Next year

[Deputy Nutz]

Really this team did a nice job at the end of the year, and going on the road in the playoffs is no easy task. I really hold no real fault with Thompson, and McCarthy is the coach so I am sure you can blame him some for the defeat.

This team's real weakness on Sunday and really against all teams they lost to is that without generating a pass rush this secondary has a very difficult time holding up which isn't all that different than any other secondary in the NFL.

The Packers need to improve their pass rush outside of #52, and they need a starting safety to go along with Collins. guys like Blackmon and Pat Lee are always injured and can't be counted on for the needed depth in the secondary.

[CaliforniaCheez]

One thing that I haven't seen discussed in detail anywhere is how the lack of a CBA will effect the free agents this year.

My gut feeling is that the FA class this year will be trash as younger guys like Collins who would be FA's this year won't hit the market. I would expect the only free agents to be older players.

College, Collins, Jolly and others can wait.

Pickett and Kampmann can't. Those decisions are important. Pickett has to stay. Not sure what Tauscher's status is but he deserves to stay.



Often when I mention positions, people get all defensive about the starters and ignore the rest of the 53 roster positions.

[Deputy Nutz]

One thing that I haven't seen discussed in detail anywhere is how the lack of a CBA will effect the free agents this year.

My gut feeling is that the FA class this year will be trash as younger guys like Collins who would be FA's this year won't hit the market. I would expect the only free agents to be older players.

College, Collins, Jolly and others can wait.

Pickett and Kampmann can't. Those decisions are important. Pickett has to stay. Not sure what Tauscher's status is but he deserves to stay.



Often when I mention positions, people get all defensive about the starters and ignore the rest of the 53 roster positions.

Kampman is gone. Pickett would be nice to have because of rotation purposes, but he isn't the starter going into next year.

[Smidgeon]

One thing that I haven't seen discussed in detail anywhere is how the lack of a CBA will effect the free agents this year.

My gut feeling is that the FA class this year will be trash as younger guys like Collins who would be FA's this year won't hit the market. I would expect the only free agents to be older players.

College, Collins, Jolly and others can wait.

Pickett and Kampmann can't. Those decisions are important. Pickett has to stay. Not sure what Tauscher's status is but he deserves to stay.



Often when I mention positions, people get all defensive about the starters and ignore the rest of the 53 roster positions.

Kampman is gone. Pickett would be nice to have because of rotation purposes, but he isn't the starter going into next year.

Why isn't he a starter going into next year? He holds the nose better than Raji and allows Raji to come in on passing downs. I would keep him for the base 3-4 and just that.

[ThunderDan]

Really this team did a nice job at the end of the year, and going on the road in the playoffs is no easy task. I really hold no real fault with Thompson, and McCarthy is the coach so I am sure you can blame him some for the defeat.

This team's real weakness on Sunday and really against all teams they lost to is that without generating a pass rush this secondary has a very difficult time holding up which isn't all that different than any other secondary in the NFL.

The Packers need to improve their pass rush outside of #52, and they need a starting safety to go along with Collins. guys like Blackmon and Pat Lee are always injured and can't be counted on for the needed depth in the secondary.

Spot on!

[ThunderDan]

One thing that I haven't seen discussed in detail anywhere is how the lack of a CBA will effect the free agents this year.

My gut feeling is that the FA class this year will be trash as younger guys like Collins who would be FA's this year won't hit the market. I would expect the only free agents to be older players.

College, Collins, Jolly and others can wait.

Pickett and Kampmann can't. Those decisions are important. Pickett has to stay. Not sure what Tauscher's status is but he deserves to stay.



Often when I mention positions, people get all defensive about the starters and ignore the rest of the 53 roster positions.

Kampman is gone. Pickett would be nice to have because of rotation purposes, but he isn't the starter going into next year.

Not sure on the Pickett thought. I wouldn't mind letting Raji get another year rotating and being in on passing downs. The kids what 22 or 23 and plays well. Just wait until he is 28 and has grown into his frame.

[HarveyWallbangers]

OFFENSE - very similar

1995 7th in yards; 6th in points
2009 6th in yards; 3rd in points

QB - eerily similar

1995 Brett Favre, 5th NFL season, 26 years old, 63 comp %, 4413 yards, 38 TDs, 13 int
2009 Aaron Rodgers, 5th NFL season, 26 years old, 64.7 comp %, 4434 yards, 30 TDs, 7 int

RB - Dorsey emerged on the scene; his clone is relatively the same age

1995 Dorsey Levens, #25, 25 years old
2009 Ryan Grant, #25, 26 years old

WR/TE - some weapons to work with on offense

1995 Robert Brooks, Keith Jackson, Mark Chmura
2009 Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jermichael Finley, James Jones, Jordy Nelson

OL - non-descript OL that had some veterans mixed with some young guys--none of them world beaters

DEFENSE - Both had defenses that were starting to emerge with veteran coordinators (Shurmur, Capers).

1995 14th in yards, 4th in points, 12th in sacks
2009 2nd in yards; 7th in points, 11th in sacks

Both had front 7s that were starting to show promise, solid LBs, one dynamic safety, solid starting corners with little depth behind them.

SPECIAL TEAMS - Both had decent kickers with good leg strength who were coming off down years. Jacke made 73.9 % of his FGs in 1995. Crosby made 75.0 % of his FGs in 2009. I believe both had bad punters and a return game that was pretty anemic.

What did Wolf do in the offseason? He mostly stayed the course. He had a good draft, signed a veteran defensive player in Eugene Robinson, and grabbed Desmond Howard off the scrapheap. I'd like to see a veteran OT signed (and just for Skin, perhaps a upgrade at safety), have a good draft where corner is addressed, and sign a good return man and punter.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Forgot to add. Both teams led by younger, offensive-minded coaches. Both are kind of hard-nosed but considered player's coaches. Also, both QBs played well in the playoff game that they lost on the road in a high scoring game--but both made a crucial mistake late in the game.

[MichiganPackerFan]

"safety depth"? What team has "safety depth". Having TWO safeties IS safety depth. Going three deep is like having three fullbacks. OH. Wait....

Seriously, need depth at CB and if need be, one can slide inside and fill the second safety spot...

[Joemailman]

Better in my opinion to have three quality safeties, in case of injury, one of whom can play in sub packages when injuries are not a problem.