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| B. J. Raji is Hoping to See Another Packer Training Camp |
Raji was allowed to test the free agency waters two years ago and ended up re-signing with the Packers on a 1-year deal. He missed the entire 2014 season with a biceps injury. He didn't find any takers last year and re-signed again on a 1-year deal and played the entire season, but didn't have a breakout season despite being moved, if in name only, back to nose tackle from left defensive end.
When the other nose tackle, Letroy Guion, was re-signed to a 3-year deal on Feb. 12, it seemed to indicate that the Packers were ready to move on from their former No. 9 pick overall in the 2009 draft. However, late breaking news has the Packers opening negotiations with Raji during the combines.
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| It Could Be Goodbye for Nick Perry |
Perry started the season like a man possessed. He was having his best season ever when he re-injured his shoulder and that was basically that. Perry problems have always been staying on the field. I bet he won't find any suitors and might be re-signed, but probably not.
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| Casey Hayward Could be Riding Off in the Sunset |
Former 2012 No. 2 (62) draft pick CB Casey Hayward is also an unrestricted free agent and it seems the Packers are going move on from him, too. He started his career with a bang with 6 interceptions from the slot, but he never really progressed and after a hamstring injury all but wiped out his 2014 season the Packers decided to upgrade his position with the top two draft picks this past season Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins.
Randall won Tramon Williams' old job at left cornerback and Rollins did fine when he played. Hayward remained in the slot mostly and played solid, but with the development of the two rookies he will not be missed.
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| Mike Neal Is Hoping to See His Name on the Scoreboard Again |
FS Sean Richardson is the final unrestricted free agent and I don't see any reason he will return. He's had two surgeries on his neck, including last season, and the Packers already brought him back once, but they won't again.
OLB Andy Mulumba is a restricted free agent and S Chris Banjo is an exclusive-right free agent. Mulumba was one of General Manager Ted Thompson's undrafted free agents finds, but he has never developed and will either re-sign or eventually be released.
Banjo will re-sign although he did take a step back last season. He is a good special teamer and that means something at Green Bay considering special teams wasn't an issue last year as it has been for most of the Head Coach Mike McCarthy's tenure.
Free Agents: OLB Von Miller is the top free agent, but Denver will use their exclusive tag on him. Jets DE Mo Wilkerson is the third best, but he was also tagged. Dolphins DE Olivier Vernon is ranked 8th and Miami is going to tag him.
Denver DT/DE Malik Jackson is ranked 7th and he would be a good fit, but the Bears are targeting him and with the reluctance of Ted Thompson to sign a pricey free agent, no matter what lies he tells the media, the Bears will get better and the Packers won't.
Giant DE Jason Pierre-Paul is ranked 10th, but he is literally damaged goods, so I wouldn't touch him and, of course, he's not on Thompson radar.
So with the best free agents either gone or have other issues lets look at the next level: 37. Jets NT Damon Harrison, 39. Chiefs DT Jaye Howard, 43. Lions DT Haloti Ngata, 52. 49ers DT Ian Williams, and 53. Dolphins DE Derrick Shelby.
Harrison would be a good sign, but he wants to stay with the Jets. Shelby would also be a good sign, but ....Let's stop here because while Dom Capers is defensive coordinator lineman are as useless as tits on a boar (as my dad used to say) because Capers loves using a two-man line with the outside linebackers lining up as ends.
So with the Mike Daniels and Letroy Guion under contract and possibly Raji (Mike Pennell is in this mix as are former No. 1 pick Datone Jones, who is coming on, if he stays healthy and Josh Boyd, ditto).there is no need to sign a lineman.
Seahawks OLB Bruce Irvin is ranked 17th and he is an interesting case. He made a big splash as a rookie with 8 sacks, but has talked more and produced less since then. The Seahawks didn't exercise his 5th-year option and he says he will be a Falcon, but the Bucs are in the mix. Me and Thompson will let him go to either.
Three inside linebackers are available and the Packers are in need of an inside backer with Clay Mathews being moved back to the outside, Sam Barrington coming off a lost season due to injury and Jake Ryan not ready for prime time, if he ever will be. He looked over-matched at the point of attack and on pass defense. Also Joe Thomas, another undrafted free agent, didn't look too good at his specialty as the coverage linebacker.
At 20 and 26 are Denver's two inside linebackers Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan. At 25 is Derrick Johnson from Kansas City. All three would fit well with the Packers. Marshall (26 yrs. old) and Trevathan (25) are in their prime while Johnson is 33.
Trevathan came off an ACL and had a great year with 109 tackles. Marshall has had two great seasons back-to-back with 113 and 101 tackles. Johnson had a superior season with 116 tackles, 4 sacks, 8 passes defensed, 2 interceptions and two forced fumbles.
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| Derrick Johnson Could Be the Second Coming of Ray Nitschke |
As far as the secondary is concerned there is no need to go for a free agent. Sam Shields, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Morgan Burnett, Micah Hyde, Ladarius Gunter, Randall, Rollins and Banjo are young.
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