Predict the Opening Day Defensive Starters in 2009.....

[red]

a couple things to look for in the draft

raji i guess can also play DE, he played all d-line positions in college. it would be like haloti ngata in baltimore, he also lines up at DE quite a bit at about 350 ibs

tyson jackson is a perfect 3-4 de, he's a big solid de that can also get to the qb.

also i'm seeing a lot of mocks now having us take clint sintim out of virginia. he's a 250 lb outside linebacker who has been plaing in the 3-4 in college. he would play outside opposite of kampman. he would be a second rounder

i also don't see any chance of us going after haynesworth or peppers. haynesworth is not a NT and he has no heart. and peppers is too small for a 3-4 de and no one knows if he would be wourth the huge money to play at OLB

and i also think poppinnga might be alright in the 3-4, he played lb and DE in college. maybe he could excel in this role

the one spot that does worry me though is the DE opposite jenkins. i'm not sold yet on any of our guys being able to play there. will jolly be out of prison? will harrell make it out of training camp with out an injury? will colin cole even be on the team?

[vince]

This probably should be a new thread, but I'll pop it in here because it half fits.

Projected 53-Man Depth Chart

DE Jenkins, Malone
NT Pickett, NEW GUY, Jolly (suspended)/Bledsoe
DE Harrell, NEW GUY
OLB Kampman, Thompson, Hunter
ILB Hawk, Lansanah
ILB Barnett, Bishop
OLB Poppinga, Chillar
CB Woodson, Blackmon, Lee
SS Bigby, Rouse
FS Collins, NEW GUY
CB Harris, Williams

WR Jennings, Jones, Martin
T NEW GUY, Giacomini
G Sitton, NEW GUY
C Spitz, Wells
G Barbre, NEW GUY
T Colledge, NEW GUY
TE Lee, Finley
WR Driver, Nelson
QB Rodgers, Flynn, Brohm
FB Hall, Kuhn
RB Grant, Jackson, Lumpkin

K Crosby
P NEW GUY
LS Janzen

At Clifton's cost, last year's performance, age and health risk factor, I think they are ready to move past him.

Biggest needs are OT, DE, NT, and Punter. TT will target need areas in free agency and go after BPA in the draft. As such, of all the needs on the team, I would be least surprised to see a free agent signing at OT. The rest of the new guys I would project to come through the draft.

It'll be interesting to see who Carolina franchises between Peppers and Gross. If Gross becomes available, he’s the top guy available. I could see TT going after him much more than Peppers. He's at the top of his game and is three years younger than Tausch. He'll obviously be costly if he’s even available.

Other UFA OT's are:
Mark Tauscher – strong possibility because of his history with the team, older (31) with health concern (knee)
Khalif Barnes – 325, 26 – could be a possibility, possible character issues w/ DUI in ’06 – accused the cop of being a member of the KKK,
Vernon Carey – 335, 27 years old – solid lineman from the Dolphins
George Foster – 338, 28 yrs. old – solid starter for years with Denver, traded to lions with Tatum Bell and for some reason rode the pines – could be a fit.
Stacy Andrews – mammoth 342 lbs. 27 years old, franchised last year by the Bengals, not sure if he has the agility the Packers are likely seeking
Jordan Black – 29 year old journeyman. Would be cheap, but only a temporary stop-gap. Tauscher would likely be a better option.
Marvel Smith – unlikely - 30 with health concern (back)
Jon Runyan – smart, cagey talented, remarkably healthy veteran, but at 35, wouldn't seem to be a TT-type signing unless he came in at a value, in which case he'd likely stay with the Eagles.
Tra Thomas – 34 yrs. old – doubt it.
Mike Goff – too old

[Harlan Huckleby]

Chillar could play OLB in a 3-4. He's the best LB currently on our roster in terms of getting to the QB. He's the only one who knows how to blitz effectively.

Chillar played well, but I don't remember him being much of a blitzer.

Everyone wrote-off Poppinga last year too.

[Gunakor]

Chillar could play OLB in a 3-4. He's the best LB currently on our roster in terms of getting to the QB. He's the only one who knows how to blitz effectively.

Chillar played well, but I don't remember him being much of a blitzer.

Everyone wrote-off Poppinga last year too.

None of the LB's in Sanders' scheme were blitzers. It's what he had shown in St. Louis before coming here that I base it on. Every one of the LB's will see increased sack totals now that we are running a scheme that will utilize them as blitzers. In St. Louis they used Chillar to blitz every now and again, much more often than Sanders would send our guys. So I would assume that having recent experience as a blitzer makes him more comfortable and more effective in doing so than any of our guys stuck in Vanilla Bob's system for 3 years.

[texaspackerbacker]

This probably should be a new thread, but I'll pop it in here because it half fits.

Projected 53-Man Depth Chart

DE Jenkins, Malone
NT Pickett, NEW GUY, Jolly (suspended)/Bledsoe
DE Harrell, NEW GUY
OLB Kampman, Thompson, Hunter
ILB Hawk, Lansanah
ILB Barnett, Bishop
OLB Poppinga, Chillar
CB Woodson, Blackmon, Lee
SS Bigby, Rouse
FS Collins, NEW GUY
CB Harris, Williams

WR Jennings, Jones, Martin
T NEW GUY, Giacomini
G Sitton, NEW GUY
C Spitz, Wells
G Barbre, NEW GUY
T Colledge, NEW GUY
TE Lee, Finley
WR Driver, Nelson
QB Rodgers, Flynn, Brohm
FB Hall, Kuhn
RB Grant, Jackson, Lumpkin

K Crosby
P NEW GUY
LS Janzen

At Clifton's cost, last year's performance, age and health risk factor, I think they are ready to move past him.

Biggest needs are OT, DE, NT, and Punter. TT will target need areas in free agency and go after BPA in the draft. As such, of all the needs on the team, I would be least surprised to see a free agent signing at OT. The rest of the new guys I would project to come through the draft.

It'll be interesting to see who Carolina franchises between Peppers and Gross. If Gross becomes available, he’s the top guy available. I could see TT going after him much more than Peppers. He's at the top of his game and is three years younger than Tausch. He'll obviously be costly if he’s even available.

Other UFA OT's are:
Mark Tauscher – strong possibility because of his history with the team, older (31) with health concern (knee)
Khalif Barnes – 325, 26 – could be a possibility, possible character issues w/ DUI in ’06 – accused the cop of being a member of the KKK,
Vernon Carey – 335, 27 years old – solid lineman from the Dolphins
George Foster – 338, 28 yrs. old – solid starter for years with Denver, traded to lions with Tatum Bell and for some reason rode the pines – could be a fit.
Stacy Andrews – mammoth 342 lbs. 27 years old, franchised last year by the Bengals, not sure if he has the agility the Packers are likely seeking
Jordan Black – 29 year old journeyman. Would be cheap, but only a temporary stop-gap. Tauscher would likely be a better option.
Marvel Smith – unlikely - 30 with health concern (back)
Jon Runyan – smart, cagey talented, remarkably healthy veteran, but at 35, wouldn't seem to be a TT-type signing unless he came in at a value, in which case he'd likely stay with the Eagles.
Tra Thomas – 34 yrs. old – doubt it.
Mike Goff – too old

I generally agree with most of your roster. Did you forget Patrick Lee or really think he won't make it? I also think Bush makes the team and probably does better as a non-bump and run Corner.

I disagree with leaving off Cole and Montgomery. I really don't think high draft picks or big name free agents are coming in at their positions, and both of them are better than what we could get cheap or farther down the draft.

I also disagree about Clifton getting cut. His salary shouldn't be an issue since we are so far under the cap. I think if he can get healthy and stay healthy--a significant if--then he can still be a quality player for another year or two or three. As you say, Tauscher has the inside track to be re-signed over the various unknown quantities and over-age OTs. I tend to think, though, that an OT is the most likely first round pick.

I had completely forgotten about Lumpkin. It should be interesting to see how it shakes out between him and Wynn--or maybe both of them ahead of Jackson. I would almost bet that one of those three gets an injury--real or otherwise and gets IRed rather than lost.

[Joemailman]

He has Lee in there. Cole and Montgomery are UFA's and will probably leave as they are probably better suited to a 4-3 defense.

[texaspackerbacker]

He has Lee in there. Cole and Montgomery are UFA's and will probably leave as they are probably better suited to a 4-3 defense.

My mistake. I missed seeing Lee. Are you sure about Cole and Montgomery being UFAs? I hadn't heard that. I was pretty sure they wouldn't be cut, but if it takes the act of signing them to keep them, then they may be gone.

[red]

i have big hopes for pat lee

i thought he looked good in preseason and in the couple of games he got in before he got injured


when he got drafted all the experts were saying it might take awhile for him to adjust to the nfl

i still think he can be a good one

[SnakeLH2006]

He has Lee in there. Cole and Montgomery are UFA's and will probably leave as they are probably better suited to a 4-3 defense.

My mistake. I missed seeing Lee. Are you sure about Cole and Montgomery being UFAs? I hadn't heard that. I was pretty sure they wouldn't be cut, but if it takes the act of signing them to keep them, then they may be gone.

Yes, Cole and Mont. are UFA's. Both had their own various media pleas to get a new deal, but I wish the both the best in their future endeavors. Montgomery got absolutely toasted on contain many times in 2008 (have HD-DVR video to prove it from the games as I'd rewind the big plays against our D on swing passes, pitches, etc. and see Montgomery toasted again and again.) Cole is a stopgap at best. The times we had him play, meant injuries to starters, and I really don't want a $3 million/year dude that can't stop the run in a 4-3, much less a 3-4. He'd get roasted at NT and be a slow slow slow guy even as a 3-4 end.