The Next 15 Months.

Polaris · Joined: 25 Dec 2006 Posts: 3027

Looking at my calender, it's hard to believe that less than 15 months have passed since the Packers won Super Bowl XLV. In that time, we've gone 15-2, our QB has won the MVP, our GM was voted Executive of the Year (for the second time) and you'd think the Packer fans would be doing the Dance Of Joy.

But we aren't. We lost another home playoff game to a team we should have beaten, our pass defense was historically bad despite going 15-2, our 3 time Pro Bowl safety has suffered a career ending injury, our future HOFer Charles Woodson is being targeted in coverage, we lost our best interior pass rusher to free agency and the general sense is that our defense has a lot of very average guys that need to either play better or be replaced.

We're hoping for help in the draft...hell, we're EXPECTING help in the draft.

But what I think is that even if nobody in this draft helps us at all, this team is still good enough to go 13-3 as long as Rodgers and the offense are clicking away at 40 ppg. It's that good. It's so good that only a very few offenses in the league might be able to keep up, even against a porous defense. And we might have a pretty shaky secondary this year; Williams shoulder, Peprah at safety, an aging Woodson at CB, a nickel who had a disappointing year last year, and a young safety who's taken significant injuries in each of his first two years.

Over the next 15 monts.....or getting ready to start the 2013 season, I'd predict that we'll lose Driver, probably Lang, and maybe one of our Big 4 receivers. Defensively, we'll still be trying to put better, younger, healthier players in the secondary. Woodson might well be gone and new guys are going to have to step up at DB.

I'll also predict that our pass rush improves and we surrender fewer points than we did last year, but that doesn't mean I think we'll be good defensively because I don't, but we should be better .

I think that the Packers should get a CB in the draft and start him at safety this year. IF he plays well there, then that's great. And if he struggles, we can always move him back to CB in his second year.

The issue of Woodson..........I love the guy and think he's a fantastic defender, but it's getting harder for me to justify paying $11 million to a guy who doesn't cover real well anymore and who makes as many bad plays as good ones. IMO, he gambled too much and was responsible for an attitude in the secondary of "try to make a big play and if you give up one...well, it happens'

I can't abide by that. IMO, most football games are not won, they are lost, and they are lost by making mistakes that cost you yards and points. So I'd much prefer a defense that keeps the safeties back, covers with 7 and rushes four, and prevents Yardage after Catch. And that's going to mean more short passes completed against us and more running against us and fewer interceptions, most likely, but it should keep our opponents under 21. And with our offense, we should win every game that we keep teams under 21, and 90% of the games that we keep them under 30 .

But I'd suspect that the team that takes the field in 15 months is going to look very different from what our team is at this moment.

Packman Luke · Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 20000 Location: Minnesota =(

Well the defense better look quite a bit different by then. Another disaster of a season (defensively of course) and I wouldn't be terribly surprised if it looks different in terms of base.

The next couple rounds of the draft should be interesting. A couple of the next few names called could easily be starting in our secondary by then.
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Pack4life7 · Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Posts: 2882 Location: Illinois

Thinking of losing Lang makes me sad. I think TT will keep him.

Agree with you on all points except for the D NEEDS to improve obviously. You can score 40 plus all you want but it just takes one bad game like last year and we're done. Need that consistency on the other side of the ball or else it's all for not.
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Ted brought us Clay

TedThompson · Joined: 01 Aug 2011 Posts: 802

What's going to happen with contract situations of Rodgers, Matthews, and Jennings over the next 15 months or so?

With as much as we now know it's going to take to re-sign Rodgers, will we have cap space left for both Matthews (will be gigantic #), and Jennings?

And then who else important needs to be extended?
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"It's the same old Jay," Woodson told ESPN afterward. "We just need to be in position. Jay will throw us the ball."

I Am Rodgers · Joined: 19 Jan 2009 Posts: 6401 Location: New Jersey

In the next 15 months, as far as contracts go, we'll shed Driver and Jones, should shed Hawk, renegotiate Woodson, shed/reneg Pickett. TT will find a way to keep Jennings, Matthews, and Rodgers happy.
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Pugger · Joined: 01 May 2010 Posts: 4335 Location: N. Fort Myers, FL

I'm much more optimistic about our defense in 2012. What was our biggest problem last year? Rushing the passer. Rushing the passer is something that you either got it or you don't. This is something where a rookie can come in and make a big difference on a defense - just look at JJ Watt in Houston. Up front pressure can mask a suspect secondary. I think the additions of Perry and Worthy should bolster our pass rush along with CM3. With our explosive offense and the best QB in the league if our defense can be just average instead of last in the league we will have some fun in 2012. Wink

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RashaanSalaami · Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 29100 Location: Jersey

You really think Lang is going to command so much money that we can't keep him? I think he's extremely happy to be here in Green Bay. Him and Sitton seem to be great friends and while that obviously is not enough to keep him around, he seems like the kind of guy that will take a hometown discount to play for a team that is a perennial contender with teammates he enjoys being around in a city he loves. Of course if the market is far above what we expect to keep him for, well then that's a different story.
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Top 50 Franchise Cornerstones (2012) - COMPLETED!

palmy50 · Joined: 26 Nov 2006 Posts: 12541

TedThompson · Joined: 01 Aug 2011 Posts: 802

xDD80x · Joined: 28 Dec 2009 Posts: 936

This year is Jennings and Lang. Like palmy says, lang probably walks. Can't see us letting Jennings go. Vincent Jackson got 5/55 on the open market. I doubt anyone would have a problem with that.
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spilltray · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 8651 Location: Green Bay, WI

Abalow7 · Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Posts: 248 Location: New Richmond, WI

Rodgers is priority 1. Then I'd say Matthews. Make those two happy and then deal with Jennings. It's backwards though as far as timing goes- but I have no doubt in my mind TT will orchestrate with precision and keep all 3 without jeapordizing our future.
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Packerbacker87 on the SIG ^

Polaris · Joined: 25 Dec 2006 Posts: 3027

Pack4life7 · Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Posts: 2882 Location: Illinois

rbens06 · Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 536

I think the outcome of this season can play a lot into whether we are able to keep Lang, personally, I feel he does stay. If we win the Superbowl I believe there is a good chance that we could see Woodson and possibly Pickett hang it up. Woodson is currently 35, will be 36 during the season, and there is a good possibility that if we win it all he could hang it up. That money right there gives us a lot more flexibility in signing Lang and Jennings. Pickett is a little younger at 32, will be 33, but he has been banged up the past couple of years and may not want to put his body through the grind again. If both decided to retire we have a good chunk of change to speed on our 2013 free agents plus extend the likes of Matthews and Rodgers.