What have the Green Bay Packers done with Ted Thompson and who is this guy pulling the strings in his place?
The Green Bay Packers, who have now signed two free agents and expressed interest in several others, brought a second veteran player in for a visit on Friday. The player was defensive end Anthony Hargrove.
So really. Where has Ted Thompson gone? Because this flurry of free agent activity surely isn’t his doing.
Hargrove has been around the league, playing for four teams in eight NFL seasons, but he’s still only 28. Hargrove had 18 tackles and three sacks last season for the Seattle Seahawks, but his best seasons came with New Orleans and St. Louis. In 2009, he registered 42 tackles and five sacks for the Saints and in 2005, he had 51 tackles and 6.5 sacks for the Rams.
Hargrove would play end in the Packers 3-4 and is considered solid against the run, as well as a pass rush threat.
The visit is a sign the Packers are serious about upgrading their defensive line and pass rush, which was a major disappointment in 2011. Although most of us thought they’d wait around for the draft, the Packers have been sniffing around several front seven defenders.
They expressed interest in defensive end Kendall Langford, who ultimately signed with St. Louis, and now they’ve had Hargrove in for a visit. The Packers are also expected to bring in Giants defensive end/outside linebacker Dave Tollefson next week and have expressed interest in Cincinnati outside linebacker Manny Lawson.
Whether all of this activity results in any additions to the Packers defense remains to be seen, but it’s clear the team is serious about upgrading last season’s lowest-ranked unit.
This isn’t necessarily a big step towards helping the defense, but all the activity is a sure sign that the Packers’ patience with Neal, Wynn and CJ Williams has about run out.
I thought we might give them another year to prove themselves, but that is looking less likely. If some of these guys have a poor training camp, they’ll get cut.
CJ Wilson, of course. Unfortunately, that’s how forgettable that guy was last year.
I don’t know if they’ll cut all three but i do think one or two will be cut. I don’t mind as long as the guys stepping in play better.
Although I’m pretty worried this means Nick Collins aint coming back now.
I think Wynn and WILSON will step up this year. Still hoping for a solid DL in the first round….maybe with all this action out of Ted we’ll see him trade up again like in ’09.
No kidding, all the FAs we don’t need a bajillion draft picks as normal, so scrap a few to get a serious player up top, sign me up.
I wouldn’t mind melvin ingram
Trade up for Ingram!
RIght now Forte is ripe for the picking from the Bears. The bears brought in Bush and Forte is pissed. He would love to stick it to the Bears any way he can.
Do you really think the Bears would trade Forte? I do not think they would. Maybe pick him up after the 2012 season, when his franchise tag is up, but thats a long way off and unlikely.
The Packers can’t afford Forte, unless you are fine with letting Jennings or Clay Matthews go.
Competition breeds excellence. Let’s hope these guys can contribute and elevate players around them. The defense can’t get any worse, right?
As much as i know we need DL and OLB help this defense needs a freakish athelete. We have been built with brainy guys assignment guys high motor guys. We need that guys in the front seven with freakish speed/strength/burst. If we stay put where we are i think first round needs to be a guy like Kendall Reyes out of UCONN unless one of the top top DLmen fall. Holding out hope for Fletcher Cox or Dontario Poe!!! Although, Ingram would be nice and is top OLB prospect its a deep position and better value 2nd rd on.
Pickett is getting up there. Raji needs breathers every now and then and clearly needs someone decent playing along side him. Muir will help on running downs and Hargrove would be a upgrade on passing downs. Wilson and Wynn have had ample time to show something, anything. It’s time in training camp to put up or get out. In the meantime, it can’t hurt for T.T. to bring in as many bodies to compete. If for nothing else, to push everybody a bit harder!