Oren Burks-- Torn Pectoral

[Sanguine camper]

He took care of glaring holes at OLB, we do not have glaring holes at DB and he put about the best 2 safeties he could have gotten this offseason back where we had none. The defensive line isn't evn a weakness let alone wrought with "glaring holes".

ILB was thin, and better to be thin on experience there than roll with what we had at OLB.

How is the d line not a weakness?After Clark, where are there any proven players? Most teams would salivate at the chance to run at a defense with Lowry or Adams backed up by a cast off ILB.

 

[OldSchool101]

We certainly don’t need to spend big $ on an ILB, but it’s the one position that could hold us back from getting over the threshold on D. Burks isn’t even somewhat proven when he’s healthy, much less bordering on being able to suit up.

IMO this is a discerning moment for GB. We now absolutely have the cap to spend and we should keep the throttle down. I’d consider Burks as top ST guy and continue to develop him into that LB role. This is just another obvious sign that we shouldn’t keep farting around there in the nucleus (boy that came out wrong!)

I mean. As my grandma used to say.. Do you wanna be a smart fella or a Fart Smeller?!
I officially pose this question to Gute. Let’s Go!

 

[Mondio]

How is the d line not a weakness?After Clark, where are there any proven players? Most teams would salivate at the chance to run at a defense with Lowry or Adams backed up by a cast off ILB.

We definitely see things differently. And it’s not like we saw them without Daniels last year right?Zsmith is not unproven, Psmith is not unproven. Lowery is not in proven, Lancaster ascended all year and is young.

So much stronger last with with “proven” guys like Daniels and MoW right?

The Dline is not weakness

 

[AmishMafia]

We definitely see things differently. And it’s not like we saw them without Daniels last year right?Zsmith is not unproven, Psmith is not unproven. Lowery is not in proven, Lancaster ascended all year and is young.

So much stronger last with with “proven” guys like Daniels and MoW right?

The Dline is not weakness

You forgot Montavarious Adams who came on towards the end of last season and played well.

 

[gbgary]

We definitely see things differently. And it’s not like we saw them without Daniels last year right?Zsmith is not unproven, Psmith is not unproven. Lowery is not in proven, Lancaster ascended all year and is young.

So much stronger last with with “proven” guys like Daniels and MoW right?

The Dline is not weakness

we're talking DT's. it really is clark and a bunch of question marks. emerging maybe but question marks none the less. edges/olb's are another subject. they're good there.

 

[Mondio]

we're talking DT's. it really is clark and a bunch of question marks. emerging maybe but question marks none the less. edges/olb's are another subject. they're good there.

I’m talking defensive fronts, of which zsmith is definitely going to be a factor on passing downs. They aren't a bunch of question marks. Most of them played quite a bit last year before and after the loss of Daniels. there are 3 young guys who filled in very nicely for Daniels in the run game and all 3 have arrows pointing up, while his was pointing down. And in the passing game, the only strength Daniels may have had over the other 3 was probably not going to be much of a factor with smith, smith, clark, Gary fackrell all going to be in rotation with 2 of those OLB's very capable of moving inside. 1 unknown, but Zsmith is not.

I don't see how the Dline is a weakness. Those DT's who are all ?'s to some played plenty and showed they can play.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

The Pachers are now left with cast offs and a 7th round draft choice as a starting linebacker.

You forgot about Martinez who will definitely play the majority of snaps.

Idk why they signing their 12th fb sign a frickin mlb

MLF likes to use fullbacks and with Vitale and Johnson injured it made sense to sign Bohanon to have one available during practice.

I guarantee he will be released as soon as one of the others is healthy again.

we can argue details but the fact that everything has gotten better on D except DT and ILB is the point imo. cap space won the day.

You should have realized by now that Daniels significantly regressed last season and was passed by others on the depth chart.

How is the d line not a weakness?After Clark, where are there any proven players? Most teams would salivate at the chance to run at a defense with Lowry or Adams backed up by a cast off ILB.

As I've posted earlier the Packers run defense actually improved without Daniels last season compared to when he was playing (3.89 to 4.55 yards per carry).

They will enter the season with the same players lining up on the defensive line, no need to worry about the run defense.

 

[SD Cheesehead]

I wonder if there has been any thought on Fackrell playing some ILB like clay did a couple of years ago. It’s going to be tough for him to play much at OLB and from what I’ve read he has been pretty good in coverage. I’m not saying he is a pure replacement for Burks but I am not convinced Bolton and Summers are going to work.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I wonder if there has been any thought on Fackrell playing some ILB like clay did a couple of years ago. It’s going to be tough for him to play much at OLB and from what I’ve read he has been pretty good in coverage. I’m not saying he is a pure replacement for Burks but I am not convinced Bolton and Summers are going to work.

I guess the Packers will use Raven Greene, Josh Jones and maybe even Adrian Amos a look at the position before thinking about moving Fackrell inside.

 

[mradtke66]

I wonder if there has been any thought on Fackrell playing some ILB like clay did a couple of years ago. It’s going to be tough for him to play much at OLB and from what I’ve read he has been pretty good in coverage. I’m not saying he is a pure replacement for Burks but I am not convinced Bolton and Summers are going to work.

It's something I've wondered about they at least experiment with.

He's not the great pass rusher that Matthews was before the move. He's not a complete liability in coverage.

It might be worth trotting him out there for a snap or two, just in case he can be the emergency backup on game day. If he excels, put him into some kind of rotation.

 

[OldSchool101]

I wonder if there has been any thought on Fackrell playing some ILB like clay did a couple of years ago. It’s going to be tough for him to play much at OLB and from what I’ve read he has been pretty good in coverage. I’m not saying he is a pure replacement for Burks but I am not convinced Bolton and Summers are going to work.

You know in Texas ball he played in coverage a lot for the Aggies. It’s actually listed one of his strengths and part of the reason he scored just shy of a 6.0 (starter potential) draft rating. He played volleyball so his hustle, height and high point are ideal for playing in coverage. He’s not lightning fast, but he’s proven he’s obviously not slow either. He wasn’t really a sack artist in Texas so much as above average coverage pursuit and high marks in run stop.

I never even thought of using him inside, but the lineup of Smith-Fackrell-Martinez-Smith could absolutely put our best talent on the field simultaneously.

Wanted to note I’m happy to hear Burks will likely play again this season, he’s earned that opportunity and I’m glad his injury has reported as downgraded from that worst case scenario.

 

[Mondio]

One thing that stood out last year when I watched Fackrell in coverage, he was actually covering people. I was impressed. I was used to seeing guys just run to an area and then run down the pass catcher for so long I forgot what a LB'er covering someone looked like.

 

[HardRightEdge]

One thing that stood out last year when I watched Fackrell in coverage, he was actually covering people. I was impressed. I was used to seeing guys just run to an area and then run down the pass catcher for so long I forgot what a LB'er covering someone looked like.

I could see Fackrell playing off-the-ball OLB in a 4-3. I'm not seeing him as a good fit inside.

 

[mradtke66]

I could see Fackrell playing off-the-ball OLB in a 4-3. I'm not seeing him as a good fit inside.

Hell, he'd excel as a SAM in a 4-3 under scheme.

He'd do fine (probably, maybe) at weakside ILB in a 3-4. Alignment, role, etc, is more or less identical to the weak outside in a 4-3.

As a MIKE or Strong ILB? Probably not.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

The Jets lost starting ILB Avery Williamson to a torn ACL last night, if the Packers have any inclination to sign any of the FA ILB's out there, they better do it before the Jets do.

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

The bottom of the following lists show unsigned vet ILBs and SS's:

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/inside-linebacker/

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/all/strong-safety/

I'm not huge on Foster but as I said a couple months back I do like Manti Te'o coming in for a work out. But like Poker just said either of those guys could get snatched up by the Jets. Other than that we're looking at stealing a guy off somebody's practice squad. I do like the idea of Fackrell in there with Martinez though. He's a little undersized, which could be considered perfect for ILB, but Randy Ramsey maybe could get a look in there too. I can't gauge his speed but he looks about 4.69.

 

[OldSchool101]

Watched Joe Thomas blow up the Texans Offense and wishing we had him right now! Dallas just shut out Houston and made them look pitiful. I know its preseason, but the Dallas Defense looks legit this year.

P.S. Another player we missed in the draft.. Taco Charleton, looks like a monster out there for -Dallas, he's all over the place, tipping passes, sacking QB's, recovering fumbles. He looks like hes hitting a stride

 

[HardRightEdge]

Watched Joe Thomas blow up the Texans Offense and wishing we had him right now! Dallas just shut out Houston and made them look pitiful. I know its preseason, but the Dallas Defense looks legit this year.

Did Thomas stand like a statue in his 10 yard drop, let the receiver cross his face for catch and YAC, THEN make a really good tackle in pursuit? Nate Palmer is still out on the street, an ex-Packers starter.

 

[Favre>Rodgers259]

Sometimes players just don't goto the right team, right system, right coach, etc. Thomas was here during the Capers years, maybe Pettine could have gotten the same production out of Thomas that he currently makes, maybe not....guess we'll never know.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

This ilb situation is kind of funny. I was thinking we finally have our ilbs... Martinez all the time. Burk and Jones sometimes. Rookies filling in.
Thats stacked considering I thought GB was not only going to keep Daniels, but add a blue chip lineman to replace mo Wilkerson... Daniels/Clark/Lowry/Adams /blue chipper, playing a 3 man front....

Only need one ilb with a good dline....

So no dline depth. No ilb depth.....

 

[OldSchool101]

Did Thomas stand like a statue in his 10 yard drop, let the receiver cross his face for catch and YAC, THEN make a really good tackle in pursuit? Nate Palmer is still out on the street, an ex-Packers starter.

Right now Carl Bradford would be an upgrade

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Watched Joe Thomas blow up the Texans Offense and wishing we had him right now! Dallas just shut out Houston and made them look pitiful. I know its preseason, but the Dallas Defense looks legit this year.

P.S. Another player we missed in the draft.. Taco Charleton, looks like a monster out there for -Dallas, he's all over the place, tipping passes, sacking QB's, recovering fumbles. He looks like hes hitting a stride

While I agree with you that it would be nice to have Taco, we really didn't miss out on him, he was selected 28th and we had the 29th pick. Although, in your defense, would have worked out a lot better to trade up one spot to get him, instead of trading back to get King and Biegel

 

[Dantés]

Charlton also has four sacks in 2 years so...

 

[GleefulGary]

Charlton also has four sacks in 2 years so...

Shut up. Pre-season dominance always leads to regular season dominance.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Watched Joe Thomas blow up the Texans Offense and wishing we had him right now! Dallas just shut out Houston and made them look pitiful. I know its preseason, but the Dallas Defense looks legit this year.

Thomas wouldn't present a significant upgrade over the linebackers currently on the roster.

This ilb situation is kind of funny. I was thinking we finally have our ilbs... Martinez all the time. Burk and Jones sometimes. Rookies filling in.
Thats stacked considering I thought GB was not only going to keep Daniels, but add a blue chip lineman to replace mo Wilkerson... Daniels/Clark/Lowry/Adams /blue chipper, playing a 3 man front....

Only need one ilb with a good dline....

So no dline depth. No ilb depth.....

The Packers have enough quality depth on the defensive line but lack talent at inside linebacker.