Shield's testing the market

[pbmax]

Why would Raji want to come back??

He's not a 2-gap Nose Tackle... he knows that, I know that, most everyone acknowledged that when he came out in the draft. So what does Capers do with him?? He uses him as a 2-gap NT, lol...

Might as well have tried playing him at Safety.

If I'm a defensive player who is unfortunate enough to be drafted by the Packers, I'm just marking time until my rookie contract runs out, and I can leave for a better environment.

He has not played NT since 2010.

If that is the reason for his decline, then the Packers should put him back there.

[3irty1]

He hasn't been a good 3-tech LDE, but was moved there because he was such a lousy NT in 2011. I'm not a fan of Capers, but I am a fan of Occam's razor so it's hard for me to swallow that Raji is a fat Warren Sapp if you use him right.

[wist43]

He has not played NT since 2010.

If that is the reason for his decline, then the Packers should put him back there.

He play DT in that God-awful 2-4, but b/c there were on 2 DL on the field, he and Pickett weren't 2-gap DL, they were 2 against 5 defensive linemen - which I don't think there is even a term for.

Add to that, that Raji played a shit-ton of snaps - what does anyone expect from the guy??

A reporter brought it up the MM that Raji was playing a lot of snaps and appeared to be worn down - to which MM replied "he's a young man"... lol, WTF??

No, if I'm Raji... I would have made up my mind 3 years ago that I was out the door as soon as my contract was up - and that appears to be what he was thinking when he turned down that big contract offer.

[wist43]

He hasn't been a good 3-tech LDE, but was moved there because he was such a lousy NT in 2011. I'm not a fan of Capers, but I am a fan of Occam's razor so it's hard for me to swallow that Raji is a fat Warren Sapp if you use him right.

Then that means that everyone in the front 6/7 sucks, right??

All those high draft picks - and we're one of the worst overall defenses in the league, and one of the worst run defenses in the league... injuries as an excuse don't begin to cover the mess.

To make matters worse, TT throws big contracts at the 2 most pedestrian players we have in our defensive front - Hawk and Brad Jones; and worse added to worse, those guys are always on the field!!! Jeesh...

With the personnel Capers had available - I would never, ever, have run that idiotic 2-4. If I was going to go to the nickel, I would be in a 3-3 front that maximized the talent that TT had given me. Watching a Capers run defense is nothing short of painful.

[pbmax]

He hasn't been a good 3-tech LDE, but was moved there because he was such a lousy NT in 2011. I'm not a fan of Capers, but I am a fan of Occam's razor so it's hard for me to swallow that Raji is a fat Warren Sapp if you use him right.

I believe 2011 was the first year they used the Eagle Oakie, with Raji at the 3 tech but they did split the reps between it and base Oakie that year. Was Pickett still at end in 2011?

[3irty1]

Then that means that everyone in the front 6/7 sucks, right??

All those high draft picks - and we're one of the worst overall defenses in the league, and one of the worst run defenses in the league... injuries as an excuse don't begin to cover the mess.

To make matters worse, TT throws big contracts at the 2 most pedestrian players we have in our defensive front - Hawk and Brad Jones; and worse added to worse, those guys are always on the field!!! Jeesh...

With the personnel Capers had available - I would never, ever, have run that idiotic 2-4. If I was going to go to the nickel, I would be in a 3-3 front that maximized the talent that TT had given me. Watching a Capers run defense is nothing short of painful.

Is your problem with the defense really the 2-4 on the whole the way that most teams use it or do you hate the version that comes out on most 1st downs and sometimes on 2nd down that features run stuffing personnel in a pass rushing formation? Pretty much every 3-4 team runs more 2-something than they do their base D so lets first start with acknowledging that because I have a hard time knowing exactly how much of what you're saying is sarcastic exaggeration.

I'd agree that the whole 2-4 with Pickett and Raji as a situational run defense was not an idea that was worth renewing once Woodson aged out of stardom. I find it even more offensive that the answer was simply to draft a new Woodson to be the new gem of the defense (Hayward, Hyde). They're insanely lucky that those guys have been pretty good but its super flawed to draft anyone and expect them to carry Woodson's jock. That defense should have died with Woodson IMO. But I don't think the fatty version of the 2-4 was "idiotic" back when it worked. My criticism of Capers is basically that he's living in the recent past. I don't blame him that Raji and Perry aren't perennial pro bowlers. They are in a position to succeed if they were capable.

[3irty1]

I believe 2011 was the first year they used the Eagle Oakie, with Raji at the 3 tech but they did split the reps between it and base Oakie that year. Was Pickett still at end in 2011?

I thought so but that's just the way I remember it. 2011 was a strange year because run defense didn't matter.

[mraynrand]

I started a play-by-play analysis of the defensive fronts used. So far, I'm though the first half of the opener against SF. The Packers used the 2-4 on 10 of 37 plays with mixed success. Only once did they use it on an obvious running down and it also yielded two runs for losses and a sack, as well as a third down stop of a Kap run. Also yielded two large plays, and both TDs, but the coverage was terrible on both, and one series started at the 12 following Lacy's fumble. D. Jones and Neal were exclusively used at the two down-linemen in the 2-4, so you could argue it was psycho package I suppose. Interesting that Neal and Matthews did line up on the same side in the 2-4 and that produced pressure. Next: more first half detail and the second half.

Conclusions at half: APRH, Neal and Matthews on the same side is a good combo; re-sign Neal, get Matthews healthy. Improve secondary. Don't run 2-4 on third and less than 3.

[Fritz]

I admire your thoroughness.

Maybe we can ground our opinions in some actual observations of play and results.

[pbmax]

I started a play-by-play analysis of the defensive fronts used. So far, I'm though the first half of the opener against SF. The Packers used the 2-4 on 10 of 37 plays with mixed success. Only once did they use it on an obvious running down and it also yielded two runs for losses and a sack, as well as a third down stop of a Kap run. Also yielded two large plays, and both TDs, but the coverage was terrible on both, and one series started at the 12 following Lacy's fumble. D. Jones and Neal were exclusively used at the two down-linemen in the 2-4, so you could argue it was psycho package I suppose. Interesting that Neal and Matthews did line up on the same side in the 2-4 and that produced pressure. Next: more first half detail and the second half.

Conclusions at half: APRH, Neal and Matthews on the same side is a good combo; re-sign Neal, get Matthews healthy. Improve secondary. Don't run 2-4 on third and less than 3.

Mad, give this guy $20 out of petty cash.

[pbmax]

I admire your thoroughness.

Maybe we can ground our opinions in some actual observations of play and results.

Internet, Fritz, you are on the internet. This isn't some volcano where we take measurements and test hypotheses. We insist our way to the truth.

[Bossman641]

He play DT in that God-awful 2-4, but b/c there were on 2 DL on the field, he and Pickett weren't 2-gap DL, they were 2 against 5 defensive linemen - which I don't think there is even a term for.

Add to that, that Raji played a shit-ton of snaps - what does anyone expect from the guy??

A reporter brought it up the MM that Raji was playing a lot of snaps and appeared to be worn down - to which MM replied "he's a young man"... lol, WTF??

No, if I'm Raji... I would have made up my mind 3 years ago that I was out the door as soon as my contract was up - and that appears to be what he was thinking when he turned down that big contract offer.

I agree that Raji was playing way too many snaps a few years ago - think he was in the high 80's. This year he was at 59% of the snaps. The perplexing thing is that he has seemingly got worse the less snaps he plays.

[Guiness]

PFT released their top 100 FA list.

Good news Shields is the 5th rated CB - bad news is he's 15th overall.

There are a goodly number of Packers on that list - 7 - Shields, Raji, JJ, Starks, Finley, Neale and EDS. Seems others have a pretty good opinion of our guys.

Neale picked a good year to stay healthy and have something approaching a break-out season.

link - http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ent-hot-100-3/

[Brandon494]

Sign Everson Griffen!!!! Its about time we steal a player from the Vikings and he says he wants to play LB in a 3-4 to showcase his rushing skills.

[red]

Sign Everson Griffen!!!! Its about time we steal a player from the Vikings and he says he wants to play LB in a 3-4 to showcase his rushing skills.

whats the record for USC LB's on one team?

TT might not deem him to be packer people

On January 28, 2011, Griffen was arrested in Los Angeles for public intoxication. Three days later, he was arrested again after he was found driving with an invalid drivers license. He then tried to flee on foot only to be tasered after allegedly grabbing an officer in the crotch area