What player(s) do you expect to break out this season?

[Carolina_Packer]

I've thought about this more, and I expect ILB Manning to be a much better player. He may not "break out" this year, but I expect big things out of him.

I wonder if he was a healthy scratch for most of the season, or does anyone recall him dressing for a game? You'd think with all the LB's going down he would have had his chance for playing time. I don't really recall seeing him get much playing time; perhaps on special teams.

[smuggler]

He played in a few games, but never got any significant playing time.

[MadtownPacker]

I think the best slot corner in the league is a pretty good ceiling for a player like Heyward. I also think it's much more likely that his play declines than elevates in 2013. I'd be happy to be wrong, but he was just too good when he played last season to match it.

Maybe you're right about him not getting any better. I just don't see why he would drop off. He didn't get lucky on a bunch of fluke plays. He took that shit on every INT. On some it looked like he was the WR. He is like Woodson, just has a sense for the ball. Let's say offenses stop throwing towards him as much so he has less INTs is that considered a decline? If he has the same # of INTs is that consider improvement? He is another TT diamond IMO and we haven't seen the best yet.

[Brandon494]

Just because a guy has 6 INTs his rookie season doesn't mean hes reach his "ceiling". I think the main reason he got so many picks last season was because he was a rookie and teams were trying to pick on him. I'm with the Mexican on this, I think TT found a gem with this Hayward.

[Smeefers]

Hope for the best and expect the worse I suppose. I think Hayward has the tools to be great. I also remember drooling on myself while giving Sam Shields high praises and he pretty much hit his ceiling his rookie year. SS hasn't gotten any worse really, he's just been scouted now. QB's know what he'll bite at and all that other stuff they keep an eye on. The same will be true for Hayward. I can definitely see him taking a dip this year and then climbing back up to where he was at as a pretty darn good player. Hope I'm wrong, but I don't expect to be.

[rbaloha1]

Hope for the best and expect the worse I suppose. I think Hayward has the tools to be great. I also remember drooling on myself while giving Sam Shields high praises and he pretty much hit his ceiling his rookie year. SS hasn't gotten any worse really, he's just been scouted now. QB's know what he'll bite at and all that other stuff they keep an eye on. The same will be true for Hayward. I can definitely see him taking a dip this year and then climbing back up to where he was at as a pretty darn good player. Hope I'm wrong, but I don't expect to be.

Shields is still evolving -- criticized for tackling but certainly improved in this area big time. Bulked up and is on the verge of becoming a pro bowl player.

[pbmax]

Yeah, give Shields credit. Had a hard camp (couple of nagging injuries) and under enormous pressure to tackle better. He got healthy and tackled better. That defines coachable in my book.

[Joemailman]

Yeah, give Shields credit. Had a hard camp (couple of nagging injuries) and under enormous pressure to tackle better. He got healthy and tackled better. That defines coachable in my book.

He got a break when House got hurt, but then he took advantage. The CB's will be interesting to watch in TC this year. If House is healthy, Tramon will have a battle on his hands to keep the starting job. And if he can't keep the starting job, do you pay him 6 million?

[Brandon494]

The thing also with Shields is you have to remember CB was still a position he was learning his rookie season having played WR in college his first three years. He did have a sophomore slump but I mean our defense was shit that year.

Also I don't understand this Tramon Williams getting cut talk, the guy was still our #1 CB last season. Yes House showed promise last year in training camp but that doesn't mean hes ready to take on other teams #1 WRs. The real battle will be between Shields and House in training camp, Williams isn't losing his job.

[pbmax]

The thing also with Shields is you have to remember CB was still a position he was learning his rookie season having played WR in college his first three years. He did have a sophomore slump but I mean our defense was shit that year.

Also I don't understand this Tramon Williams getting cut talk, the guy was still our #1 CB last season. Yes House showed promise last year in training camp but that doesn't mean hes ready to take on other teams #1 WRs. The real battle will be between Shields and House in training camp, Williams isn't losing his job.

He was, and is, the most proven, but 2012 was year #2 below his peak performance in the middle of a contract that envisioned more production.

He's not the 4th worst CB, but he is the most expensive. He also could still be getting healthier and stronger, so a return to form wouldn't be out of the question.

[Carolina_Packer]

Also I don't understand this Tramon Williams getting cut talk, the guy was still our #1 CB last season. Yes House showed promise last year in training camp but that doesn't mean hes ready to take on other teams #1 WRs. The real battle will be between Shields and House in training camp, Williams isn't losing his job.

That said, if Tramon has an off-year and House stays healthy/has a productive year and Shields goes next-level, that will give the Packers leverage to possibly ask Williams to lower his cap number which will be 9.5 in 2014 (the last year of his current deal).

Here is Tramon's contract info.

[rbaloha1]

The thing also with Shields is you have to remember CB was still a position he was learning his rookie season having played WR in college his first three years. He did have a sophomore slump but I mean our defense was shit that year.

Also I don't understand this Tramon Williams getting cut talk, the guy was still our #1 CB last season. Yes House showed promise last year in training camp but that doesn't mean hes ready to take on other teams #1 WRs. The real battle will be between Shields and House in training camp, Williams isn't losing his job.

TW has not been the same player since the super bowl. Avoids contact, poor tackler, consistently gets beat with a huge cap number.

If House or Hayward prove to be more consistent its aloha TW.

[Joemailman]

Tramon was definitely passing up opportunities to tackle late last season. My concern is that as the season wore on, that shoulder was getting worse, not better. Tramon at 100% may be better than Hayward or House at 100%, but is that true if Tramon is at 70%? I'm not so sure, and I don't think the coaching staff would be afraid to make a change if need be.

http://www.totalpackers.com/2013/01/...look-numbered/

“It’s going to be interesting to see who are going to be the guys who run out there on Day One,” Whitt said, “because right now I couldn’t tell you who’s going to do what because the way that Sam and Casey have played. And with Tramon and House there, there’s four guys that are vying for two spots. Maybe three with nickel. It will be interesting to see who gets it.”

[Brandon494]

That article is 4 months old, if they were going to get rid of Williams for salary reasons they would have done it by know. I also like how the article says Williams isn't even a top three secondary player for us and hinted at cutting him before cutting Woodson....how did that work out?

[rbaloha1]

That article is 4 months old, if they were going to get rid of Williams for salary reasons they would have done it by know. I also like how the article says Williams isn't even a top three secondary player for us and hinted at cutting him before cutting Woodson....how did that work out?

Why cut TW now when others body of work is too small? Should others emerge it may be sayonara.