future of LB's...

[Patler]

As for Briggs, I'd be more interested in Adalius Thomas from the Ravens -- he is the best SSLB in the game, and can effectively rush the passer at DE. We could cut KGB after June 1st.

That is what the Packers need, a linebacker that can just take the TE out of the game. A guy like Wayne Simmons was for a couple years. The TE never even got off the line of scrimmage when he got into them. Now we try to "cover" the TE, instead of physically dominating him. For the most part it has not worked, other than Na'il Diggs in his first couple years. But he lost it when they tried to move him to the weakside, and never got it back.

[The Shadow]

Personally, I'd rather have Briggs than Barnett.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Personally, I'd rather have Briggs than Barnett.

I don't think anybody had a differing opinion.

[ND72]

Ok, for all of you to know, Hawk is NOT a MLB. He's not. People say he played MLB in college, but he didn't. Anthony Schlegel was OSU's MLB. Barnett proved his worth in the Seattle game when he didn't play. Hodge is no where ready to play at the NFL level, and Barnett had a very solid year, and can still improve a lot based on our TEAM improvement. Do you invest in both Barnett and Briggs, yes. Why? cause we have money, and the cap will go up every year to help us with it. You people are crazy if you think we need to drop Barnett.

What do you think of Briggs? Is he overhyped and overrated because he plays next to Urlacher, or is he really a baller?

I personally like Briggs a lot. Many sports writers have said he's a product of the system,a nd he'd only fit in a cover 2 defense, or a "Dungy" type defense....I donno, I don't buy it. If you have Barnett and Hawk with him, HELLO. Our LB's would be set for years to come, and I think Briggs would be the oldest one at 26 years old or so.

[KYPack]

Ok, for all of you to know, Hawk is NOT a MLB. He's not. People say he played MLB in college, but he didn't. Anthony Schlegel was OSU's MLB. Barnett proved his worth in the Seattle game when he didn't play. Hodge is no where ready to play at the NFL level, and Barnett had a very solid year, and can still improve a lot based on our TEAM improvement. Do you invest in both Barnett and Briggs, yes. Why? cause we have money, and the cap will go up every year to help us with it. You people are crazy if you think we need to drop Barnett.

What do you think of Briggs? Is he overhyped and overrated because he plays next to Urlacher, or is he really a baller?

I personally like Briggs a lot. Many sports writers have said he's a product of the system,a nd he'd only fit in a cover 2 defense, or a "Dungy" type defense....I donno, I don't buy it. If you have Barnett and Hawk with him, HELLO. Our LB's would be set for years to come, and I think Briggs would be the oldest one at 26 years old or so.

Ya know ND, I think we are "evolving" into the Tampa 2. I watched the Bear D & they deploy the DLine and Backers in very similar fashion to our base scheme. If we played our safeties over the top and backed the corners up a little, the two covers would be identical.

I,too like Briggs. He is not a Mike. I think we keep our LB bunch intact. Popp improved a ton during the season (he had to ) and Barnett is a solid player. Hawk's a baby superstar. We'll keep 'em together and have a great group in the coming seasons

[Bretsky]

I have no problem signing Briggs. And he is a great player with our w/o Urlacher. I have no problem investing that type of money in a dominating defense. Why ? Because we have plenty of money to do it.

No way we cut loose of Barnett either; we don't have anybody competent to replace him, and it's nuts to think we can just bank on signing somebody or drafting somebody as good or better.

Same as Kampman last year; you sign him because it would be idiotic to lose him.

TT, go do your job and make it work.

B

[red]

i would like briggs, not only do you help our d out a lot, but you hurt the top dogs d's and strike a blow to your top rival

and we have more then enough money to do this

[Bretsky]

i would like briggs, not only do you help our d out a lot, but you hurt the top dogs d's and strike a blow to your top rival

and we have more then enough money to do this

To get Briggs, we'll have to encourage our GM not to go vacationing the first week of free agency

[red]

i would like briggs, not only do you help our d out a lot, but you hurt the top dogs d's and strike a blow to your top rival

and we have more then enough money to do this

To get Briggs, we'll have to encourage our GM not to go vacationing the first week of free agency

can we form a human chain around Lambeau, and keep him in there until he does something?

[MJZiggy]

Umm...it's January. In Wisconsin. Who wants to set the betting for how long it takes them to freeze to death?

[red]

Umm...it's January. In Wisconsin. Who wants to set the betting for how long it takes them to freeze to death?

hey, its a sacrifice for the team we love and worship

when one link of the chain falls, another one will come out of the heated shanty placed at 30 yard intervals to fill the void

if enough of us fall, he might be forced to do something

no one said this would be easy, but with enough packer pride, and enough booze, we can make it work

we might be able to get miller involved with this and supply with the fluids to keep going

[SD GB fan]

barnett improved this season because we actually had other capable backers who swarm to the ball. for a few seasons, barnett seemed like the only LB out there and thats why his tackles are really high. but he also had to cover a lot more ground, probably causing him to take bad angles. you can also argue that barnett didnt have to learn yet another scheme (donatell, slowik, bates, sanders [same as bates]). but that said, he is a solid starter but not quite playmaking, pro bowl level yet.

as for adalius thomas, im not sure how much we can use him. the ravens used him in so many ways because the rest of their defense has crazy talent to adjust. iunno if thomas is the SLB backer we are looking for in our scheme.

[esoxx]

I see the Bears franchising Briggs.

[KYPack]

barnett improved this season because we actually had other capable backers who swarm to the ball. for a few seasons, barnett seemed like the only LB out there and thats why his tackles are really high. but he also had to cover a lot more ground, probably causing him to take bad angles. you can also argue that barnett didnt have to learn yet another scheme (donatell, slowik, bates, sanders [same as bates]). but that said, he is a solid starter but not quite playmaking, pro bowl level yet.

as for adalius thomas, im not sure how much we can use him. the ravens used him in so many ways because the rest of their defense has crazy talent to adjust. iunno if thomas is the SLB backer we are looking for in our scheme.

You must see a lot of AFC, too

Thomas plays a wild card for the Ravens. Last season I saw him play 5 positions on D in the same game. Once I saw him make the first play at RDE. They put in another end and Thomas dropped back as a safety for the next down, then he was the weak side LB on 3rd down.

It's tought to know if he'd be that good at any one spot.

Seems like Rex ryan got the most out him as the rover dude.

[wist43]

If Barnett can play the way he played this year, I could see giving him a mid-level contract... but, he's going to be looking to break the bank, and some idiot GM out there will oblige - hopefully it's not TT.

As for where PFW weekly had him ranked, yes they had him at #20 for MLB's last year... can't find my '05 and '04 editions - I know they're around here somewhere - if HW says they had him at #20 in '05 I'll accept that simply b/c I can't find my issue - but, it had to have been '04 then that he wasn't even on the list.

As I remember the write up on him in the team portion of that issue was scathing... that said, allowing for growth in a players game, I still don't see Barnett as being much better than an average player - and certainly not worth throwing a big contract at.