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Oates: Packers' Hodge deserves to start in middle
TOM OATES 608-252-6172
toates@madison.com
General manager Ted Thompson lapsed directly into NFL-speak when asked if rookie Abdul Hodge had impressed him enough to start at linebacker for the Green Bay Packers.
"We'll play the best guys that we have," Thompson told reporters Monday. "If he happens to be one of the best guys, we'd play him."
Good, because the time has come for the Packers to put their money where their cliche is.
With the first exhibition game coming up Saturday, the three best linebackers in the Packers' training camp are Nick Barnett, A.J. Hawk and Abdul Hodge. Problem is, only two of those three - Barnett at middle linebacker and Hawk at weakside linebacker - are starting.
It's time to start all three.
The Packers should move Barnett to the strong side and start Hodge in the middle, and they should do it now so they can give Hodge as much time to learn as they can. True, that would give them two rookies - Hawk and Hodge - at linebacker, but if the Packers aren't worried about starting two rookie guards, why would they obsess over starting two rookie linebackers?
Barnett has started the last three seasons at middle linebacker and Hawk, the first-round draft pick from Ohio State, was handed a starting job the minute the Packers called his name in April. However, Hodge, the third-round pick from Iowa, has been stuck behind Barnett on the depth chart while the Packers start bargain-basement free agent Ben Taylor on the strong side.
Taylor has been the same dependable-but-invisible player he was in Cleveland, where he started 16 games in 2005 without a sack, an interception, a forced fumble or a recovered fumble. Meanwhile, Hodge demonstrated in the team's scrimmage Saturday what many had seen throughout camp: He's a tackling machine who plays bigger and faster than he is.
"He looks just like he did at Iowa, running around and making tackles," Thompson said. "He's instinctive, he's aggressive, he's a downhill guy and he's an active football player. He likes to play the game. We're very pleased."
Hopefully, the Packers are pleased enough to make a bold move and start Hodge in the middle. It only makes sense.
First, Hodge is every bit as NFL-ready as Hawk, having matched Hawk tackle-for-tackle during their equally impressive Big Ten Conference careers. Yes, he struggles in pass coverage - what rookie linebacker doesn't? - but he can stuff the run and make big plays, two things the Packers sorely need from their linebackers.
"He'll do a great job with the transition," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said last week. "We've had numerous guys go on (to the NFL) and make the adjustment very well and there's no doubt in my mind Abdul will do the same."
Second, Hodge is a natural-born middle linebacker. Ferentz doesn't claim to know anything about the Packers' personnel situation, but he knows Hodge, a three-year starter at Iowa, and he knows the NFL, having been the offensive line coach for the Cleveland/Baltimore franchise for six years. He also knows linebackers, having coached for an NFL team that had Ray Lewis at middle, or mike, linebacker.
"I'm not saying he's Ray Lewis, but to me Ray Lewis is a mike and Abdul (is a mike)," Ferentz said. "In my opinion, he's a box middle linebacker. ... He's an explosive, tough player, he can play the position, he's got great instincts and he's a great student of the game. I'll be shocked if he doesn't have a great career. I'll just be shocked."
Thompson, a linebacker in his playing days, said it's not difficult for linebackers to move around and play different spots in the Packers' defense.
"There's some versatility there," he said. "If you're athletic and you have instincts, you can play."
Hodge could probably move to the outside and start this year, but that wouldn't make sense. He already has the instincts to play the middle and might not be as effective outside with his lack of top-end speed. Meanwhile, Barnett has been good but not great in the middle and might be better outside, where he can use his speed.
Thompson said it's coach Mike McCarthy's call who starts at linebacker, but it's a no-brainer. Hodge could be the Packers' middle linebacker for the next 10 years, so why wait another day to put him there?
TOM OATES 608-252-6172
toates@madison.com
General manager Ted Thompson lapsed directly into NFL-speak when asked if rookie Abdul Hodge had impressed him enough to start at linebacker for the Green Bay Packers.
"We'll play the best guys that we have," Thompson told reporters Monday. "If he happens to be one of the best guys, we'd play him."
Good, because the time has come for the Packers to put their money where their cliche is.
With the first exhibition game coming up Saturday, the three best linebackers in the Packers' training camp are Nick Barnett, A.J. Hawk and Abdul Hodge. Problem is, only two of those three - Barnett at middle linebacker and Hawk at weakside linebacker - are starting.
It's time to start all three.
The Packers should move Barnett to the strong side and start Hodge in the middle, and they should do it now so they can give Hodge as much time to learn as they can. True, that would give them two rookies - Hawk and Hodge - at linebacker, but if the Packers aren't worried about starting two rookie guards, why would they obsess over starting two rookie linebackers?
Barnett has started the last three seasons at middle linebacker and Hawk, the first-round draft pick from Ohio State, was handed a starting job the minute the Packers called his name in April. However, Hodge, the third-round pick from Iowa, has been stuck behind Barnett on the depth chart while the Packers start bargain-basement free agent Ben Taylor on the strong side.
Taylor has been the same dependable-but-invisible player he was in Cleveland, where he started 16 games in 2005 without a sack, an interception, a forced fumble or a recovered fumble. Meanwhile, Hodge demonstrated in the team's scrimmage Saturday what many had seen throughout camp: He's a tackling machine who plays bigger and faster than he is.
"He looks just like he did at Iowa, running around and making tackles," Thompson said. "He's instinctive, he's aggressive, he's a downhill guy and he's an active football player. He likes to play the game. We're very pleased."
Hopefully, the Packers are pleased enough to make a bold move and start Hodge in the middle. It only makes sense.
First, Hodge is every bit as NFL-ready as Hawk, having matched Hawk tackle-for-tackle during their equally impressive Big Ten Conference careers. Yes, he struggles in pass coverage - what rookie linebacker doesn't? - but he can stuff the run and make big plays, two things the Packers sorely need from their linebackers.
"He'll do a great job with the transition," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said last week. "We've had numerous guys go on (to the NFL) and make the adjustment very well and there's no doubt in my mind Abdul will do the same."
Second, Hodge is a natural-born middle linebacker. Ferentz doesn't claim to know anything about the Packers' personnel situation, but he knows Hodge, a three-year starter at Iowa, and he knows the NFL, having been the offensive line coach for the Cleveland/Baltimore franchise for six years. He also knows linebackers, having coached for an NFL team that had Ray Lewis at middle, or mike, linebacker.
"I'm not saying he's Ray Lewis, but to me Ray Lewis is a mike and Abdul (is a mike)," Ferentz said. "In my opinion, he's a box middle linebacker. ... He's an explosive, tough player, he can play the position, he's got great instincts and he's a great student of the game. I'll be shocked if he doesn't have a great career. I'll just be shocked."
Thompson, a linebacker in his playing days, said it's not difficult for linebackers to move around and play different spots in the Packers' defense.
"There's some versatility there," he said. "If you're athletic and you have instincts, you can play."
Hodge could probably move to the outside and start this year, but that wouldn't make sense. He already has the instincts to play the middle and might not be as effective outside with his lack of top-end speed. Meanwhile, Barnett has been good but not great in the middle and might be better outside, where he can use his speed.
Thompson said it's coach Mike McCarthy's call who starts at linebacker, but it's a no-brainer. Hodge could be the Packers' middle linebacker for the next 10 years, so why wait another day to put him there?
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