Chasing a Ghost or What Did You Do During Free Agency?

For the first time since Aaron Rodgers became a starter the defense or special teams weren't the reason for a less than successful season. The ultimate extension of General Manager Ted Thompson's philosophy of building almost entirely from within and ignoring obvious weaknesses while the clock was ticking on Brett Favre's last years and is ticking on Rodgers' prime years has hurt the Packers brand. The Packers last year were a little better than average.

Thompson was asked about the window closing on the Rodgers era and he said this, "We're not going to chase a ghost just because we think the clock is ticking."

Translation: I guess the ghost he is talking about is bringing a Super Bowl back to Green Bay. He has already wasted four of the best years a quarterback has ever had in the history of the game, so why should he be worried now that Rodgers is on the backside of his career and coming off his worst season ever. As long as the Packers make the playoffs that is good enough for Thompson and the Trust in Ted crowd.

You Might Have Missed It, But the Off-Season Began 2 Weeks Ago

February 8 the NFL off-season officially began when players could be placed on waivers. The next day the teams began to sign players whose 2015 contracts have expired, but being Packer Backers this is the time of year we all take a Packers theme cruise with Ted Thompson until April.

However, this year before we all disembarked there actually was a transaction and when I say a transaction I mean it literally.



Ryan Williams When He Was a Miami Hurricane

Despite signing QB Ryan Williams on Jan. 1 and nine of the 11 practice squad players (LB Carl Bradford, DT William Campbell, TE Mitchell Henry, WR Jamel Johnson, DT Christian Ringo, OL Matt Rotheram, T Jeremy Vujnovich, WR Ed Williams, DE B.J. McBryde) on Jan. 18 to reserve/futures contracts Ted Thompson re-signed DT Letroy Guion to a 3-year contract worth $11.25 million on Feb. 12.

B.J. Raji

The recent trials and tribulations (maybe I'm jumping the gun on the term trials) of nose tackle Letroy Guion brings me to one of my favorite subjects, B.J. Raji.

 

I love him as a person and loved him as a high draft choice when I saw how much power he had to manhandle a center when crushing the pocket as a nose tackle. Now that is important to remember he was a great nose tackle coming out of Boston College and a good nose tackle his first two years in Green Bay.

 

Raji's first year was also the first year Dom Capers took over the defense. The Packers moved Aaron Kampman to outside linebacker (which turned out to be a disaster and basically ended Kampman's career) when Capers converted to the 3-4.

 

Raji made one start as a backup to Ryan Pickett at nose with Johnny Jolly at left end and Cullen Jenkins at right end. He played in 14 games and made 25 combined tackles with one sack. I think he had a good rookie season.

His second season Raji took over at nose tackle as Pickett was moved to left defensive end. It was also the year Jolly got in trouble and Jenkins had injury issues eventually giving way to Howard Green, who had a great game in the Super Bowl. But I digress, as I seem to do at times or maybe many times.

 

Raji came into his own during the Super Bowl season starting all 16 games at nose tackle with 39 combined tackles and 6.5 sacks. He intercepted a pass in the conference playoff game against the Bears (picking off Jay Cutler's replacement after he suffered the mysterious knee injury and sat out the remainder of the game. Typical Cutler response when he is having a bad game, but again, I digress) and scoring a touchdown where "The Raji" celebration dance was born. Check out the clip of his touchdown or his guest appearance on an Aaron Rodger's State Farm commercial. He's the man.

 

 

Touchdown Dance