Linebacker - Decisions, decisions, decisions.

[Patler]

What do you do with them all?????

The Packers currently list 16 on their roster. That's probably too many to bring to camp, so some will be released even before then.

Many of them have played and contributed - Mathews, Hawk, Bishop, Barnett, Zombo, Waldon, Poppinga, Jones, Chillar.

Vets with some experience in GB or elsewhere - Francois, Briggs, Wilhelm

Rookies - Elmore, Smith

Who? - Jackson, Young.

Room on the roster for 9, maybe as few as 8, possibly as many as 10. Lots and lots to sift through and consider:

How many LBs do you keep?
Is Chillar healed?
Will Barnett fit in and/or be affordable if he isn't a starter?
Is Poppinga's time up? Would he even have a role on the team?
Who is the "other" OLB - Zombo? Jones? Walden? Elmore? A rotation? Of who?
Is there any reason to keep all of Zombo, Jones, Walden and Elmore?
If Hawk and Bishop start in the middle, who is behind them? Especially if Chillar can't play and/or Barnett doesn't workout as a reserve?
It's a big group, but does it really amount to just 3 + Barnett and 12 guys that don't matter?


Decisions, decisions, decisions!

[Joemailman]

Locks: Matthews, Hawk, Bishop
Likely: Zombo, Walden, Jones(being moved inside)
In the hunt: Barnett, Chillar, Elmore, Smith, Francois
Buh-bye: Poppinga, Wilhelm

[Smeefers]

Locks: Matthews, Hawk, Bishop
Likely: Zombo, Walden, Jones(being moved inside)
In the hunt: Barnett, Chillar, Elmore, Smith, Francois
Buh-bye: Poppinga, Wilhelm

I agree mostly, but I think Barnett is still a lock on the team and I don't have as much faith in Walden. I would also move Chillar up to likely, which would leave us with 7. We keep one of the rooks, that pushes us up to 8 and we may try and keep a few of those fellas for the practice squad.

[vince]

OLB: Matthews, Zombo, Walden, Elmore
ILB: Hawk, Bishop, Jones, Poppinga, Smith

Chillar makes it over Poppinga if his shoulder holds up, but I'm taking a stab in the dark that it won't. Pops is a swingman and special teamer and gives them the flexibility they like. Wilhelm is a good special teamer too, so I think he has a chance to stick. Barnett is a me-first diva who is also expensive for a backup. I think he's done as a Packer.

[Smidgeon]

Jones moving to the middle?

[SkinBasket]

If we could get rid of Bigby and Poppinga in the same off-season I might spontaneously ejaculate.

[Joemailman]

Jones moving to the middle?

There's been speculation about it, although I don't know what the source of the speculation is.

http://packerupdate.net/?p=11657

There’s also a decent chance that Brad Jones will switch from the outside to the inside – a move that would make sense since the former Colorado star’s strength has been his ability to hold up against the run.

[vince]

I don't have a link, but the speculation about Jones moving inside originally came from McCarthy. He made a comment about Jones being able to play inside while reiterating Chillar's recurring shoulder issues. Neither comment was definitive, but I'd say it's highly likely they were calculated.

[woodbuck27]

Nice problem to have. I'm always surprized that Poppinga hangs in. Barnett's time may be up.

[Tarlam!]

If we could get rid of Bigby and Poppinga in the same off-season I might spontaneously ejaculate.

You say that like it rarely ever happens.

[Fritz]

Even with Poppinga's flexibility, I can't see him staying on. He's been hurt, he's getting to be a grizzled vet, he's mediocre. Weird how they have so many outside linebackers but a dearth of inside guys.