Abdul Hodge, Donald Lee may start

[Patler]

Ferguson, three in 58 (5.2%);

Whoever kept these stats must be ferguson's gay lover or to qualify for a drop it must hit both hands and rest for 3 seconds cause dude ran away from more passes per game than that. I can recall at least 3 balls he had stolen last year that must not be qualified as a drop maybe a robbery? RF sucks cut him now I here Don Beebe is still in shape!

I suspect the interceptions stolen out of his hands were not counted as "drops".

[Deputy Nutz]

Hawk is a stud blitzer, he had 9 sacks last year, and he played alot in coverage. So I would have to say out of the gate, Hawk is purely our best linebacker in almost every statictical category.

For some reason this staff really refuses to send Barnett off to the outside. He is plenty big enough to play the strong side, and he would probably be in his most comfortable position, while Hodge would be at his in the middle.

The Packers coaching staff really needs to open their eyes on this one.

[Partial]

Hawk is a stud blitzer, he had 9 sacks last year, and he played alot in coverage. So I would have to say out of the gate, Hawk is purely our best linebacker in almost every statictical category.

For some reason this staff really refuses to send Barnett off to the outside. He is plenty big enough to play the strong side, and he would probably be in his most comfortable position, while Hodge would be at his in the middle.

The Packers coaching staff really needs to open their eyes on this one.

agree 100%

[Patler]

Hawk is a stud blitzer, he had 9 sacks last year, and he played alot in coverage. So I would have to say out of the gate, Hawk is purely our best linebacker in almost every statictical category.

For some reason this staff really refuses to send Barnett off to the outside. He is plenty big enough to play the strong side, and he would probably be in his most comfortable position, while Hodge would be at his in the middle.

The Packers coaching staff really needs to open their eyes on this one.

agree 100%

But it isn't just this staff. Barnett has had a different DC every year, and every one of them put him in the middle.

I was very surprised last year because Bates made some early statements about moving Barnett. When asked about Barnett in an article last summer, Bates said that after watching films of all the games, he felt Barnett was best suited to play in the middle and not on the outside. He said something to the effect that in his (Bates') defense, Barnett is a middle linebacker and not an OLB. Bates even made a comment that he was somewhat surprised after watching films of all the games that MLB was in fact Barnett's best position.

I will try to find the article. It surprised me a lot when I read it.

[wist43]

It's inexplicable to me as to why these guys keep sticking with Barnett in the middle. They guy has absolutely no instincts for the game.

That said, if the Packers hadn't drafted Hodge, I wouldn't squawk too much about leaving Barnett in the middle; but, as I and many others have said, Hodge is a very good, very instinctive football player, and is almost exclusively a MLB.

If the goal is to get the 3 best backers on the field at the same time... then Barnett almost has to move.

[Patler]

It's inexplicable to me as to why these guys keep sticking with Barnett in the middle. They guy has absolutely no instincts for the game.

That said, if the Packers hadn't drafted Hodge, I wouldn't squawk too much about leaving Barnett in the middle; but, as I and many others have said, Hodge is a very good, very instinctive football player, and is almost exclusively a MLB.

If the goal is to get the 3 best backers on the field at the same time... then Barnett almost has to move.

I disagree only to the extent that I am not willing to annoint Hodge as one of the three best just yet. Great college career, but I would prefer to see him stand in there against NFL offenses before expecting too much. He wouldn't be the first somewhat undersized, very accomplished college linebacker to wash out in the pros. He also wouldn't be the first to succeed either.

T.C. and preseason games will be much more interesting this year, because of guys like Hodge, and watching to see what they can do. He could be a real "steal" if he plays like he did in college.

[CaliforniaCheez]

Some time between the draft and training camp the talented guys drafted become young inexperienced rookies with potential.

Really the best a rookie can do is look average. Barnett and Collins looked average as rookies and that was as good as you can hope for.

Bubba Franks, Mike Wahle, William Whitticker had some struggles as rookies. Most rookies who start do struggle.

I lot of rookies don't even get on the field.

Colledge and Hawk will make mistakes. Hodge will get a chance if there is an injury. Jennings may be struggle but he will get some time on the field.

This year's day 2 picks will be lucky to be active game day for special teams duties.

Change your mindset. The great draft choices are now dumb rookies.

[pbmax]

Re: Abdul Hodge, Donald Lee may start

Packers Team Report
7/2/2006

By Tom Silverstein
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel


PERSONNEL ANALYSIS: The club is keeping a close eye on rookie LB Abdul Hodge because he might wind up being the third-best linebacker on the team. Hodge plays the middle and saw very little action on the strong side in mini-camps which suggests he'll be a backup to Nick Barnett. But if Hodge performs better than Roy Manning and Ben Taylor, the top two candidates for the strong side, Barnett could be moved outside to accommodate the rookie. Hodge lacks leg strength, but he sheds blockers well, is always around the ball and is a decent tackler. With A.J. Hawk slated to start, it is uncertain whether the coaches will want to go with two rookies at the linebacker position. . . . .

Hope everybody had a happy and safe fourth.

Maybe its the lack of actual news, but Silverstein is getting on my nerves. First, how he can tell Hodge is able to shed blocks from non-contact drills is a tour de force of imagination over facts. If he is projecting from college performance, he should say so. Either way we won't know until a preseason game.

Second, the club hasn't even auditioned Barnett for the outside yet. That is one important hurdle to clear before you can say Hodge is playing his way into the lineup like Brian Williams did in his year three training camp.

Finally, the only piece of news in this blurb is that Hodge saw the majority of his time in the middle. You could also spin this that the club really likes Taylor/Manning/Poppinga.

I think Silverstein is as bored as everyone else.

[wist43]

I can only conclude that you guys haven't seen Hodge play. Greenway may have gone in the 1st round to Minnesota, but if you watched any Iowa football at all, the guy that jumped off the screen at you was Hodge. He was clearly their best LB, and their best overall defender.

The guy he reminds me of the most is Mike Singletary. Undersized, but tough, instinctive, and hits a ton. I didn't watch every Iowa game, but I've seen enough of Hodge to know that he's one hell of a football player.

Forget about the measurables on this guy... he can flat out play.

[Partial]

do you see a future pro-bowler in this guy wist?

[wist43]

I saw Shawn Merriman as a potential pro bowler b/c of his size/speed combination, i.e. he can stay on the field every down - playing the run, or dropping into coverage on early downs, and rushing the passer on passing downs.

I don't see that with Hodge, so in answer to your question, probably not. But that's not to say that Hodge couldn't get there. Some knocked him for his deficiencies in coverage, but I think that would be restricted solely to turning and running in man coverage. He's so instinctive, and understands the game so well, that he is always around the ball, and in pass coverage he covers up underneath very well. Hodge will never be a dynamic pass rusher simply b/c of his lack of height.

Hodge diagnoses plays very quickly and even though doesn't have great top end speed, he gets from point A to point B in a hurry, and delivers some impressive shots. He has long arms for his size, and just as was mentioned in the article, he is very adept at getting off of blocks.

Hopefully the Packers realize what they have with Hodge.

[Tony Oday]

I hope like all packer fans that Hodge turns out great but the fact remains he has right now ZERO tackles as a pro. Let him learn a year and come in in spot duty and readress this next year.

[PackerPro42]

I hope like all packer fans that Hodge turns out great but the fact remains he has right now ZERO tackles as a pro. Let him learn a year and come in in spot duty and readress this next year.

Can say that about Hawk too. Do you think h's a zero?

[SD GB fan]

I saw Shawn Merriman as a potential pro bowler b/c of his size/speed combination, i.e. he can stay on the field every down - playing the run, or dropping into coverage on early downs, and rushing the passer on passing downs.

I don't see that with Hodge, so in answer to your question, probably not. But that's not to say that Hodge couldn't get there. Some knocked him for his deficiencies in coverage, but I think that would be restricted solely to turning and running in man coverage. He's so instinctive, and understands the game so well, that he is always around the ball, and in pass coverage he covers up underneath very well. Hodge will never be a dynamic pass rusher simply b/c of his lack of height.

Hodge diagnoses plays very quickly and even though doesn't have great top end speed, he gets from point A to point B in a hurry, and delivers some impressive shots. He has long arms for his size, and just as was mentioned in the article, he is very adept at getting off of blocks.

Hopefully the Packers realize what they have with Hodge.

merriman is a fucking beast. he was 270 last year and ran 4.5? 4.4? this season, he put on 10 more lbs of muscle and lost fat and is also doing boxing cross training. i fear for AFC West runningbacks just ask priest holmes.

anyways, hodge may not be a merriman but i hope he gets on the field and smack around the opposing offense a bit

[FritzDontBlitz]

Hodge is 6' tall... how many 6' LB'ers are effective on the blitz??? Most good blitzers are tall and rangy with long arms, ala Shawn Merriman, et al.

Lawrence Taylor was 6'3", Bryce Paup 6'5", etc... Some shorter LB'ers can rack up some decent sack numbers, but those come about as a result of scheme and timing as opposed to just sending the guy off the edge and counting on him to defeat the block with a combination of speed, quickness, and strength. To accomplish that, a pass rushing LB needs long arms and height to present the threat of being able to get over the top. The Packers have no one that fits that description.

linebackers do blitz from the middle too, you know....