Bishop » Packer Update

Blueprint For Fixing The Defense

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:13 am 3 Responses »

Dec 282011

Hawk is having a very disappointing season

Since writing about blueprints seems to be in vogue these days, I’ve decided to write my first post in months on that very subject. But instead of providing a blueprint on how teams can beat the Packers (that would be sacrilegious), I’ll be providing a blueprint on what needs to be done to fix the defense.

1) Draft an impact outside linebacker – I’ve begged for general manager Ted Thompson to upgrade the position opposite Clay Matthews for two years (I still cringe every time Antwan Barnes gets another sack for the Chargers. TT could’ve acquired him for next to nothing on any number of occasions over the past 18 months). Coordinator Dom Capers got by in 2010 with a motley collection of right outside linebackers, but that was only because of Cullen Jenkins. The former Packer and current Eagle was one of the top handful of pass rushing defensive linemen in the league last season and he essentially took the place of a second outside linebacker in passing situations. With Jenkins gone and Mike Neal unable to take his place, the Packers have played with only one legitimate pass rusher all season. And no matter how special Matthews is, that’s simply not enough. So unless Thompson can find a defensive lineman like Jenkins between now and the start of training camp next summer (and those guys are almost as hard to find these days as a Wisconsinite who still loves Brett Favre), he must use one of his first two draft picks on a playmaking outside linebacker.

2) Replace Hawk at inside linebacker - After watching his defense play so well en route to a Super Bowl championship, it came as no surprise when the Packers decided to re-sign A.J. Hawk and send Nick Barnett packing. After all, not only was Hawk one of Thompson’s first draft picks after taking over as GM in Green Bay, but more importantly, the former Ohio State star was coming off his finest season since joining the team in 2006. Unfortunately, the decision has proven to be a mistake – a $36 million mistake. Hawk’s play has clearly regressed. He’s only 27, but he appears to have lost a half step – a half step he couldn’t afford to lose. Even worse, he seems content to arm tackle rather than take on running backs and tight ends. As for Barnett, he hasn’t been a world beater in Buffalo, but he’s having a better season than Hawk. And while I didn’t criticize Thompson then and I won’t criticize him now for choosing Hawk, he has to admit his mistake and rectify things in the offseason. A tougher and more athletic inside linebacker must be found to pair with Desmond Bishop in 2012, and if that player is not on the current 53-man roster (maybe rookie D.J. Smith), then it’s up to Thompson to go out and get him.

3) Upgrade at safety – Regardless of whether Nick Collins returns in 2012 (I’d be shocked if he ever plays again), the Packers must add a quality safety in the offseason. Charlie Peprah obviously can’t be a starter next season, and truth be told, he shouldn’t even be third on the depth chart when training camp opens. The former Alabama star has been forced to start 24 games since October 2010, and that’s about 20 games too many. Capers was able to hide Peprah’s glaring lack of athleticism in 2010, but that hasn’t been the case this season. The difference? A year ago, the pass rush was consistently strong and Collins was playing at his usual Pro Bowl level. This year, the pass rush has been anemic and Collins has been replaced by struggling second-year pro Morgan Burnett. That leaves Peprah as an easy target for opposing offensive coordinators, who must spend the work week salivating over the chance to isolate a tight end, or god forbid, a wide receiver, on the slow-footed journeyman. I don’t know if Collins’ potential replacement is currently on the roster (maybe Charles Woodson), but I do know it’s up to Thompson to make sure the defense won’t have to turn to Peprah for a third time in 2012.

4) Draft at least one defensive end – The Packers can’t count on Neal to be the player he was prior to suffering serious shoulder and knee injuries and Howard Green, C.J. Wilson and Jarius Wynn have all proven to be – at best – deep reserves. Thompson needs to overhaul this group. While Green has the size to play in a 3-4, he’ll be 33 in a couple of weeks. Wilson and Wynn are both under 300 pounds, and neither has the physical ability to overcome their lack of bulk. There are a number of reasons why the run defense has been so porous this season, but one of the biggest is not a having a capable third lineman to play alongside B.J. Raji and Ryan Pickett. Johnny Jolly filled that role ideally in 2009 and Jenkins, while certainly no run stuffer, held his own a year ago. Thompson needs to find a player who can at least hold his own in 2012. Fortunately, those players are often available in the middle rounds of the draft.

5) Get veterans to play better – The final step in my plan to fix the defense isn’t up to Thompson, it’s up to the coaching staff and the players already on the roster. More specifically, Raji and cornerbacks Tramon Williams and Sam Shields simply have to play better in 2012. All three took a step back this season. Raji might’ve been the most disruptive interior defensive lineman in the league late last year and throughout the playoffs. Not only was he fairly stout at the point of attack, but he was making tackles for losses and getting consistent pressure on the quarterback. His relative lack of success as a pass rusher this season can probably be explained away by the loss of Jenkins and by having to play too many snaps. But his struggles against the run cannot be as easily excused. No player with his size, strength and athleticism should ever be pushed around as often as he’s been pushed around this season. As for Williams and Shields, neither is playing nearly as well as he did 10 months ago. The former deserves a lot of credit for playing through a painful shoulder injury, but he’s been healthy for the past month or so and he still hasn’t retuned to his previous form. The latter has steadily improved in coverage throughout the season, but his tackling has been pathetic. Capers fully expected these three players to be stars this season. Unfortunately, like the defense as a whole, they’ve come up short.

So there’s my five-step plan for fixing the defense (by the way, it also wouldn’t hurt to add another cornerback). Needless to say, I’m expecting Thompson to focus on defense in next April’s draft. The good news is that improving the defense in 2012 shouldn’t be a Herculean task. A few shrewd draft choices and the return to form of a few veterans is all it should take. The even better news is that the Packers, even with a defense that has more holes in it than a piece of Swiss cheese, are currently 14-1 and in great position to win their second consecutive Super Bowl. Hey, ain’t it a great time to be a fan?!

Packers holding on to Harrell

Posted by Michael Rodney at 4:07 pm 4 Responses »

Jan 132011

After spending all season developing Harrell, the Packers want to keep him

It bodes well for Graham Harrell’s future that he’s still on the 53-man roster. The Packers could certainly use another linebacker or safety more than they can use a third-string quarterback, but Ted Thompson obviously doesn’t want to risk losing the former Texas Tech star. Spending all season developing Harrell only to watch another GM pluck him off waivers would be a very tough pill to swallow. And what are the odds of the 25-year-old getting claimed? Probably a lot higher than people think. With so many teams in desperate need of a young quarterback and with Mike McCarthy held in such high regard when it comes to developing players at that position, it’s almost a certainty that some GM would find adding Harrell too tempting to pass up.

In other player news:

-Missing his entire senior season obviously didn’t help James Starks on draft day, but that wasn’t the only reason the talented running back lasted until the sixth round. Another problem was his birth certificate. The former Buffalo star was born on Feb. 25, 1986. For those of you not great in math, that made him 24 on draft day – the perfect age for a rookie on the PGA tour, but not such a perfect age for a rookie running back in the NFL. Former Bears director of college scouting Greg Gabriel recently speculated that Starks would’ve been a second or third-round pick had he played his senior year. The guess here is that he would’ve been no worse than a fourth-rounder if he were simply a few years younger.

-Thompson isn’t perfect when it comes to personnel decisions, but he’s been right a lot more than he’s been wrong – especially lately. Take Quinn Johnson, for example. The young fullback didn’t have a particularly good camp and he entered the season third on the depth chart at a position where some teams don’t carry a single player. Thompson could’ve cut Johnson any number of times to open up a roster spot, but he never did. His instincts proved correct. With Korey Hall injured and John Kuhn seeing more time at halfback, the former LSU star has started the past two games and done a very solid job.

-While the national media has focused all week on Starks’ 123 yards rushing, quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ three touchdowns and corner Tramon Williams’ game-ending interception, one player’s contribution to the win over Philadelphia has largely – and unfairly – gone unnoticed. The shoestring tackle made by inside linebacker Desmond Bishop on DeSean Jackson with 1:36 left was not only a great play, but it might’ve saved the season. Two safeties couldn’t bring the explosive receiver down, but a 240-pounder with supposedly average athleticism managed to do the trick. If Jackson had gotten by Bishop, he very well may have scored. Williams was the only defender left and receiver Jeremy Maclin was in perfect position to block him, or at the very least, keep him occupied. Take a look:

Packers make a Goode signing

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:02 am 4 Responses »

Jan 062011

Long snapper signs two-year extension with the Packers

Casual Packer fans might not know who Brett Goode is, so they’d probably be stunned to find out that he’s one of the best players at his position in the NFL. General manager Ted Thompson obviously knows just how good the third-year long snapper is and that’s why he signed him to a two-year extension worth $1.6 million on Wednesday. The deal includes a $300,000 signing bonus. Since being signed as a free agent just days before the start of the ’08 season, Goode has been near-flawless on PATs, field goals and punts. In fact, it’s a shock when one of his snaps isn’t perfect. So congratulations Brett! Now let’s hope we don’t hear your name again until you sign another extension.

In other news:

-The extension signed by Desmond Bishop on Tuesday included a $4 million signing bonus and a $1 million roster bonus to be paid on the 30th day of the 2011 league year. This is a good deal for the player and an outstanding deal for the team. Bishop, who had earned less than $2 million since entering the NFL as a sixth-round pick in 2007, will take home almost $7 million in the next calendar year and the Packers were able to lock up an ascending player for the next four seasons at a very reasonable price.

-Cullen Jenkins returned to practice on Wednesday, and while coach Mike McCarthy wants to see how things go on Thursday and Friday before getting too excited, the veteran defensive end seems confident about his playing status. He told Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel there’s no way he would miss the Wild Card game against the Eagles. If true, the defense should get a major boost. Jenkins’ athleticism and pass rushing skills are just the things needed to combat quarterback Mike Vick.

-Four Packers have been named as finalists at their positions for the 2010 NFL Alumni Player of the Year Awards. The three finalists in 11 categories were chosen by Bill Parcells. How prestigious these awards are probably depends on what you think of the Big Tuna, who has been away from the game since leaving the Dolphins’ front office in mid-October. Anyway, here are Green Bay’s nominees: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, receiver Greg Jennings, offensive lineman Josh Sitton and linebacker Clay Matthews (who was also nominated for Player of the Year). Winners will be announced on Feb. 4.

Bishop’s in, so who’s out?

Posted by Michael Rodney at 11:56 pm 5 Responses »

Jan 042011

Hawk may prove too expensive for the Packers to keep in 2011

The Green Bay Packers signed Desmond Bishop to a four-year extension worth $19 million on Tuesday, so we now know the identity of one of the starting inside linebackers in 2011. But who’ll be lining up next to the former Cal standout is still a question – a question that will almost certainly be answered before the first day of the 2011 league year (the exact date will be determined once a new CBA is reached). That’s when A.J. Hawk’s $10 million base salary becomes guaranteed.

The strong hunch here is that GM Ted Thompson prefers Hawk over Nick Barnett. He’s three years younger and a lot more durable. But he’s not worth a base salary of $10 million – with or without a salary cap. So look for Thompson to try to renegotiate Hawk’s deal prior to the first day of the 2011 league year. If the two sides can agree to a long-term contract extension that reduces the amount of money to be paid next season by a few million dollars, we would expect the former Ohio State star to be back with the Packers for a sixth season. If a new deal can’t be reached, we would expect Hawk to be released.

So what are the odds of Hawk agreeing to a long-term deal? Probably no better than 50-50. While he seems to like playing in Green Bay, his agent agreed to a sixth year in 2005 for a reason. He wanted his client to either earn $10 million with the Packers in 2011 or have the opportunity to make more than that on the open market. Agreeing to a deal that reduces Hawk’s salary next season – even by a single dollar – would make very little sense. That’s because there’s going to be a team or teams champing at the bit to sign a productive 27-year-old linebacker. Players like that rarely make it to free agency.

If Hawk winds up staying, Barnett would almost certainly be traded prior to the opening of training camp. The Packers simply can’t afford to go into next season with so many high-priced players at one position (and we haven’t even mentioned Brandon Chillar, who signed a $22 million deal in December 2009). But it’s not just about money. Bishop, Hawk and Barnett are all starting-caliber inside linebackers and none of the three would be happy in a backup role. So dealing Barnett would nip any potential problems in the bud, and at the same time, add another draft pick to the team’s coffers.

We wrote a story on the inside linebackers a week ago. At that time, we predicted Bishop and Barnett would be the starters next season. Our reasoning was that Bishop has a higher ceiling than Hawk, and more importantly, he’d be a lot less expensive to sign (although we expected him to command a lot more than $19 million). We’re now 1 for 1, but that was the easier part of the equation. The harder part will play out over the course of the next few months. Fortunately, the defense will be just fine either way.

Jenkins, others ‘making progress’

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:00 am 6 Responses »

Jan 042011

Packers could really use Jenkins against Vick and the Eagles

The Packers hope to get Jenkins back for the playoffs

After dealing with an avalanche of injuries for four months, coach Mike McCarthy finally got some good news on Monday. The Packers come out of their game with Chicago unscathed, and there’s growing optimism that defensive end Cullen Jenkins, linebacker Frank Zombo, fullback Korey Hall and safety Atari Bigby could be ready for next Sunday’s Wild Card game in Philadelphia. “They’ll be evaluated on Wednesday morning,” an upbeat McCarthy told the media. “They’re making progress and we’re hopeful that maybe they can have a trial return for Wednesday.”

While it would be nice to get Zombo, Hall and Bigby back on the field, the player Green Bay needs most is Jenkins. The former Central Michigan star is one of the most athletic 3-4 ends in the league, and with Mike Vick at quarterback for the Eagles, coordinator Dom Capers will want to get as many athletes on the field as possible. Speed on defense, along with a strong pass rush, is the best way to defend the ~~ex-con~~ Pro Bowl starter.

Quick thoughts from yesterday:

-Outside linebacker Erik Walden played very well, but let’s keep things in perspective. One game doesn’t make him the real deal. Is it possible that three different teams were wrong about the former Middle Tennessee State star? Sure it’s possible, but it’s not very likely. What’s far more likely is that Walden simply had one of those games where everything went right. If he can do it again – against a team that actually knows his name – then maybe he’ll be more than the Packers’ version of Gerardo after all.

-The number on the back of the jersey is the same, but the player wearing it looks completely different than he did a few months ago. After playing solid football in place of Mark Tauscher for seven games, right tackle Bryan Bulaga is really struggling down the stretch. And while the first-round draft pick from Iowa has been heavily criticized the past few weeks for his inconsistent pass blocking and penalties, truth be told, he hasn’t put forth a particularly good performance since Thanksgiving.

-The more you watch linebacker Desmond Bishop, the more you hope the potential unrestricted free agent will be back in 2011. Nothing against Nick Barnett, but the defense is much more physical without him on the field. That’s not a surprise. What is a surprise, however, is how well Bishop has fared against the pass. While he lacks the speed and athleticism of Barnett, he relies on instincts to get the job done in space. Isn’t it ironic that some people didn’t think Bishop had the mental capacity to start at this level? Of course anyone who watched him play at Cal knew that was complete and utter nonsense.

Ted’s best and worst of 2010

Posted by Michael Rodney at 1:35 pm 9 Responses »

Dec 312010

Rookie corner has played well

When a football team places 14 players – including six starters – on IR during the season and still has a chance to win 10 games, it’s going to be hard to find fault with the work of the general manager. That’s why it took us twice as long to come up with Ted Thompson’s five worst moves of the year as it did to come up with his five best. Here they are:

Best

1) Signing Sam Shields and Frank Zombo – Two rookies nobody wanted on draft weekend have wound up playing significant roles for one of the league’s top defenses. Thompson paid a combined $11,000 for Shields and Zombo. As it turned out, he could’ve spent first and fourth round picks on the two and nobody would be batting an eye today.

2) Not trading Desmond Bishop – Thompson turned down a number of offers for his No. 4 inside inebacker during the spring and summer. By fall, Bishop was starting. By winter, he was one of the best players on defense. By next spring, he’ll be a very rich young man – either in Green Bay or someplace else.

3) Signing Charlie Peprah – Thompson’s only free agent signing elicited nothing but yawns in April. Six months and 10 solid starts later, it deserves a big thumbs up. And even though Peprah is probably only keeping the seat warm for young Morgan Burnett, he has proven to be an upgrade over Atari Bigy.

4) Claiming Howard Green – Thompson seldom adds veterans to the roster during the season, but he deviated from form and claimed the 31-year-old off waivers from the Jets in late October. The journeyman has proven to be a godsend after Ryan Pickett and Cullen Jenkins missed substantial time with injuries.

5) Keeping Daryn Colledge – It would’ve been easy to dump Colledge after his poor ’09 season, but Thompson decided to hold on to the veteran guard. It was a wise decision. Colledge has enjoyed a bounce back year and his value to the team became evident when he was injured a few weeks ago in Detroit.

Worst

1) Not finding a return man – We’ve been begging Thompson to acquire a legitimate returner for years, but he continues to accept mediocrity at this important position. Even worse, Green Bay was forced to use Shields and Tramon Williams on returns. Neither has been good, so the reward hardly equaled the risk.

2) Not drafting an outside linebacker - The three most important positions in a 3-4 are nose tackle and outside linebacker. The Packers are set at nose tackle (B.J. Raji) and at left outside linebacker (Clay Matthews), but they’re just fooling themselves with Zombo and Brad Jones. As impressive as Matthews and the defense have been this season, both will be that much better once this need is finally filled.

3) Not signing Ryan Torain – Thompson needed to add a running back after Ryan Grant got injured and he chose rookie Dimitri Nance over veteran Ryan Torain. The former spent nearly three months learning the offense before finally getting on the field. The latter, who impressed Green Bay officials in a workout in Nov. 2009, signed with the Skins and has rushed for 681 yards (4.7 average) and scored 6 TDs.

4) Not acquiring picks – Five players released by the Packers on Sept. 4 were claimed off waivers within 48 hours. Thompson almost certainly could’ve picked up a late draft choice or two had he been willing to make trades a week or two prior to cutdown day. Instead, fearing injuries, he played it conservative and got nothing in exchange for commodities that proved to be in demand around the league.

5) Keeping Donald Lee over Spencer Havner – Like the one above, this was hardly a huge mistake (it ain’t easy coming up with worst moves). Still, it was obvious during training camp that Lee had next to nothing left. And while Havner is hardly the second-coming of Jason Witten, he would’ve offered more in the passing game after Jermichael Finley went down. He also would’ve helped more on special teams.

Tough choices ahead at linebacker

Posted by Michael Rodney at 11:39 am 14 Responses »

Dec 282010

Bishop is one of three starting-caliber inside linebackers

It isn’t exactly Sophie’s Choice, but general manager Ted Thompson will have an extremely difficult decision of his own to make in a few months. Green Bay has three starting-caliber inside linebackers on the current roster, but in all likelihood, room for only two of them in 2011. Nick Barnett, who played in four games before undergoing wrist surgery in October, is under contract for two more years. He’s scheduled to earn $12.6 million over that time. A.J. Hawk, who is currently enjoying the finest season of his career, is on the books for $10 million in 2011 – the final year of his contract. And Desmond Bishop, who has played extremely well in place of Barnett, will be a free agent in March. Whether he’s restricted or unrestricted will be determined once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. So who’ll be the odd man out? That’s a really tough call – and exactly why Thompson is paid the big bucks. But just for the heck of it, here’s how we analyze the pros and cons when it comes to bringing each player back:

Barnett

Pros: He played at a Pro Bowl-level in 2009, recording 105 tackles, 4 sacks and 7 pass deflections. He’s one of the few vocal leaders on the defensive side of the ball. His salary is more than reasonable for the next two years (remember, backup inside linebacker Brandon Chillar will make an average of $5.6 million through 2013). He’s a very good athlete who plays in space better than either Bishop or Hawk.

Cons: He’ll be 30 in May. That makes him 38 months older than Bishop and 32 months older than Hawk. He’s missed 19 games in the past three seasons due to surgeries to his knee and wrist. Is that simply bad luck or the beginning of a trend? He’s not a prototypical inside linebacker. He’s aggressive, but at 235 pounds, lacks the strength to consistently take on blockers at the line of scrimmage.

Bishop

Pros: He has the most upside. He started for the first time in 2010 and has gotten better every week. At 26, he’s the youngest of the three. He’s the most physical inside linebacker on the team. He’s made quite a few big plays this season (3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and an interception return for a TD in only 11 starts). He’s a punishing hitter who adds much-needed toughness and meanness to the defense.

Cons: If he’s eligible for unrestricted free agency, it’s going to cost a lot of money to keep him. He could be paid as much in 2011 as Barnett will make in the next two years. He doesn’t run very well. Dom Capers has done a great job of playing to his strengths, but with an offseason to study film, offensive coordinators will work hard to find ways to exploit this weakness – both against the run and the pass.

Hawk

Pros: He’s currently enjoying his best season. He seemed to thrive when handed the play calling responsibilities after Barnett’s injury. He’ll turn 27 in a few weeks, so he’s just now entering the prime of his career. He hasn’t missed a single game since being drafted by the Packers in 2005. He’s improved in coverage. He’ll never look pretty in space, but he hasn’t been much of a liability in 2010.

Cons: Like Bishop, he’s going to be very expensive to keep. Whether the Packers honor his current deal (unlikely) or attempt to work out a long-term extension, he’s going to be paid eight figures in 2011. He doesn’t make many big plays. He has only 8.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles in 79 games. His ceiling is limited. His speed and functional football strength are marginal at best for a 3-4 inside linebacker.

As you can see, choosing between the three players isn’t going to be easy. The guess here is that Barnett is safe and ultimately the decision will be between Bishop and Hawk. It’s hard to imagine Thompson paying out over $20M in 2011 to keep both. The guess here – notice the trend – is that Hawk will demand more money as part of a long-term contract. That, along with Bishop’s higher ceiling, could be the difference. A trio of Barnett, Bishop and Chillar would be fine for the next two years, and in the meantime, Thompson will be able to draft a player to replace Barnett in 2013. Anyway, that’s how we see it as of now. How Thompson sees it won’t be known for a few more months.

Free at last! Free at last?

Posted by Michael Rodney at 12:38 pm 12 Responses »

Jul 272010

Holding on to Jenkins won't be quite this easy

Holding on to Jenkins won't be quite as easy as this

Training camp doesn’t open for another three days and there may not even be a season in 2011, but that didn’t stop us from taking a quick glance at the Packers who could be unrestricted free agents next March. Assuming – and as of today these assumptions are about as enormous as Ryan Pickett’s pre-training camp belly – that the players and the owners agree to a new collective bargaining agreement and that the number of accrued seasons to achieve true freedom reverts back to four from six, here are the players who would be eligible to hit the open market (along with their age as of 3/31/2011 and their current salary): John Kuhn (27/$1.176M), Korey Hall (28/$550K), Brandon Jackson (25/$550K), Donald Driver (36/$7.206M), James Jones (27/$1.101M), Allen Barbre (26/$550K), Jason Spitz (28/$1.759M), Daryn Colledge (29/$1.759M), Cullen Jenkins (30/$3.2M), Desmond Bishop (26/$550K), Tramon Williams (28/$3.168M/), Atari Bigby (29/$1.759M), Will Blackmon (26/$1.176M), Charlie Peprah (28/$630K) and Mason Crosby (26/$1.0M).

This is hardly an imposing list, but there will be a few interesting decisions facing GM Ted Thompson. As of today, the most compelling scenarios involve Driver, Jones, Colledge, Spitz, Jenkins, Bishop and Williams.

It’s hard to imagine Driver in another uniform, but as Packer fans found out two years ago, you just never know. That said, the only way we see the veteran wide receiver leaving Green Bay is if he asks for too much money or if Thompson isn’t willing to let Jones get away. It’s unlikely that Jones would re-sign unless he foresees a better opportunity to play – something that won’t happen if Driver is still around. Of course, Thompson’s decision on Jones will only be difficult if the former San Jose State star performs at a high level in 2010. Otherwise, he’ll almost certainly be allowed to walk without a fight.

There’s almost no chance that both Colledge and Spitz will return in 2011, so Thompson will have to choose between the two. Spitz – if his health is OK – would be the logical choice since he can play three positions. Not having a CBA brought Colledge back to Green Bay for another season, but his somewhat arrogant personality and his finesse-style of play just aren’t a good with the Packers.

Jenkins already looked to be the key unrestricted free agent in 2011, and his importance to the team’s present and future only increased with the news of Johnny Jolly’s indefinte suspension. It’s very likely that Thompson will want to re-sign the veteran defensive lineman; the big question is whether the feeling will be mutual. For the most part, Jenkins kept quiet last season and admirably did all the dirty work that’s required of an end in the 3-4. Whether he’d voluntarily sign up for more of the same remains to be seen. We have our doubts. That’s why it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the franchise tag used – if there’s even a franchise tag to use.

While Bishop has handled his lack of playing time with great aplomb, you know he’s dying to get a legitimate opportunity to win a starting job. That almost certainly won’t happen this season, but the door could finally open for him in 2011. That’s because A.J. Hawk and his scheduled $11 million contract could be moving on. Of course, even if that happens, Bishop would still have to contend with another overpaid inside linebacker (Brandon Chillar), so he might just decide that parting ways with the Packers makes the most sense. And who could really blame him?

Thompson showed what he thinks of Williams by placing the highest tender on him in February, so the odds are very good that the former street free agent will be around for many years to come. But there are a few variables that could change things between now and next March. For example, what happens if both Pat Lee and Brandon Underwood step up this season? Or if Williams continues to be inconsistent – this time as a fulltime starter. Or if he plays so well that other teams are lining up to make him rich? In short, it’s probably safe to hold on to your No. 38 jersey, but you might want to have a backup number in mind just in case.

The remaining potential unrestricted free agents won’t cause Thompson to lose much sleep. He should be able to pick and choose who comes back and who doesn’t. As of today, we’ll put Crosby, Hall and Jackson in the former category and Barbre, Bigby, Blackmon, Kuhn and Peprah in the latter. But needless to say, all of this can change depending on how these 15 players perform in 2010 and how things go at the bargaining table over the next eight months.

(NOTE- In a few cases, the salaries listed for 2010 are estimates and do not include playing time bonuses, escalator clauses, etc.)

BISHOP DESERVES A REAL CHANCE

Posted by Michael Rodney at 10:00 am 6 Responses »

May 052010

SET HIM FREE

There’s no more perplexing player on the Green Bay Packers than Desmond Bishop. On one hand, the fourth-year linebacker seems to make at least one big defensive play every time he steps foot on the field. On the other hand, he almost always negates any such positive contribution by committing a mental mistake that drives the coaches crazy – and ultimately sends him back to the bench. “You have to wonder why he continues to screw up,” said a former scout. “He’s certainly not stupid. In fact, he was given high marks by his coaches at Cal for his intelligence. Some people doubted whether he had the physical skills needed to play in the NFL, but nobody questioned his ability to fully grasp a playbook and to execute mentally at the next level.”

So what’s the problem? Perhaps it’s assistant coach Winston Moss. Fair or not, neither Bishop nor A.J. Hawk has developed under his tutelage. Conversely, Kevin Greene worked wonders with rookies Clay Matthews and Brad Jones last season. “It’s hard to judge an assistant, but Mike McCarthy thinks highly of Moss,” said the scout. “And he has plenty of experience. The guy played in the NFL for 11 years and he’s been on the sidelines for almost as long. On the other hand, who’s the last really good linebacker he’s developed? Sure I’d be curious to see what would happen if a new position coach was brought in, but I’d be even more curious to see what Bishop could do if really given a chance.”

It looked like Bishop would finally get that chance back in 2008 after Nick Barnett tore his ACL in week 9. And while the 25-year-old finished that game and started the next, his promotion was short-lived. After producing both big plays and big mistakes against Minnesota and Chicago, he was back on the bench in week 11 – a place he’s resided ever since. “He’s a bright young man so it’s difficult for me to believe that he wouldn’t eventually figure things out,” said the coach. “But that’s tough to do as a seldom-used backup.”

Thus the conundrum. Bishop desperately needs reps in regular season games, but the coaches seem much more comfortable with Hawk and Chillar – a pair of veterans who have combined for only 10 big plays (interceptions, sacks, forced fumbles) in the past two seasons. “Capers worked really hard to figure out ways to get Chillar on the field last season, and the payoff was minimal,” said the scout. “He provided next to nothing as a pass rusher and he was mediocre at best when it came to covering tight ends. Maybe it’s about time for Capers to use that creative mind of his to figure out ways to get Bishop on the field.” And he should do it before it’s too late. Depending on what happens with the CBA, the California native could be an unrestricted free agent next spring.