Linebackers

[XPack]

We must have the most useless lot in NFL.

In yesterday's game, Kirksey (and the rest) were so not convincing at all. Doesn't get into gaps quick enough. Doesn't have the build to stop at first contact. Has no awareness to drop into coverage.

The sheer amount of yardage esp in first half we gave up after first contact must be staggering!

I shudder to contemplate when we have to face Henry!

 

[PackerDNA]

Kirksey has been a bust. He tops the list of players to be cut for salary cap room.

 

[gopkrs]

We must have the most useless lot in NFL.

In yesterday's game, Kirksey (and the rest) were so not convincing at all. Doesn't get into gaps quick enough. Doesn't have the build to stop at first contact. Has no awareness to drop into coverage.

The sheer amount of yardage esp in first half we gave up after first contact must be staggering!

I shudder to contemplate when we have to face Henry!

Which is why I would like to see Barnes and Martin on the field at the same time. More than just a play or two. And Burks before Kirksey. We know what we have with Kirksey. Lets see what the others can do.

 

[Dantés]

Kirksey can't play post-injury.

Martin flashes but he's not ready.

Barnes is a rookie UDFA.

Summers is one of the worst tacklers I've seen in some time.

It gets a lot less attention than the WR position, but it's a bigger issue.

 

[GleefulGary]

ILB and CB are bigger position needs than WR. iDL and WR are pretty close to equal as far as needs.

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

Kirksey can't play post-injury.

Martin flashes but he's not ready.

Barnes is a rookie UDFA.

Summers is one of the worst tacklers I've seen in some time.

It gets a lot less attention than the WR position, but it's a bigger issue.

I'd say Martin flashes about as much as Kirksey does.

Barnes is overachieving to say the least.

Summers has HORRIBLE angles. But he'll stop a guy in his tracks if he gets home. You know who could fix that? A better DC....

Definitely a bigger issue than WR.

ILB and CB are bigger position needs than WR. iDL and WR are pretty close to equal as far as needs.

A better DL will make the CBs we do have look a lot better. How many 1st Downs and TDs have we surrendered because we gave opposing QBs 4 seconds or more to find an open receiver?

 

[GleefulGary]

Scheme doesn’t fix a guy taking bad angles.

 

[XPack]

No DC can fix if a player gets yards after being tackled. It's just player quality then.

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

I wasn't referring to scheme, I was referring to being able to coach guys up. While there are position coaches, the DC is ultimately responsible for the performance of the defense. But scheme can mask a player's weaknesses, however bad angles is not one of those things you can mask with a scheme.

 

[gopkrs]

Barnes is overachieving to say the least.

How many times do you need to overachieve before they say you are just doing good?

 

[gopkrs]

Barnes is a rookie UDFA.

Maybe we have one of those that turns out to be a pro football player. Would like to see him play instead of Kirksey.

 

[Dantés]

Maybe we have one of those that turns out to be a pro football player. Would like to see him play instead of Kirksey.

I would not mind it.

And yeah, I'm not trying to say that Barnes can't ever be anything as a UDFA. He's shown some promise. But he's still not nearly good enough to solve the problem, which is what you'd expect given his circumstances.

 

[tynimiller]

Barnes proved in his chances he deserves more snaps, period. Kirksey I think is getting the snaps purely off of experience and I think he quickly became a galvanizer in the unit - it is not from a production standpoint for sure.

Barnes and Kamal need out there more. I'm 100% fine with growing pains at ILB with those two - sure they may be overplaying, but ride that horse till it dies. Along the way some serious growth will occur - and to top it off I don't see our production getting worse.

 

[Mondio]

I liked the way Barnes was showing up, but the more I watched him the more I saw him not being anywhere close either on a lot of plays. I can't proclaim to know all the responsibilities on a defense, but it started to look like he had a lot of learning to do.

 

[tynimiller]

I liked the way Barnes was showing up, but the more I watched him the more I saw him not being anywhere close either on a lot of plays. I can't proclaim to know all the responsibilities on a defense, but it started to look like he had a lot of learning to do.

Oh he does, the issue for me is I'd rather have him out there learning and pursuing growth, than Kirksey (whom I love as a guy) just simply not having the body post-injury to do what he knows he needs to.

That is perhaps the toughest thing to watch, I think Kirksey knows precisely where and what to do...he just doesn't have the ability he once did.

 

[easyk83]

I wasn't referring to scheme, I was referring to being able to coach guys up. While there are position coaches, the DC is ultimately responsible for the performance of the defense. But scheme can mask a player's weaknesses, however bad angles is not one of those things you can mask with a scheme.

Actually Pettines unit has been showing some coach em up ability. Jaire turned into one of the best corners in the league, Savage is progressing nicely, Gary is turning into a beast, keke is turning into a stud and the depth guys in the secondary like green redmond Sullivan and Scott havent looked too bad either.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

I believe the Packers built their defense on the philosophy that they'd have the lead most of the time, and the other team would have to pass and play catch-up....That's why they invested in pass-rushers and the secondary, and not in thumpers in the middle.

Whether or not that's a good strategy is debatable....

 

[PikeBadger]

Scheme doesn’t fix a guy taking bad angles.

More reps can make that difference. Summers has very little experience playing LB in this league.The same goes for Barnes and Martin. The slow and uneven development of Burks has really hurt this unit. The defensive line failings has exacerbated the problem. We don’t have the right mix of youth and experience in the middle of the front 7 IMO.

 

[easyk83]

More reps can make that difference. Summers has very little experience playing LB in this league.The same goes for Barnes and Martin. The slow and uneven development of Burks has really hurt this unit. The defensive line failings has exacerbated the problem. We don’t have the right mix of youth and experience in the middle of the front 7 IMO.

No but you certainly can make due as long as your play in front of and behind them is good enough. With Clark getting healthier, Keke establishing himself, Gary becoming a force and Savage getting better and better we really might be looking at a defense that could make even bad ILBs look solid to good.

 

[tynimiller]

I'm telling you right now, if Owusu-Koramoah is still there when we pick in the 2021 draft and we don't draft him...whomever we do BETTER be solid. I truly believe Owusu is the real deal

 

[easyk83]

I'm telling you right now, if Owusu-Koramoah is still there when we pick in the 2021 draft and we don't draft him...whomever we do BETTER be solid. I truly believe Owusu is the real deal

GBFO: What, why dont we just draft a punter in the bottom of the first.

 

[gopkrs]

More reps can make that difference. Summers has very little experience playing LB in this league.The same goes for Barnes and Martin. The slow and uneven development of Burks has really hurt this unit. The defensive line failings has exacerbated the problem. We don’t have the right mix of youth and experience in the middle of the front 7 IMO.

I would prefer to see all of the other linebackers play before Summers. Including Kirksey who I have last. Just can't see Summers making one on one tackles on RBs. He'll make a good play now and then but I think he should just stay on special teams. Not that I think he will learn anything from Mennenga.

 

[easyk83]

I would prefer to see all of the other linebackers play before Summers. Including Kirksey who I have last. Just can't see Summers making one on one tackles on RBs. He'll make a good play now and then but I think he should just stay on special teams. Not that I think he will learn anything from Mennenga.

We always hate on our ST coaches but honestly I'm not sure how much is ST coaching and how much is it that we tend to not keep a lot of dedicated ST guys and treat that unit as a dumping ground for developmental players destined to our Offense and Defense.

 

[gopkrs]

We always hate on our ST coaches but honestly I'm not sure how much is ST coaching and how much is it that we tend to not keep a lot of dedicated ST guys and treat that unit as a dumping ground for developmental players destined to our Offense and Defense.

Your right. I was hating on that coach?. He does not seem to be teaching (or at least not getting points across, which amounts to the same thing) just basic formations like where to be as they are running down the field on a kickoff. Or even where to be on a kickoff return. imho And the confusion on a now normal onside kick is pitiful. But as to Summers, I just don't want to see him out there on normal downs.

 

[GleefulGary]

Actually Pettines unit has been showing some coach em up ability. Jaire turned into one of the best corners in the league, Savage is progressing nicely, Gary is turning into a beast, keke is turning into a stud and the depth guys in the secondary like green redmond Sullivan and Scott havent looked too bad either.

Redmond has been awful. Sullivan started strong, but has struggled recently.

KeKe has shown flashes, but a stud? Not even close. He gets washed out in the run game far too often, and is an inconsistent pass rusher, but he has very good moments. And that’s fine, takes some time to develop.

Jaire is just good, even if he had me coaching him.

My largest issue with the defense is what Dantes has been saying, the fundamentals are lacking. The players communicate poorly with zone coverage and switching. It’s been 3-4 years of Pettine, and guys still don’t know where to drop in the coverages, and they don’t seem to know how to adjust that based on situations! They miss gaps, they tackle poorly, they just aren’t prepared. Late getting set, not recognizing alignments, I could go on and on.