2010 NFC North Outlook

It's been an intriguing offseason, and the 2010 season is only 5 weeks away. Here's my take on the NFC North and what I believe will happen this year.

Minnesota - The Queens have shown more patience with He Who Must Not Be Named than the Pack did when he retired the first time. They essentially have put all of their eggs in his basket. I don't think there's any doubt that he will return for another season. Therefore, they are the team to beat this year.

Green Bay - The Pack are primed to have another great offensive showing in 2010. The o-line is beefed up with the addition of first round pick Bryan Bulaga and should give Aaron Rodgers a little more time to throw the ball which will hopefully lead to less sacks than last year. The defense, however, did not make any substantial moves to improve the secondary or pass rush. With Al Harris unlikely to return until midseason from reconstructive knee surgery and Johnny Jolly sippin' on his purple drank, we can only hope that the other guys can step up and play better than the D did against the Cards, Queens, and Steelers last year.

Detroit - The Lions are an interesting team. I think that Matt Stafford has potential, and he has one of the best WRs in the league in Calvin Johnson. I don't believe that they'll win more than a handful of games, but I do think that they will be improved and hopefully beat out da Bears for 3rd place in the division.

Chicago - Da Bears are relying on Jay Cutler to bounce back from the atrocious season he had in 2009. I don't see this happening. They didn't make any moves on receiving targets or offensive linemen to help him, and let's face it...Cutler is one of the most overrated QBs in the NFL. They did make a couple of moves that, although expensive, will make an impact on the team's performance. Chester Taylor will take some pressure off of Matt Forte if they give him the ball, and Julius Peppers will make their defensive line a little more impressive. I don't think that they have what it takes to turn the team around however.

So, that's my take and my prediction (assuming that You Know Who returns) - Queens, Pack, Lions, Bears in that order for the NFC North. Once the preseason starts, expect more updates. GO PACK!

Another Good Win, but 2 HUGE Losses

The Pack pulled out another great Conference win on Sunday vs the 49ers moving them 1 step closer to a playoff appearance. The big news coming from this weekend's game however is not good. OLB Aaron Kampman and more importantly CB Al Harris are out for the season with ACL tears. This is going to pose problems for what was a solid defensive unit. The trickle down effect is going to be the issue for the CBs. Tramon Williams is a solid CB and I believe that he will be a starter for years to come for the Pack, the problem is going to be our nickel and dime packages. Now Williams will be replaced by Jarrett Bush, Underwood (the rookie), or newly acquired Josh Bell. Bell is the most accomplished of the 3 having started 4 games in 2008 for the Denver Broncos, so I anticipate either he or Bush being the initial starter. I do like what i've seen from Underwood so far, but he's still a rookie and prone to make big mistakes which we cannot afford. Hopefully these 3 can form a rotation and be a suitable replacement for Williams. If they can't it takes something huge away from our defense...the ability for Charles Woodson to move aroudn the field as he has done over the past few weeks so successfully. It limits Dom Capers' ability to use him so liberally in blitz and coverage packages, which takes us back to where we were against the Vikings and Bengals. Let's hope for the best!

Kampman on the other hand is not as big of a loss. Although he is an effective pass rusher at times, he has not been nearly as successful in his OLB role as he was as a DE. Brad Jones has been effective in replacing him over the past 2 weeks, and i anticipate him to continue to play well. The return of Brady Poppinga and Brandon Chillar should make this transition easier as well. It's a good thing we play the lions this week!

Happy Thanksgiving...and GO PACK!

What do you think? (Poll)

Ahman Green & Gold

The Packers re-signed veteran and 2nd all-time leading rusher for the Green & Gold this week. I'm intrigued by the move, but I believe it's a good one...or at least the idea is good. The packers have had the youngest roster in the NFL for 4 years running and although it's a talented group, when someone gets hurt the youth of this team shows. I don't think that the impact of Ahman Green will be seen directly on the field on Sundays, but it does provide a solid 3rd down back with great hands coming out of the backfield and more importantly it provides veteran leadership to help develop young players like Brandon Jackson, DeSean Wynn, and even Ryan Grant.

The fact is that this team needs to make more moves like this and the signing of Tauscher. Not necessarily to start, but to provide depth and reliability. These guys aren't going to wow you with their play, but they've proven that they can do the job sufficiently enough.

There are still question marks on these guys (Green & Tauscher) as far as their health and ability to keep up with the game at their age (early to mid 30s). But regardless, I think it's good that Thompson is realizing that there is a need for veteran leadership on this team...even if it comes from the bench.

GO PACK!

How Should We as Packer Fans Feel about Favre?

I read a lot of Packer blogs and see a lot of mixed emotions about the once beloved #4 of hte green and gold. There are those out there who still root for Favre even though he's wearing purple, there are those who have stripped their walls of the posters that reflect his image, and then there are those who don't know what to think. I, personally, fall into the second group.

I read an article today on espn.com about how former Packer players feel about Favre playing for the Viqueens, and none of them like it one bit! That to me, leads me to believe that I am in the right by seeing him as a traitor. Players like Jerry Kramer, Fuzzy Thurston, and LeRoy Butler all share the same stance as me. His legacy as a Packer has been tarnished!

TAKEN FROM ESPN.COM

"Sorry Brett. You're on the other side now," said LeRoy Butler, who played with Favre on the 1996 Super Bowl winners, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
"It's not just another person that walked away, it's Brett, whom we all loved and admired and thought the world of, and now he's on the dastardly Vikings," added Jerry Kramer, a guard on Vince Lombardi's back-to-back Super Bowl winners, according to the report.
"The only thing that could be worse for me is the Bears, and I don't know if that would be worse," Kramer said, according to the report. "Brett Favre wearing a Vikings uniform playing the Packers? That's about as bad as it gets."

Joe Robbins/Getty ImagesPackers fans hoped they'd never see Brett Favre in Vikings colors. They'll see a lot more of it Monday night.
Whether they like it or not, Packers fans and ex-players will face the reality of seeing Favre's No. 4 jersey in Minnesota Vikings purple on ESPN's "Monday Night Football." The Chicago Bears may be the Packers' oldest NFL rivals, but the Vikings are the team many Packers players and fans love to hate.
"When you switch to the Vikings, that's the one team you hate and hate's a strong word," said Butler, according to the Journal Sentinel. "That's the one thing you dislike. You enjoy beating the Bears, it's a great rivalry. But when you play the Vikings -- Hatfield and McCoys, that's how it is. All the rules go out. You have to beat them. It's a must-win game. You can live with splitting with Chicago. You can't live and you can't sleep losing to the Vikings."

Sure, he'll go down in the record books for having all the records, he'll still be a first ballot hall-of-famer, but all of us who grew up watching and idolizing him will never be able to look at him the same way.

That's why when he runs onto the field (or should I say astro turf) on Monday night, I will be booing at my TV screen. GO PACK!

Catching Up - Sorry for the Delay

It’s been a while since our last post, but there is good news…IT’S FOOTBALL SEASON!!!! A lot has gone on in the past couple of months that we haven’t blogged about. Raji’s contract issues (resolved), injuries to offensive and defensive players, a traitor signed with the queens, 3 unbelievable pre-season games, a victory over da Bears (thank you Jay Cutler for those 4 ints), and an awful performance against the Bengals resulting in a loss.

In a nutshell, those are the major things that have happened since June. Sorry we missed them. Anyway, this season so far has been disappointing for me. The Pack gave us all visions of a division championship and hopes for a long play-off run during their domination in the preseason. The starting offense/defense outscored opponents 73-10. I don’t care who you are, that’s impressive! But something went seriously wrong when the regular season started, and I’m not sure what it is. I believe that the switch to 3-4 is transitioning just fine as can be seen by the 7 turnovers that they’ve forced in the first 2 games of the season. And when Raji enters the line-up I expect to see some noticeable improvement on the defensive side of the ball. The offense however, is a different story. They have no excuses. The line can’t protect Rodgers, the receivers are dropping balls that hit them in the hands, grant isn’t getting enough carries, and we’re ranked 25th in the NFL in passing offense. The truth is the Packers should have won the game against the Bears by a lot more than 6 points. Jay Cutler looked like Rex Grossman and gave the offense good field position and plenty of opportunities to score a ton of points, but the offense (other than a couple of good plays) didn’t look good at all. And against the Bengals Greg Jennings didn’t even have 1 catch. Rodgers has been hit and sacked way too many times. I think improved play from the o-line will do wonders for the offense. It will give Rodgers some confidence to step up in the pocket and not have to run for his life, and provide some stability for the running game. And if the receivers decide to stop dropping balls that would be a welcomed change as well.

I’m not out to bash the Pack, and I haven’t given up on the season like a lot of the nay-sayers whose comments I’ve read on other blogs. I think there’s a favorable schedule ahead for the Packers, and I believe that the offense will rebound this week against the Rams. Plus Raji should return for his first regular season NFL game this week, which should prove helpful in stopping the run. GO PACK!

Offseason Questions

This offseason has been plagued with questions. Will T.O. be the same in Buffalo as he has been everywhere else? What will happen with Plaxico Burress? Will Michael Vick have a future in the NFL? Will the Cardinals trade Anquan Boldin? Will Braylon Edwards stay in Cleveland? Will the Packers' new 3-4 defense be a good effective? Will the Jay Cutler trade be the beginning of a decent quarterback in Chicago? All of these have been brought up and discussed on every major sports network, but they've all been overshadowed by the question that's been brought up without fail throughout the past few offseasons and especially this one...

Is Brett Favre really retired?

As always, there are contingencies which bring up more questions. As a huge Packer fan all my life, I want Brett to continue to play because he has been an amazing player to watch for the past 17 years. I was as distraught as any other Packer fan when he decided to retire last year and even moreso when he was wearing a Jets jersey instead of the familiar green and gold, but I still supported him and wanted him to play well. I loved him in Green Bay, but I still rooted for him in New York. Shoot, I even had him on my fantasy football roster. As I told all my friends, last year "The Jets had become my 2nd favorite team."

I don't have a particular liking for the Jets, and once Brett announced his "retirement" this year I was happy to see him go out and hoped that he would come back to sign and retire as a Packer without tarnishing his legacy...but I guess during the past couple of decades, all of us Brett Favre fans were duped...

It's tough to understand that professional athletes just see football as a job. I really find that hard to believe. Football is competitive, and the rivalries are what makes watching and playing the sport fun. Especially when you have something so constant as a great QB for pretty much as long as you can remember watching it. Just like everything else, I knew that Brett's reign in Green Bay would come to an end and I planned on telling my kids and grand kids about how I grew up watching "the greatest QB of all time" play for the Pack...but it appears that I might have been wrong.

I watched the interview on HBO last week and I really just cannot believe that someone who is known to be a "great competitor" and someone who "loves the game" so much would even consider doing the most ridiculously awful thing a great player can do...PLAY FOR THEIR RIVAL TEAM!

Brett made comments about Vince Lombardi and how he left for the Redskins and how nobody considers him a traitor and he's right I don't think that very many people do consider him a traitor...Because he went to the redskins. If he had gone to the Bears it would have been a totally different story. He also said that there are 2 types of people out there, those who will support you no matter what, and those who will despise you no matter what (I'm paraphrasing). But he forgot about the third group...Those who love you, but will not be able to even bare thinking about you or the mention of your name if you go to the Queens...these will be the 70,000 strong who will be booing when Brett runs onto Lambeau Field wearing Purple late in the season.

I understand that he wants to play, and I think that if he can play he should...just not in Minnesota! I have enjoyed watching him play every year that I have watched, but if he goes to the queens everything will have changed. So my questions this offseason are:

How does someone as iconic as Brett Favre get so far off track that he doesn't see what he's doing by even considering playing for the Minnesota Vikings? Even if the queens win the Super Bowl, will it be worth the cost of that purple ring? What the heck are you thinking, Brett?

If it were the 1600's, Brett Favre would be hung for Treason

Brett Favre retired last spring as a Green Bay Packer, only to come back and end up playing for the New York Jets. It was very sad for all Packer fans to see #4 wearing a different uniform, but the team had to move on and had to start looking into the future. I was not too disappointed that Brett played for the Jets, because I know how great of a competitor he is, and it seemed best for both him and the Packers. After one season with the Jets, Brett retired again, but it is looking like he is coming back again, but with the Minnesota Viking!

I am not sure how everything went down last spring when the Packers and Brett Favre parted ways, but I do know that if Brett went to the Vikings, he would be everything that is wrong with the NFL. I believe that I would no longer admire/worship Brett Favre, and I know that it would be extremely difficult for me to follow the NFL in the Fall. Not only would I never forgive Favre for going to Minnesota, but I don't think that any true Packer fans will either. And all I know is that I have already lost a lot of respect for Brett just for speaking with the Vikings.

Who is the favorite in the NFC North?

The NFC North will be very different in 2009. New acquisitions like Jay Cutler and Matt Stafford, and big changes like the Packers' 3-4 defense will all be intruiging this season. With the exception of the Lions, I see this division being up for grabs between the Pack, Bears, and Vikings. 

Starting with last years NFC North Champs, the Minnesota Vikings are looking to get another title under their belts and get back into the playoffs this season. The Vikings are continuing to add weapons to their offense except at the QB position, and that will be the area that will be in question for the Queens this season. Tavaris Jackson is still expected to be the Week 1 starter, with Rosenfels waiting in the wings. I expect that either QB will be better suited this season with targets, especially newly acquired Percy Harvin who will be a threat whenever he is on the field. However, the well being of the Vikings will still remain in the hands of Adrien Peterson running the ball. If he can stay healthy and have success running the ball, the Vikings will be tough to stop. I predict, based on the toughest schedule in the division that the Vikings end up at 10-6.

The Chicago Bears finished 2nd in the North last season and have very high asperations for 2009 with the arrival of Jay Cutler. Bears fans are very excited for this season and really expect Cutler to be their franchise QB for a long time to come. The Bears have greatly increased their chances by picking up Cutler, but there are still some holes that exist, most notably, at reciever and at safety. The Bears have picked up a couple recievers in the draft, but at this point, Greg Olson, Devin Hester, and Matt Forte will be Cutlers main targets throwing the ball. It is difficult to say how the Bears will be this season, they have improved their offense and gotten a great DE in the draft, but they have a thin secondary and Brian Urlacher is not what he used to be at MLB. Given the Bears schedule for the season, i'm predicting them to be just behind the Vikings at 9-7.

Next we have the Green Bay Packers. The Pack finished 3rd in the North last season following the 2007-08 season where they advanced to the NFC Championship Game and had a regular season record of 13-3 behind the arm of Brett Favre. I believe that the Packers still have the talent throughout their roster to win the North in deciding fashion. However, poor defensive play in 2008, a young QB, and a switch to a new defensive scheme in 2009 makes me hesitant about putting the Packers atop the division. Aaron Rodgers showed that he could lead the team and be the quarterback of future for the Pack and I only expect him to get better as his career goes along. The Packers have talent in their offensive skill positions but are not very strong on the offensive line. I don't believe that the concern for the Pack is with their offense, but rather their defense. Last season, injuries plagued the defensive secondary, which lead to the biggest weakness on the team. The Packers have added B.J. Raji at nose tackle, and Clay Matthews at OLB.  These two picks greatly improves the front 7 and gives the Pack one of the best linebacking corps in the league. I think that if the veteran defensive backs can stay consistent, the Packers defense will be great. My heart tells me the Pack can end the season at the top at 11-5, but my head tells me they will under achieve again at 8-8. 

The Detroit Lions don't have what it takes to challenge for the title and I will leave it at that!

Mocking the Draft; How hard can it be?

Anyone who is interested in the draft and is excitingly waiting to see who their team is going to draft, they check their favorite online sports sites or watch their favorite sports shows to check the mock drafts of the Professional Draft Analysts. I have checked several different sites and I have seen many mock drafts from different analysts, and it doesn't seem like any of them can agree on who should go where. So I found myself thinking, why am I relying on these people to get insight into the who my team is going to pick with their first round pick? The reason is because I haven't taken the time to do my own Mock Draft!

Over the next couple of days, I will be working on my own mock draft of the first round, and we will see how far off The Malnarn is compared to the "Experts". Granted, I have kept my ear pretty close to the ground when it comes to the Draft, so my picks will not be based on knowledge that I gained through personal interviews i've had with teams, or any knowledge that i've gained on my own. Either way, I think that Mel Kiper, Jr. and Todd McShay have the easiest jobs in sports broadcasting. Check back soon to see me making a mockery of the Mock Draft.

Bears get a new QB; what can we expect in 2009?

It has been a few weeks since i've put a new post on the blog so I apologize to all of my loyal followers. I live in Chicago now so I have to put up with all of the lame bears fans who think their team is God's gift to the NFL. As everyone knows by now, the Bears have picked up Jay Cutler from the Broncos. There is a lot of talk now about the Bears potentially being the team to beat in the NFC North now, and it makes me sick!

I think that Jay Cutler is a very good quarterback, but I also think that he is a whiny baby and makes me hate the Bears that much more. I don't doubt the fact that he will make the Bears a better team, but I think that the thought of them being the favorite to win the division is a little premature. Bears fans have a lot to be excited about, but they forget to understand that he is only one player, they still need someone to be able to catch the ball, I mean, their TE was their leading receiver in 2008.

I don't necessarily think that the Packers are going to be a huge threat to win the North this season, but you never know. The Packers are a very good team and Rodgers is getting better and better the more snaps he takes. The question mark with the Pack is the new defensive scheme coming into play this season. I have a feeling that there will be some serious growing pains and our defense is going to be a problem for the team this season.

Regardless, I hope that Bears fans are disappointed when Cutler gets pissed for not having the threats that he is expecting and the Bears end up behind both the Pack and the Queens in the North. That would be great!!

Packers match offer to Bush

Jarrett Bush was a restricted free agenct and had been given an offer on Friday from the Tennessee Titans. Since he is a restricted free agent, the Pack were given seven days to match the offer if they wanted to keep Bush. The Packers took only the weekend to make thier decision on Monday to match the offer and keep Bush on the roster for 2009. I think that this is a good move for the Packers, not a very exciting one, but a good move.

The last thing that the Packers need to do right now is lose more players on the defensive side of the ball. We know that several defensive players will be taken in the draft this year, but the current depth of that side of the ball has me worried about how effective we can be this year. Bush wasn't a defensive starter, but he is very active on special teams, and like I said, he adds a little depth to the secondary. It was really a no-brainer for the Packers, Bush isn't a high money player, and we weren't going to get anything in return for him, so it was worth keeping him.

Will the Packers match offer to keep Jarrett Bush?

On Friday night the Tennessee Titans extended an offer to Restricted Free Agent Jarrett Bush. This means that the Packers were given 7 days to match the offer if they wish to keep Bush on the team, and if they dont, it turns out that the Packers gave him the lowest tender, and would be given little compensation if he was to leave. Bush played all 16 games last season, mostly on special teams, and he ended the season with just 11 tackles. So it really isn't a huge loss to our team if Ted Thompson decides to just let him walk. I find it sad right now that i'm wasting time talking about whether or not the Packers are going to match an offer on a player who doesn't really make that much of a difference to the team's well being. I guess thats what happens when you try to cover the offseason for a team like the Packers who do basically nothing in free agency. Oh well, Jarrett Bush is a top story for me today, and I hope you are all interested.

The Definition of Versatility by Brian Orakpo

"A versatile guy is a guy who can be very versatile," Brian Orakpo said while describing his game.

I was reading a recent compilation mock NFL draft on ESPN.com by Chris Sprow from ESPN the Magazine and found this quote from Orakpo. I think that Orakpo is a really great football player, but lets be honest, the guy is clearly not "Versatile" off the football field and he shows it with this quote. I think Orakpo is my favorite potential player for the Packers with their first pick and this quote by him doesn't worry me at all. I mean, look at the picture above and tell me honestly that you wouldn't be happy to have him. I know that come draft day, I am really hoping that he falls to the Pack at #9.

Orakpo slated as potential pick for Pack at #9

Mel Kiper and Todd McShay are ESPN's "Draft Experts" and just today on ESPN.com they posted a combined Mock Draft where each of their mock drafts were put together with the hope of ironing out some answers for draft day. I have watched the NFL Draft in it's entirety for the last 5 or 6 years and I follow it pretty closely, so I consider myself somewhat of a "Draft Dork". Up until this point, Malcolm Jenkins was slotted to be drafted by the Pack, even though I didn't think a CB should be high on our priority list. Finally today, Kiper and McShay gave me some hope as they listed both Brian Orakpo and Aaron Maybin for the Packers' first round selection.

This got me very excited because Orakpo has such huge potential and raw talent. He is a beast and I would absolutely love to see him on the Packers. He reminds me a lot of Javon Kearse or Julius Peppers. I think that he could make a great OLB/DE that we need for the 3-4 Defense, and I think he would make Ted Thompson look really good in the eyes of Packer Fans. Check out the video above and let me know what you think.

Why Ted Thompson should be Patriotic!

I was talking earlier this week with one of the other writers of this blog and we were discussing how there are certain teams that are very active in free agency every year, and others, like the Packers and the Bears, who do virtually nothing. And there were a couple of things that jumped out at me. First of all, we notice how active the New England Patriots are in Free Agency and we compare that to their relative dominance so far this decade. Being Packer fans, we had to compare their offseason strategy with ours and some of the other teams in the NFC North.

It seems that every year the Patriots pick up a good amount of players through free agency. The pick up a lot of veterans and value players that will fit into their system and add depth at their position. Perhaps this is why they have been Super Bowl contenders for the last 5 years. In comparison, the Packers and the Bears never seem to pick anyone up in Free Agency, and maybe that explains why the NFC North was one of the weakest conferences in the NFL last season and why the Vikings went to the Playoffs.

You can say whatever you like about Bill Belichick and whether he is a cheater or whatever, but in my mind, there is no questioning that he is one of the best, if not the best coach in the NFL. Whether you like him or not, I would suggest reading "The Education of a Coach" by Bill Belichick and you will see the time and thought that he puts into not only being a coach, but also in the front office and in understanding the Salary Cap system. All I know is that I would love for the Packers to be in a similar position as the Patriots, and maybe the hands off approach to free agency isn't getting the job done.

Depth Needed?

There isn't a whole lot going on right now with the Green Bay Packers. We have done virtually nothing in free agency and it doesn't look like that is going to change anytime soon. As I was sitting at my desk thinking about the NFL and the Pack, I found myself looking back to the 2008 season and one glaring question jumped out at me...what will happen to the Packers if Aaron Rodgers has a season ending injury like Tom Brady did? I think that if that happened, we would be in serious trouble.

This season Rodgers got banged up a little and we got a glimpse of our depth at QB, and it wasn't pretty. Matt Flynn and Brian Brohm, both were drafted last season and neither seems to be able to through worth a damn. I have a feeling that if we needed to rely on one of them, we had might as well call it a season. So my question is this: why don't we pick up a decent back up QB in free agency? I'm not saying that we need to spend a lot of money and pick up an all-star or anything, just a decent back up. There are some guys out there who would be perfect candidates; guys who may not lead us to a Super Bowl, but guys who can at least throw the ball. Jeff Garcia is still a free agent, so are Byron Leftwich, Rex Grossman, J.P. Losman and Kyle Boller. All of these players have experience as starters in the NFL, and they would all be quality back ups who could provide some security should we need it. I think of it in the same way as owning a gun; its better to have one and never need to use it, than to need one and not have one.

P.S. You have to love a QB who can pull of a moustache! I just couldn't resist using this photo.

Would Jason Taylor look good in Green and Gold?

Former defensive Player of the Year Jason Taylor was cut this week by the Washington Redskins after having a mediocre 2008 season that was plagued with injury and brought him only 3.5 sacks. There is speculation that the Pack might be interested in Taylor, but as we have seen so far this season, just because the Packers are interested in someone doesn't mean that they are going to open up the wallet.

Since the Packers have changed up their coaching staff and announced that they will be changing defensive schemes, I have read a lot of different articles about the types of players that the Pack will need and the types of players that work best in a 3-4. All signs pointed to a "streamlined" DE/OLB type of player that is tall, fast, and lighter than the typical 4-3 defensive end. Jason Taylor fits the mold at 6'6" and 244 lbs. There are some question marks that go along with his ability and skill level, but there are other things that he can bring to the team such as leadership, and experience. I think that Taylor would make a great Packer, even if it is only for a couple years. He would at least add some depth to a defensive line that doesn't have any, especially since Colin Cole left for Seattle.

Another Hole to Fill; DT Cole headed to Seattle

Packer DT Colin Cole is gone. Cole signed a contract with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, leaving the Packer defense even more needy than before. There was some interest by the Pack in Chris Canty from Dallas, who would have been a great addition to the 3-4 scheme, but he was signed by the G-Men on Sunday. So once again I find myself disappointed that the Packers have done nothing in Free Agency and we are relying completely on the Draft. I think that the Packers are putting all of their eggs in one basket, and I think that the Packers at times need to be less frugal in the front office and pull the trigger on making the franchise better.

Free Agency: I Like What I'm Seeing

Ted Thompson, with the exception of Charles Woodson, has never really done much in free agency, but in 2009 he just might venture into new free-agent territory.

Friday, the first full day of free agency, he had his scouting staff try to bring in defensive end Chris Canty of the Dallas Cowboys for a free-agent visit knowing the Packers will be competing with at least a couple and probably more teams if they get in on the bidding.

Canty was a fourth-round draft pick out of Virginia by Dallas in 2005. At 6-foot-7 and 304 pounds, he has prototypical size for a 3-4 defensive end, a position that doesn’t generate big statistics because it requires skills more like a 4-3 defensive tackle than a 4-3 defensive end. He’s played defensive end in the Cowboys’ 3-4 scheme all four years in the league and had three sacks last season and nine sacks for his career.

He is scheduled to visit the New York Giants Saturday, and Seattle Seahawks on Sunday and Monday according to Brad Blank, his agent.

The Packers, San Francisco and Tennessee also want to bring in Canty, but Blank said his client probably will take only one or maybe two other visits after this weekend. He’ll determine where else to go after getting firm contract offers and seeing which of the other teams remain most interested. There’s also a chance it won’t get to that point, because many clubs push hard to a sign a free agent while he’s visiting, and Canty might not get out of New York or Seattle without a deal.

“It’s a perfect situation for him because of the 3-4,” Blank said of the Packers. “These other teams are 4-3.”

After Blank gave the Packers a general idea of the contract Canty appears in line for, the team’s co-director of football operations, Reggie McKenzie, still wanted Canty to visit as soon as possible after Seattle. But the sides put off setting up a visit until the Packers can confirm they’re still in the running after Canty’s meetings with the Giants and Seahawks.

The Packers’ interest indicates they think highly of Canty as a possible piece in their new 3-4 defense, and they have more than enough salary-cap room (about $34 million) to sign him, though that also would probably mean eventually losing one or more of their own players who will be free agents a year from now. Canty isn’t in the small group of elite free agents this year but is in the second tier of players available.

“I think there is legitimate interest,” Blank said.

Information from packersnews.com

I like that the Thompson is making some early attempts at filling the needs of the Packers' defense in free agency. As impressed as I've been with a some of the draft picks that he's brought to the team (i.e. Greg Jennings), it's been equally disappointing to see some of the other high picks that we've wasted (i.e. Justin Harrell).

I think that it is important to draft well, but it is also important to address the immediate needs of the team with proven players in the NFL through free agency. This team was 13-3 2 years ago and was playing in the NFC Championship game. There is definite talent and potential on the Packers' roster...the key is to fill the few question marks on the defensive side of the ball quickly in order to give us an opportunity to get back to where we were in 2007.

Good job, Ted...I like what I'm seeing so far. There are a lot of other good free agents out there that I'd like to see us pursue.