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While most people assume the Green Bay Packers will grab a safety and/or maybe a tight end in the first few rounds of the 2014 NFL Draft, we’ve been hearing whispers that the Packers might be interested in addressing another position.
Inside linebacker. Finally.
The Packers have had some serviceable guys man that position under the Ted Thompson regime, but only one true playmaker. That guy was Desmond Bishop, who was starting to look like a stud before he lost all of 2012 to injury and then was cut the following offseason.
So the Packers have been plugging along with A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones.
Big Ted gave Hawk a gigantic new contract in the summer of 2011. Mistake! He then made Hawk take a pay cut prior to last season. Meanwhile, he gave Jones a decent new contract around the same time. Mistake!
Both of those guys were pretty underwhelming in 2013. And let’s be honest, both of them have been pretty underwhelming for their entire careers.
Hawk’s a hard worker and knows the system, but he’s also slow-footed, gets enveloped by blockers and isn’t very good in coverage. Jones… we’re not really sure what we can say about Jones. He’s… a guy.
So maybe Ted and the boys will finally say to themselves, “Hey, let’s get a damn playmaking inside linebacker and see what happens.”
If they do, here are the guys most likely to put Hawk or Jones out of a job.
regardless of who, we need an ILB who can create turnovers and who clobbers people. Pass coverage ability works too.
This
C.J. Mosley is projected to be drafted as high as #8 overall by the ViQueens.
2nd overall on my 1st-round wish list.
Chris Borland = Zach Thomas, not too bad.
Geez, slim pickings at ILB.
Those other guys make Mosley look awesome.
But is Mosley awesome?
Is a beaten-up Alabama player what we want?
He may get snatched up prematurely, when others consider the field.
Will Ted spend a 1st-round selection on an ILB?
I thought that eye-brow shaver was an ILB?
or would he be a conversion project?
A couple of mocks has us taking SS Jimmy Ward.
I personally disagree: he doesn’t have the size to be a “thumper,” nor the speed to be an “eraser.” No sense in spending a 1st-rounder on what we already have: Hyde.
Crap — looks like no help for the middle of the D in the first round. The only hope might be if the QB frenzy gets whipped up again, and makes a couple of teams panic.
No Shazier?
He is (on paper) an OLB not a ILB
We need db’s
Another guy to watch in the mid rounds is Avery Williamson. He’s not w/o his flaws and needs some seasoning but he’s another solid prospect from the SEC.
Evaluations:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2014/profiles/avery-williamson?id=2543597
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1785848/avery-williamson
http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/Prospect-Primer-LB-Avery-Williamson-Kentucky/b6df382c-3f06-4814-974f-07bb748b98f2