TT Delivered. What's our Starting D look like now? INSANE???

[SkinBasket]

Bigby is to Skin what Sharper was to Mad.

At least Sharper had a skillset other than an inflated perception that he has the ability to hit hard. Like I've said before, people want him to be better than he is because he has a goofy name, goofy hair, and that cool Rastafarian thing going on. You strip him of expectations and hopes and fanboyism, and he's an utterly replaceable player who's made 3-5 "big" hits in as many years.

[Gunakor]

Bigby is to Skin what Sharper was to Mad.

At least Sharper had a skillset other than an inflated perception that he has the ability to hit hard. Like I've said before, people want him to be better than he is because he has a goofy name, goofy hair, and that cool Rastafarian thing going on. You strip him of expectations and hopes and fanboyism, and he's an utterly replaceable player who's made 3-5 "big" hits in as many years.

He only played a couple of weeks last season before getting injured, and looked pretty good in that limited time. He was a defensive player of the week once the year before. He's made his mistakes, granted, but so has Nick Collins - who we all thought was utterly replaceable before last season. Bigby has shown more in his 1 and a half years starting than Collins did his first 3 years. Why so reluctant to give Bigby a chance?

[sharpe1027]

Bigby is to Skin what Sharper was to Mad.

At least Sharper had a skillset other than an inflated perception that he has the ability to hit hard. Like I've said before, people want him to be better than he is because he has a goofy name, goofy hair, and that cool Rastafarian thing going on. You strip him of expectations and hopes and fanboyism, and he's an utterly replaceable player who's made 3-5 "big" hits in as many years.

Bigby may be over-hyped for all of these reasons and more, but, IMHO, he has shown more ability than you give him credit for.

[CaliforniaCheez]

The Packers need a couple better DE's.

They need a couple of guys that are pushing Woodson and Harris out the door if they aren't starting.

Barnett is too small and can be replaced by a better LB.

You have to remember what Ron Wolf said. The players are only here until they can be replaced.

A team can always get better.

Look for next year's draft to improve the defense more.

He may trade Kampmann for a first round pick. Same with Barnett

Look at the teams that traded second round picks for firsts next year or 3rd round picks for next year's second round picks.

Ted will never make this team perfect. He must always be working at it.

[Fritz]

Bigby is to Skin what Sharper was to Mad.

At least Sharper had a skillset other than an inflated perception that he has the ability to hit hard. Like I've said before, people want him to be better than he is because he has a goofy name, goofy hair, and that cool Rastafarian thing going on. You strip him of expectations and hopes and fanboyism, and he's an utterly replaceable player who's made 3-5 "big" hits in as many years.

You vastly underestimate the power of the cool Rastafarian thing.

[Gunakor]

Bigby is to Skin what Sharper was to Mad.

At least Sharper had a skillset other than an inflated perception that he has the ability to hit hard. Like I've said before, people want him to be better than he is because he has a goofy name, goofy hair, and that cool Rastafarian thing going on. You strip him of expectations and hopes and fanboyism, and he's an utterly replaceable player who's made 3-5 "big" hits in as many years.

You vastly underestimate the power of the cool Rastafarian thing.

Seems to work for more than a few players in this league.

[The Leaper]

I like our defensive depth overall, but there is still going to be a large learning curve for many of these guys in transitioning over to a hybrid 3-4.

Our success in 2009 on defense is really going to depend on 3 players...Kampman and his transition to OLB, Harrell and his ability to become a capable 3-4 DE, and Hawk becoming more of a playmaker at the ILB position.

We need at least 2 of those guys to take a real step forward on this new defense.

[CaliforniaCheez]

The Defense can always get better.

[SnakeLH2006]

Bigby is to Skin what Sharper was to Mad.

At least Sharper had a skillset other than an inflated perception that he has the ability to hit hard. Like I've said before, people want him to be better than he is because he has a goofy name, goofy hair, and that cool Rastafarian thing going on. You strip him of expectations and hopes and fanboyism, and he's an utterly replaceable player who's made 3-5 "big" hits in as many years.

Bigby may be over-hyped for all of these reasons and more, but, IMHO, he has shown more ability than you give him credit for.

Agreed. Bigby is a serviceable player and prob. the worst of the 11 starters I (Snake) listed as potential 2009 starters. Yet he does have skill sets (ballhawking, big hitter) that is lacking other than Wood's ball skills and no one hits like him.

I don't for a 2nd care about Atari's name or hair (what's with that anyway, but could care less)? I like that he's a gamer and goes nuts to stick a hit on an RB or CAN get us a pick or two. Yes he's out of place at times, but definitely doesn't remind Snake of Marquand Manuel, etc. of failed ass rejects we used to have at safety. He's a deece starter and has some really good games when healthy.

I was only projecting our starting D (on paper) for 2009. Do you want Rouse, Skin? He may be good, but is hurt just as much and has done far less. So put him in there then. Why go AWOL over Bigby..I stated in my analysis peeps are divided over him. Sobeit. Snake likes Bigby, and really loves a hitter's mentality. If he tanks this year in coverage...throw in Rouse. Both of their flaws negate the other (Rouse/Bigby). That's an upgrade to look at in draft 2010 possibly, but this year on paper...looks to be a pretty damn good Defense for our starters.

If that's all is to bitch about for our starters, sobeit. On paper, this D looks very nuts and if Bigby is the weakspot, wow, Snake is happy to line him up as the WORST of our 11 D starters.

[SkinBasket]

I was only projecting our starting D (on paper) for 2009. Do you want Rouse, Skin? He may be good, but is hurt just as much and has done far less. So put him in there then. Why go AWOL over Bigby..I stated in my analysis peeps are divided over him. Sobeit. Snake likes Bigby, and really loves a hitter's mentality. If he tanks this year in coverage...throw in Rouse. Both of their flaws negate the other (Rouse/Bigby). That's an upgrade to look at in draft 2010 possibly, but this year on paper...looks to be a pretty damn good Defense for our starters.

If that's all is to bitch about for our starters, sobeit. On paper, this D looks very nuts and if Bigby is the weakspot, wow, Snake is happy to line him up as the WORST of our 11 D starters.

I'm not saying I don't like our defense. There are some parts of your projection that feel more like hope than expectation though. I'm going to wait to see Raji play against NFL linemen before I get excited about him. That's not being pessimistic. I just still have the bad taste of #10 pick Jamal Reynolds in my mouth is all and am skeptical about drafting DL high in any draft. I obviously hope Clay has the ability to replace Poppinga, because he's every bit as bad as Atari, but I'm not counting on it until 2010.

As far as replacing Bigby, I don't know what the fuck you do because I don't know what Capers is going to expect from the position. On top of that, it seems that finding solid safeties is becoming increasingly difficult these days. I suppose I hope Rouse has figured out what the coaches want from him and comes into camp and wins the starting job, or a majority of the snaps anyway.

In a perfect world I would have really like for them to bring in Leonard, who was able to run one of the top defenses in the league as a rookie. I would exchange that kind of football intelligence and leadership for the 1 or 2 "big" hits that Bigby delivers each season any day.

[Fritz]

It is kinda funny that just after the "hot" period of free agency so many posters were riding the "waaambulance" because TT didn't sign Canty or Olshovsky, but now suddenly the Packers have a top ten defense.

[Bretsky]

homers

[Joemailman]

It is kinda funny that just after the "hot" period of free agency so many posters were riding the "waaambulance" because TT didn't sign Canty or Olshovsky, but now suddenly the Packers have a top ten defense.

Top five. :P

[mission]

It is kinda funny that just after the "hot" period of free agency so many posters were riding the "waaambulance" because TT didn't sign Canty or Olshovsky, but now suddenly the Packers have a top ten defense.

Top five. :P

I love it!

[SnakeLH2006]

It is kinda funny that just after the "hot" period of free agency so many posters were riding the "waaambulance" because TT didn't sign Canty or Olshovsky, but now suddenly the Packers have a top ten defense.

Top five. :P

I love it!

LOL...Snake didn't cry about FA, it's useless unless you want to committ record money for maybe 1 or 2 elite FA's and a bunch of average starters. We know TT's track record, so no reason to cry about it either...Snake likes having $30 million in cap space to resign all our Packer Peeps.

As far as a top 10 D. This is only a projection. It's great on paper, but it is, alas, a projection. But damn that starting 11 looks good, no?