Everybody Loves Blake

The OTAs (Organized Team Activities) and the mini-camp are over and for some odd reason there has been very little news coming out of Packer Land concerning actually personnel issues. I have watched and read everything on a daily basis, but I haven't had a post in since May 1 (15 days before I turned 63) because there was nothing to report since I'm not in Green Bay actually watching practice and reporting something substantive unlike the self-absorbed ass-kissers that pass themselves off as journalists in the age of Donald Trump and Dan Patrick, where the messenger is more important than the subject being reported on.

In past year's the reporters would tell us outlanders who is playing left tackle and where the now healthy Nick Perry (I will predict right now he will be injured) is lining up, but nothing from the tweets except bullshit about how the reporter is feeling that day or what he ate for breakfast or some inside joke he has with another self-absorbed reporter. It seems everything in today's media is about the reporter's personality and nothing to do about what he is covering.

The FOXinization of the news ruined the news business during the Clinton Administration and it has been transforming sports news for a while now making the reporter more the story than the story itself. Us in the hinterlands will have to make the pilgrimage to the Shrine to get any sort of news of substance. I couldn't care less what is going on the reporter's life and his buddies. But that is what I'm getting on the whole.

The few stories that have gotten out actually support my opinion of the Ted Thompson regime. I feel Thompson and his ass-kissing boss Mark Murphy has settled into a complacency of being happy to be competitive, but making no effort whatsoever to make the Packers a championship contender.

Blake Martinez

I think the news about fourth-round draft pick (the 131st player chosen and the latest draft pick chosen to be the starter next to Clay Matthews or allow Clay to move back to the outside) Blake Martinez being such a revelation proves my point. On no other team in the league is the 131st player expected to be the savior or at the very least a major contributor and the news of camp.

A.J. Hawk

Let's look at the inside linebacker last year after A. J. Hawk (he lasted one season as a backup for the Bengals before being cut and retiring) finally had a stake driven through his heart and it took.

Carl Bradford

2014's fourth round pick (the 121st player chosen) Carl Bradford was initially list on the training camp depth chart as the starter next to Clay Matthews with Joe Thomas (2014 undrafted free agent) and Sam Barrington (2013 #7-232) on the second team and Jake Ryan (2015 #129) and Josh "Road Closed" Francis (2015 street free agent) on the third team.

Nate Palmer (right)

"Road Closed" was cut, Joe Thomas was cut and Bradford was cut and re-signed to practice squad leaving Barrington and Ryan as the last men standing. However, Ryan wasn't ready to assume his spot as a starter, so they had to move Nate Palmer (2013 #6-193) from outside to inside. He opened the season as the starter next to Barrington. So at this point Thompson has settled on two of his picks from 2013 #6-193 and #7-232 as his starters.

LET'S STOP RIGHT HERE. There seems to be a pattern forming at inside linebacker. Brad Jones is moved from outside, Matthews is moved from outside. and Palmer is moved also. The great talent evaluator (I will address that issue in my next post) seems to have crapped out trying to find at least a decent starter at inside linebacker from a group of people who actually play that position. But I digress.

Sam Barrington

Then the unthinkable happens (NOT!!! The Packers lead the league or at least near the top of it when it comes to injuries) Barrington gets hurt in the first game and is lost for the season. Palmer proves he can't play out of position and is benched.

Joe Thomas

Joe Thomas, remember he was cut, was re-signed from the Cowboys' practice squad and earns a starting job as the Packers' third down passing game inside linebacker and retains that job for the last 14 games of the season even though, especially in the loss to the Cardinals in the playoffs he was being exploited in that job (not as bad as Ray Nitschke in his final season, but still they were putting in plays to take advantage of him).

One more point about re-signing Thomas. When Thompson cuts someone they usually stay cut, especially when they have signed with another club. However, having no viable players at inside linebacker forced Thompson to bring him back making him the first player Thompson has cut to be re-signed after catching on with another team since running back Michael Hill in 2014 and only the fourth during Thompson's time with the Packers.

Overall, he was never re-signed a draft pick that he cut. He has never re-signed a free agent signee he has cut. He has never re-signed a player he has signed off another team's practice squad after he was cut. He has never re-signed an undrafted free agent after he was cut. He has never re-signed a player he had acquired off of waivers he had cut.

As far as street free agents (players who were with another club and cleared waivers) he did re-sign Hill in 2014 after he was cut in 2013 and signed to the Bucs practice squad before being cut again during the offseason. When it comes to players acquired by a trade he did re-sign running backs Ahman Green in 2009 after two injury-plagued seasons with the Texans (his re-signing still gripes my butt because it was during those eight games and 41 rushing attempts he surpassed Jim Taylor as the all-time Packers leading rusher) and Ryan Grant after one season with the Redskins in 2012. But I digress again.

Jake Ryan

Ryan earns the starting job for the last five regular season games next to Matthews only because he is literally the last man standing. We were being told at the time he was the greatest thing since sliced bread and he was given high marks by the ass-kissing Packer press crew when the inside linebacker I saw, especially in the loss to the Cardinals in the playoffs was two-steps slow in coverage and not-a-banger at the point of attack. I never saw a running back go backward when Ryan hit him. In fact, he was beginning to look more like Hawk getting his tackles from behind.

Nick Barnett

So now the next coming of Nick Barnett (Mike Sherman's 2003 #1-29) , who was the last great middle/inside linebacker, is now Blake Martinez. Historical note: The Packers changed from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 defense in 2009 so Barnett, who was a great middle linebacker became an inside linebacker next to A. J. Hawk.

Since Barnett was placed on injured reserve after four game in 2010 Thompson filled his key job with Desmond Bishop (2007 #6-192) in 2011. Bishop was a thumper, but injury prone. Street free agent Rob Francois was moved from outside linebacker to start two games in 2011 in relief of Bishop. D.J. Smith (2011 #6-186) in 2012, but he was also injured lasting just six games after Bishop was lost for the season in the pre-season.

Brad Jones

Brad Jones (2009 #7-219), who was also moved from outside linebacker, took over for Smith and finished 2012 as the starter and he was given a huge contract for his efforts and that proved to be a mistake.

While Jones started 12 games in 2013 he was also injury prone and was replaced at times (4 starts) by Jamari Lattimore (2011 undrafted free agent). Lattimore also made five starts in 2014 when Jones was also injured and eventually benched. Lattimore was allowed to walk as an unrestricted free agent after the 2014 season.

Now Everybody Loves Blake at least the ass-kissers do. It seems there are no objective Packer beat writers anymore. Us in the far reaches of the Packer Empire only get King Thompson's official line and NOT the truth.

Let's hope Thompson's 30th attempt to draft or sign an inside linebacker worth writing home about this time.

Desmond Bishop

Thompson has drafted 11 players that eventually ended up at inside linebacker: 1. A. J. Hawk (2006 #1-5 as OLB). 2. Abdul Hodge (2006 #3-67 as MLB). 3. Desmond Bishop (2007 #6-192). 4. Brad Jones (2009 #7-218 as OLB). 5. D.J. Smith (2011 #6-186 as ILB), 6. Terrell Manning (2012 #5-163 as ILB). 7. Nate Palmer (2013 #6-193 as OLB). 8. Sam Barrington (2013 #7-232 as ILB). 9. Carl Bradford (2014 #4-121 as OLB). 10. Jake Ryan (2015 #4-129 as OLB). 11. Blake Martinez (2016 #4-131 as ILB).

D.J. Smith

Thompson signed 1 Unrestricted Free Agent linebacker Brandon Chillar from the Rams in 2008. He was an inside linebacker with the Rams, but was backing up on the outside behind A. J. Hawk his first season with the Packers and ended up starting seven games when Hawk moved inside to replace an injured Barnett. He was moved inside to backup Hawk in 2009 and backed up Barnett in 2010.

He also has signed 14 undrafted free agents that played inside, which many hang their hats on his ability to sign undrafted gems, but I will address this myth in my next post. 2005: (Roy Manning as OLB, Zac Woodfin as OLB). 2007: (Rory Johnson as OLB). 2008: (Danny Lansanah). 2010: (Tim Knicky as OLB, Alex Joseph as OLB). 2011: (Jamari Lattimore as OLB). 2013 (Jarvis Wilson). 2014: (Joe Thomas, Jake Doughty, Shawn Lewis). 2015: (Tavarus Dantzler, James Vaughters, Josh "Road Closed" Francis).

In addition he has signed 4 street free agents. 2007 (Carl-Johan Björk). 2009 (Rob Francois as OLB). 2010 (Matt Wilhem). 2011 (K. C. Asiodu).

If you listen to the ass-kissers and mirror-watchers then Blake Martinez will be the answer to all the problems of the Packers defense.

However, think about this Mike Sherman drafted Nick Barnett in the first round and got first round play out of him for eight seasons and Thompson drafted A.J. Hawk in the first round and (I hate to say this, but I have to accept those lyin' statistics) got nine first round years.

Since then, including this year's draft, Thompson has penny-pinched at inside linebacker and gotten value out for value in. After Hawk he has drafted 10 inside linebackers with the highest being Hodge coming in 2006 in the third round (#67). He played 8 games with one start in three seasons with 10 tackles.

The other nine came in the fourth round (Bradford 2014 #121 [No games in two seasons], Ryan 2015 #129 [14g-5st: 50t], Martinez 2016 #131); fifth round (Terrell Manning 2012 #163 [5g-0st; 5t in two seasons]); sixth round (Bishop 2007 #192 [69g-26st: 220t in 6 seasons], Smith 2011 #186 [22g-9st: 82t in 2 seasons], Palmer 2013 #193 [24g-12st: 85t in 3 seasons]) and seventh round (Jones 2009 #218 [76g-36st: 186t in 6 seasons], Barrington 2013 #232 [22g-8st: 48t in 3 seasons).

Statistically during the Thompson regime inside linebackers drafted after the first round have all crapped out either for lack of talent or injuries with the last two still to be determined. So let's hope 30th time is a charm and the ass-kissers are correct for a change.