Hawk and Barnett to switch positions

[SMACKTALKIE]

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playernews.aspx?sport=NFL

AJ Hawk will play the Mike linebacker in the Packers 3-4 defense, with Nick Barnett taking over the Will spot.

It's a reverse of the past three years, with Hawk concentrating on playing the run and blitzing while shedding coverage duties. Coach Mike McCarthy believes the scheme will help Hawk, and it should certainly increase his tackle numbers.


Interesting move, I thought Hawk looked horrible last season at Mike.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Hawk looked bad last year at WLB and MLB. He was good his first two years. He was injured last year. I'm guessing he rebounds.

[pittstang5]

I think alot of postions, specifically the line and LBs, with this new defense are speculation at this point. Ole Dom is gonna put his best players on the field, once it's determined who's good at what and where they should line up on the field. At this point, I could give a packer's rat a$$ where these guys are, as long as the defense is better than last year.

[Waldo]

They use a weird naming convention, probably the Dallas naming.

I've heard:
Sam-Jack-Mike-Will (SF)
Sam-Ted-Mike-Will (NE)
Sam-Buck-Mike-Will (Pit)
Sam-Mike-Will-Elephant (Dal)

Same positions, different naming convention.

Using the Dallas naming convention, 3-4 Mike is a combination of 4-3 Sam and Mike, 3-4 Will is a combination of 4-3 Mike and Will, by assignment.

Using the Dallas naming convention, the Mike backer is the most aggressive position on the field.

Under Sanders' defense, the Will was the least aggressive position of the front 7, with only the FS being less aggressive.

[rbaloha1]

Interesting move. IMO both guys are better runaround players than run stuffers.

Bishop may better equipped to fill the run stuffer position.

Article again reiterates Hawk's lack of creating turnovers in 08.

[wist43]

As some have pointed out, the Packers are thread bare in terms of being able to put competent 3-4 personnel on the field.... neither Hawk, nor Barnett belong in a 3-4.

Barnett has the football instincts of a kid playing Pop Warner; and, Hawk is okay at most things, but overall JAG... 6'1, 240lbs LB's grow on trees, so even though he is a competent NFL player, he certainly wasnt worth the #5 pick.

They were pretty bad on defense last year, and Dom Capers is an actual NFL calibur coach... so it is likely they will be better next year, but they just dont have the players to be a legitimate contender.

[Guiness]

They use a weird naming convention, probably the Dallas naming.

I've heard:
Sam-Jack-Mike-Will (SF)
Sam-Ted-Mike-Will (NE)
Sam-Buck-Mike-Will (Pit)
Sam-Mike-Will-Elephant (Dal)

Same positions, different naming convention.

Using the Dallas naming convention, 3-4 Mike is a combination of 4-3 Sam and Mike, 3-4 Will is a combination of 4-3 Mike and Will, by assignment.

Using the Dallas naming convention, the Mike backer is the most aggressive position on the field.

Under Sanders' defense, the Will was the least aggressive position of the front 7, with only the FS being less aggressive.

I was thinking roughly the same thing Waldo - what does Will mean in this system? The blurb is confusing...they said Barnett will move to the Will inside spot. But they also say it was Hawk's old spot...which 1)was an outside spot 2) doesn't exist in this system.

[PackerPro42]

If they hold those positions, TT just eliminated the need to draft Brown or Orakpo in the first because our OLB spots would be filled.

[Waldo]

If they hold those positions, TT just eliminated the need to draft Brown or Orakpo in the first because our OLB spots would be filled.

The OLB spots are sam and elephant.

Kamp has sam on lockdown

Pops, Hunter, Thompson, Pettway, and Chillar are currently vying for elephant, which is what Ware and Merriman play.

[PackerPro42]

If they hold those positions, TT just eliminated the need to draft Brown or Orakpo in the first because our OLB spots would be filled.

The OLB spots are sam and elephant.

Kamp has sam on lockdown

Pops, Hunter, Thompson, Pettway, and Chillar are currently vying for elephant, which is what Ware and Merriman play.

Is that what formation we're running?

[HarveyWallbangers]

Pops, Hunter, Thompson, Pettway, and Chillar are currently vying for elephant, which is what Ware and Merriman play.

And it's certainly not a sure thing that one of these guys will step up. They may target at least one "elephant" in FA or the draft. Also, we have nice LB depth, but a lot of the 3-4 teams have up to 10 LBs on their roster. It's such a vital position in the 3-4 defense. I wouldn't be surprised if we load up on more LBs--although it's nice to have some candidates on the roster already. Makes it less of a need to fill. I feel pretty good that one of these guys will step up. Our biggest needs are DE and NT.

[ND72]

Mike & Will in a 3-4, are both MLB positions...

[mission]

If they hold those positions, TT just eliminated the need to draft Brown or Orakpo in the first because our OLB spots would be filled.

The OLB spots are sam and elephant.

Kamp has sam on lockdown

Pops, Hunter, Thompson, Pettway, and Chillar are currently vying for elephant, which is what Ware and Merriman play.

Looks like most of those guys are gonna be out of a job.

[Lurker64]

Who do we have on the roster for the ILB spots? Hawk, Barnett, Bishop, Lansanah?

3-4 teams usually keep 4 ILBs, don't they?

[Fritz]

Elephant? Shouldn't that be a position manned by guys like Grady Jackson?