]

Nobody has mentioned Gunter. Some people seem to disrespect him for lack of speed, but I'd say instinct - which he has plenty of - trumps speed. I'd rather we had a top notch #1 Corner and Gunter as #2, but as of now, Gunter is the best we've got.

I just don't know how much better he will be. But he could easily be starting again. The coaches seemed to trust him most.

[hoosier]

Clark, Lowry, and Daniels make that group look like the strength of the D at this point IMO. I'm secretly hoping a high draft pick gets added here.

After seeing what happened to the secondary last year, I implore all posters never again to speak of any unit as the"strength of the defense." Just keep repeating that this defense has no strengths.

Is it possible that they see Brice as a more athletic version of Hyde? Has Brice taken to film the way Woodson and Hyde did?

[gbgary]

I just don't know how much better he will be. But he could easily be starting again. The coaches seemed to trust him most.

since all our dbs are basically backups shoved into starting rolls he very well could be starting unless someone really takes a giant step forward and shows he can play physical.

[Joemailman]

After seeing what happened to the secondary last year, I implore all posters never again to speak of any unit as the"strength of the defense." Just keep repeating that this defense has no strengths.

Wist already has that covered.

[texaspackerbacker]

Hyde was similar to Gunter: instincts/nose for the ball/ability to cover. Hayward was/is like that too. I'm not so sure about House. Goodson has been just the opposite although he's still as green as his Baylor jersey. I'm not as positive as many about Randall although I'm still hopeful. I actually like Rollins better, even though that is contradictory to liking Gunter. Rollins so far has been all ability and potential and not much on instinct.

I could see the Packer D being at least adequate and most or all of those mentioned performing good enough. The key to that, though, is compensation/gimmicks/scheming. Hell yeah, I mean Dom Capers. Without his coaching, a bunch of mostly mediocre individuals amount to a mediocre team D. With those schemes, and with our offense, we really could have a Super Bowl team.

[Bretsky]

1. Kenny Clark. Everyone sobbing in their Cheerios or trying to hang Thompson with their blankies over not signing a lineman to cover for Guion's coming non-paid vacation has forgotten about the rookie. Outside of Daniels, he was the most effective D lineman at the end of last season and in the playoffs. He even show some pass rush which in vital in the 2-4-5, otherwise known as the base defense.

2. Jon and Ponch. 3rd and 2nd years, if healthy, might give the Packers a functional middle even if Clay isn't moved full time. They looked marvelous together early last season under injuries and Zeke Elliot pulled the rug out from under them.

3. Jayrone Elliot. Even I have my doubts here, but if this Fuckdoggle number from Demovsky is close to true


then Jayrone might make you remember Julius Peppers fondly, rather than with lust in your heart. He got some guaranteed money in his non-tendered agreement, which means the Packers want to see more.

4. Holy Fackrell. If the replacement Spider Monkey gets a little stronger, he might be a better pass rusher than Elliot. If either Fackrell or Elliot can be a 3rd down pass rusher and let Matthews come from wherever, it might have a Woodson effect on the opponents passing game.

5. Kentrell Brice. Hyde is gone but this kid has athletic traits to burn and he likes to hit people. He's the 3rd safety but I would not be surprised if he got some work as a slot guy versus bigger pass catchers. I also think the team might survive the loss of a starter with him out there. More experience and knowledge of the defense might make him effective all game long.

6. Ha-Ha and Burnett. I am not a big fan of Burnett at ILB, but the combo is as good as any center backfield since Collins was playing. Once again I am hopeful communication issues will disappear with those vets back there.

7. House. Yes, kinda an if, but IF he returns close to his 2015 form, its a nice upgrade from anything on the bench at the beginning of last year.

8. Randall and Rollins. If healthy, it cannot be worse than last year. They need one to be ready to start by camp. Only one because either the youngsters behind them or some UDFA from Miami will take a job next year.

Are you drunk ? lol
You could do this every year

[pbmax]

Are you drunk ? lol
You could do this every year

Reasons for Hope.

But some of these are unique to right now. Name the last D lineman you thought was going to start ahead of Daniels or Raji/Guion.

[RashanGary]

No he did not, he got hurt in week 4, after a week 2 game where he made many of the same boneheaded mistakes that he was making at the end of the year

There was an article mid season said he got injured in the first week but tried to fight through until he finally had surgery. He was injured all year except week 1 where he dominated. So no, I disagree with you and bet he'll be better.