13-3 season for the Pack? Read this optimistic assessment

[Gunakor]

I'd release Pat Lee. You are trying to implement a new D. Capers needs to have the best talent available to him. Harris is still one of the best on the roster. I trust that Capers will maximize his use of Harris and would be better served year one to have another vet over Lee who would have to have major significant improvemnt to even think about moving Harris.

And you like to tell me that I'm retarded

So you are willing to keep an absolute nobody over Harris? If Harris was a shell of himself I would agree. Harris can still go. Lee hasn't shown a reason to keep him yet. If Lee doesn't improve, yes he should be released, especially if it comes down to him or Harris. You are the retarded one letting Harris go while you can still use him.

Cpk, Tramon Williams would step in as the starter should Harris be let go or traded, not Pat Lee. Don't forget about T-Will. Lee might - might - be the one to step in at nickel for Tramon. There'd be a battle for that and the dime spot in camp between him, Bush, Blackmon, and the rookie Underwood. That battle would determine the depth chart behind the starters Williams and Woodson, should Harris not be a Packer for 2009, but would have no influence on the starters either way.

[bobblehead]

I love April when 2 rookies step right in to perform at a high level and transform a defense by themselves.

Dom Capers and the rest of the defensive coaching staff, the prospects of an improved scheme, and the hope for a healthy veteran group (Hawk, Jenkins, Harrell, Woodson, Harris, Bigby, Rouse, Barnett, Pickett) have far more to do with prospects of an improved defense than the two rooks, who will also add much needed depth at important positions to the group.

I agree. I have said many times that we will win 10-11 games this year, but it won't be because we drafted raji and mathews and they make all the difference.

I think we have a lot of talent and if we can avoid the strife we had with the D coaching staff last year we should be very good.

[Partial]

I'd release Pat Lee. You are trying to implement a new D. Capers needs to have the best talent available to him. Harris is still one of the best on the roster. I trust that Capers will maximize his use of Harris and would be better served year one to have another vet over Lee who would have to have major significant improvemnt to even think about moving Harris.

And you like to tell me that I'm retarded

So you are willing to keep an absolute nobody over Harris? If Harris was a shell of himself I would agree. Harris can still go. Lee hasn't shown a reason to keep him yet. If Lee doesn't improve, yes he should be released, especially if it comes down to him or Harris. You are the retarded one letting Harris go while you can still use him.

Harris is strictly a man on man match-up corner imo and most peoples as well. Playing off in a zone is going to expose his lack of speed.

They drafted Lee to be the future, knowing he was a project. Why would you give up on that for one season when Harris is 34 and best days are clearly behind him.

I'm not advocating getting rid of Harris, but there is no way I'm cutting Lee. That'd be like cutting Rodgers before year two.

[Gunakor]

Teams all over the NFL do that with veterans that are getting up in age, why shouldn't the Packers?

Because Al is by far the coolest Packer.

Materialist logic isn't the greatest factor in regards to fans' perspectives.

Fans perspectives aren't the greatest factor in winning football games either. If trading Al to get something for his departure and starting Tramon Williams at that cornerback spot will help us win more football games, I'm all for it.

[cpk1994]

I'd release Pat Lee. You are trying to implement a new D. Capers needs to have the best talent available to him. Harris is still one of the best on the roster. I trust that Capers will maximize his use of Harris and would be better served year one to have another vet over Lee who would have to have major significant improvemnt to even think about moving Harris.

And you like to tell me that I'm retarded

So you are willing to keep an absolute nobody over Harris? If Harris was a shell of himself I would agree. Harris can still go. Lee hasn't shown a reason to keep him yet. If Lee doesn't improve, yes he should be released, especially if it comes down to him or Harris. You are the retarded one letting Harris go while you can still use him.

Cpk, Tramon Williams would step in as the starter should Harris be let go or traded, not Pat Lee. Don't forget about T-Will. Lee might - might - be the one to step in at nickel for Tramon. There'd be a battle for that and the dime spot in camp between him, Bush, Blackmon, and the rookie Underwood. That battle would determine the depth chart behind the starters Williams and Woodson, should Harris not be a Packer for 2009, but would have no influence on the starters either way.

I think you misunderstand me. Patler asked me who I would let go to make room for Harris and I said Lee. One of the reasons that Lee was drafted was to be a press corner in Vanilla Bob's worthless system. I am willing to go with Underwood, who was drafted for the sytem, over Lee who was drafted for the old system.

[3irty1]

Press coverage is something that occurs in all systems by all corners. Pat Lee is still a raw talent with the physical tools to do anything he's coached into doing. You don't go cutting a 2nd round talent after their rookie year without a very good reason. If he weren't capable of playing in another system then he shouldn't have been selected in the 2nd round in the first place.

[KYPack]

I didn't think it was age as much as it is Age X Salary ... Al's not getting paid SO MUCH where we have to cut him. I don't know the numbers but it's not an LT type situation we have.

Al's signed thru 2011 (remember when that seemed so far off in the future?). His base is 2.8 mil and he counts 4.8 mil against the CAP w/ bonuses. He'd be a 6-7 million dollar cap hit if cut. I think we need him for one more season. The problem is, there is a lot of off and deep zone cover in this zone blitz. When they fire zone, Al will sometimes be in that deep 3 and he hates that kind of cover.

'OL Dom (the comb-over kid) will have to scheme his brains out to keep Al happy.

[3irty1]

I didn't think it was age as much as it is Age X Salary ... Al's not getting paid SO MUCH where we have to cut him. I don't know the numbers but it's not an LT type situation we have.

Al's signed thru 2011 (remember when that seemed so far off in the future?). His base is 2.8 mil and he counts 4.8 mil against the CAP w/ bonuses. He'd be a 6-7 million dollar cap hit if cut. I think we need him for one more season. The problem is, there is a lot of off and deep zone cover in this zone blitz. When they fire zone, Al will sometimes be in that deep 3 and he hates that kind of cover.

'OL Dom (the comb-over kid) will have to scheme his brains out to keep Al happy.

You'd think that if you've got the ability to man up your blitzes would be exponentially better. I think Dom will appreciate the current skill set of Harris and all the Packers corners.

[The Shadow]

I love the direction of the Packers over the past few years.
Very optimistic!

[Deputy Nutz]

I love the direction of the Packers over the past few years.
Very optimistic!

what 31-33?

[mission]

I love the direction of the Packers over the past few years.
Very optimistic!

what 31-33?

Yup, I'm very optimistic despite that!

Wow.

[Deputy Nutz]

What leads anyone to think that all of a sudden this team is going to jump to the top of the NFL? Offensively they are a lot of question marks at offensive tackle. This after the offense gave up what(?) 30 something sacks in 2008.

The whole defense is getting moved to a new defense that this team isn't exactly suited to play personnel wise.

I am not a huge Thompson fan, I still want to know what he has done in the 2009 off season to make this team better? Drafted a couple of kids? That isn't special all GMs right now are high on their picks, it is what they are supposed to do. I like the picks that Thompson made but that certainly doesn't mean that they are going to contribute enough to impact the outcome of the season in a positive way.

This draft like all other drafts are for the next couple of years, not for a current impact and if a GM is relying on their picks from the current to become game changers in their first year, that GM should lose his job.

So I guess if I am just being a downer to everyone because everyone is all jazzed on the kool-aid after the draft, then I apologize.

But again reality Thompson is a GM that has under a .500 record as a GM in Green Bay. I like some of the things that he has done, some things I think he could have made better choices. I guess you can say that for any GM.

I am approaching this season with optimism but cautiously.

[Partial]

Nutz, I'm with you on that one. A lot of people here have optimism for reasons that are unknown to me. Some reasons are legit, like young blossoming players like Collins and Jennings. Some are not so much.

To argue the team is on the up and up and is significantly more talented now that before TT got here is simply ignoring facts. Their are virtually the same amount of blue and red chippers on the roster, and the fact that are one blue chipper is at a skill position instead of a core position like it previously was, we're probably actually worse.

[Joemailman]

The hiring of Capers, and some of the other defensive coaches hired is what has me optimistic about 2009, not the draft. Despite the whole Favre saga, the Packers were so close last year. They lost 7 games in which they had the lead with 5 minutes left. With a record of just 4-3 in those games, they would have been in the playoffs. I believe if Capers had been the Packers DC last year, the Packers would have been a playoff team. I see no reason to expect less this year. Capers has a good record of success in his first year as a team's DC. This suggests he is very good at putting together a defense with enough flexibility that it takes advantage of the talent available. Call it 3-4, 4-3, hybrid, or whatever you want. Doesn't matter.

[KYPack]

Well Nutz, I'm like this,

'07 I thought we were starting to gel, but still had a lot of holes. I figured 9-7, 10-6.
We were 13-3 and made the NFC Championship game

'08 We overachieved in '07, new QB, figured we'd come back to earth and go 10-6.
We were 6-10 and basically took a trip to the shitter.

'09? We have kept this group together and have added an aggressive DC. I don't think any of the rooks will add all that much, but our core group should mature and play quite well. THIS year, I think we'll go 10-6