WTF: Packers and Raji Close to One Year Deal?

[3irty1]

I can see how you get end from a 3-4 and not being the nose, but end also has a specific meaning: the end of the line. You have the edge or wide space to defend. Raji never did that. To call him an end is to make the situation more confusing.

Even JSO in the article Red cites says he played both tackle and end. I do not remember him at anything wider than a 3 tech. He was not on a O tackle that I remember.

The other puzzling thing is the move to nose. His isn't a nose tackle. The Packer run D suffered when he started at nose in 2010 (though compared to the last 3 years it was air tight) versus Pickett in 2009. He was specifically moved to that 3 tech in base to get him out from double teams.

However, in Rapoport's defense, Silverstein and McGinn both repeat that McCarthy could be putting Raji there with the expectation that they go lighter and more athletic at end (Jones, Daniels, Boyd, Worthy). So we might be seeing reporting backing up the idea of small, faster more athletic.

I expect it has as much to do with Daniels as it does with Raji. Daniels is phenomenal, even when everyone around him is not. He's the piece I'd want to build my defense around and moving Raji gives Daniels all the best 3-tech snaps.

[pbmax]

For fear of sounding like Wist, going lighter and more athletic at end + moving a guy to nose who has less of an anchor than Pickett did sounds like a damn disaster.

When you talk about the 'end of the line' do you mean on the O side or D side? Would you automatically call a guy lining up at 3 tech a DT, or does there have to be an LB covering the edge?

I mean end of the line for D, but it applies in a similar manner to each side.

If you are at a 3 tech, you have to have someone outside of you to handle the edge and outside contain. Otherwise teams could just block down on you and face no opposition running off tackle or wide.

In a 3-4, the DE at a 5 tech has the O tackle's gaps, including off tackle. Off tackle could be the edge if there is no TE or back to block further out. The OLB has the edge if there is a TE or back to block, he has wide contain is there is no one else there.

You can have a 3-4 DE at a 4 tech, which is shaded to the inside shoulder of the O Tackle. In that case, the OLB probably has the off tackle stuff, though the DE is supposed to stay strong and square and squeeze that gap to help the Backers.

[wist43]

Guys, we don't run a 3-4... we just don't. Our base defense is the 2-4. We run it more than any other alignment, and we're usually in it on 1st and 10.

That may change depending on opponent - as Capers did the right thing against SF, and did in fact, run a 3-4 most of the game. Not surprisingly, the results were much better; but that has been the exception to the rule. When we do run the 3-4, our defense is much better up front... even with the personnel not being an ideal fit for each position within the 3-4.

[pbmax]

3irty1, where did you get the percentages for D alignments from 2011? Can we buy access to more recent data?

[Fritz]

Red thinks we've dodged a bullet, and if Raji goes, I'm okay with it. But if I had my druthers, Raji, tail between legs, would sign that one year deal and try to be a team player at the NT position this year for the Packers.

[red]

Red thinks we've dodged a bullet, and if Raji goes, I'm okay with it. But if I had my druthers, Raji, tail between legs, would sign that one year deal and try to be a team player at the NT position this year for the Packers.

fritz, if the guy wasn't motivated to give it his all for the team this year, in a contract year, then i don't see him ever giving us anything more then he has

as a NT he would have to take on double teams on every play, and hold his ground. he wasn't able to hold his ground against single teams this year

[Fritz]

I'm hoping a serious dose of humiliation will teach that guy a lesson.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

A one year deal at 4 million is a good deal for both sides. I would be happy if he signed that. He wasn't happy where and how he was told to play and Red is right he probably quit. However, if he's willing to sign a one year deal to recover his rep then I'd be all for it. Even if he doesn't sign the long term deal with us afterwards, if we can get solid play at nt for a year why not? Our dline right now consists of Jones (will he progress?), Boyd (who knows?), Worthy (recovered from injury?), and Daniels. Which is why I brought up even letting go of Williams if we don't keep a good amount of our players. The defense really can't afford to lose talent, esp if its at a decent price.

[red]

well the news was that the the team made the offer and it would be signed today

today is almost over with no signing. meanwhile, raji's agent has probably been working the phones all day with every other team in the nfl

[red]

The defense really can't afford to lose talent, esp if its at a decent price.

i really don't know if we should be paying our bottom of the league defense a whole lot of money

look at it this way, we come pretty close to splitting the cap 50/50 between offense and defense. (57 million for offense/56.6 million for D last season)

should one of the worst defenses in the nfl be making the same kind of money as one of the best offenses? one side of that equation hasn't been earning their take

[3irty1]

3irty1, where did you get the percentages for D alignments from 2011? Can we buy access to more recent data?

That was PFF and it was free. I'm sure 2012 data is available for those with cash.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

i really don't know if we should be paying our bottom of the league defense a whole lot of money

Agreed, which is why I was one of the only ones whose been willing to sign Jones, Cobb, and Nelson all to long term deals. Pay for play right? But if we can get a motivated Raji at half price then sure why not. I'm banking on the motivated Raji part.

[bobblehead]

For fear of sounding like Wist, going lighter and more athletic at end + moving a guy to nose who has less of an anchor than Pickett did sounds like a damn disaster.

When you talk about the 'end of the line' do you mean on the O side or D side? Would you automatically call a guy lining up at 3 tech a DT, or does there have to be an LB covering the edge?

But if you actually play 3 DL are you actually smaller? And he means the O side. If you are lined up at end you have contain. Our 3-4 virtually never has 2 ends in the game together. I am not a defensive guy, and the schemes are definately beyond me at this point, but I would say we generally run without a true NT. Even in base we are using an end to one side with a 3 tech and maybe a 5 tech on the other side, but with an OLB outside of him who is responsible for contain...at least I THINK I understand the scheme about that much anyway.

[bobblehead]

i really don't know if we should be paying our bottom of the league defense a whole lot of money

look at it this way, we come pretty close to splitting the cap 50/50 between offense and defense. (57 million for offense/56.6 million for D last season)

should one of the worst defenses in the nfl be making the same kind of money as one of the best offenses? one side of that equation hasn't been earning their take

That is a great point. We must figure out who we are paying that isn't producing and part ways. There are more "solid" FA's this year than most. Let loose the baggage and bring in the new.

[wist43]

Investing in the defense doesn't make any sense as long as Capers is our DC.

We have a shitload of 1st and 2nd round picks in the front seven, and we have one of the worst front sevens in football - not b/c of talent, or lack thereof, but b/c Capers misuses all of them.

So regardless of what TT brings in, they will be misused by Capers; e.g., it doesn't make any sense to waste resources on that side of the ball. Bum mine in the lower rds and FA, don't resign anybody, and go to a minimum wage defense.

It's either that - or you guys have to admit that TT has missed on all those draft picks?? And if he's missed on just about everyone of those guys - it only stands to reason he will continue to miss, no??

Does anyone know the guy who writes slogans on the fence across from Lambeau?? Maybe we could get him to write - "Fire Capers, please!!!"