REALLY WYCHE?

Recently Steve Wyche, a senior writer for NFL.com, has been missing big with some of his Packer analysis.

First, he thinks Michael Boley the UFA linebacker from the Falcons will be a free agent target for the Packers. How? Boley is 6-foot-3 but he only weighs 223 pounds. Weight is often an issue in the 3-4 defense and Boley is about 20 pounds too light to play inside linebacker and is 30 to 40 pounds too light to play outside linebacker. So really?

Second, Wyche has Brian Cushing going to the Green Bay Packers with the ninth pick. Not going to happen. Cushing is no doubt a great football player and physical specimen but he is not the best value on the board at the ninth spot. The Packers will also be targeting a cornerback at that spot or possibly a left tackle if one of the top players falls. I will say that I wouldn't mind have Cushing in a Packer uniform.

THANK GOD!!!

It cost me about $70 to attend a Packers game -- a preason game that is. So it is nice to hear that they will not be raising ticket prices. (More...)

TO THE TED THOMPSON HATERS

I have kicked around the idea of writing about my love for Ted Thompson and the hate that I have toward the short-sided fans who would rather see him fired than continue on. And I will eventually get around to that, but for now, here is a column written by Mike Vandermause. It says what I want to say but with less anger. (More...)

DON'T GIVE UP ON HAWK...

An article by the Green Bay Press Gazette says Hawk will benefit from the switch to the 3-4. (More...)

JENKINS MEASURES UP

Jenkins measures in at 6 feet, 204 pounds at the Combine. Numerous mock drafts, including those of Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, have Jenkins going to the packers with the number nine pick.

Results reported by NFL.com

HOW THEY FIT...

McCarthy gives his thoughts on where each player will fit in the new 3-4. (More...)

Reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

THE PACK MIGHT BE OKAY

NFL.com writer Pat Kirwan looks at why the Packers might be well suited to make the transition to the 3-4. More...

PROBLEMS THE PACKERS WILL ENCOUNTER WITH THE 3-4

NFL.com writer Steve Wyche looks at some problems the Packers will encounter with the 3-4. More...

TOP THREE DEFENSIVE NEEDS: #1

CORNERBACK

This may be somewhat surprising to say the Packers number one need is at the cornerback position, especially since they need rush linebackers with the 3-4. But consider this:

1) Al Harris is 34 years old, and has never been known for his speed. There is no doubt that he is one of the best man-to-man cover corners in the league but how long can he keep that up? Secondly, the Packers will no longer be exclusively playing man-to-man, as the 3-4 defense the Packers will be using also calls for playing zone. With little to no experience, will Harris be able to play cornerback in such a different scheme?

2) I am a huge Charles Woodson fan but he is also getting older as well. Currently 32 years of age, Woodson will be 33 midway through next season. Woodson, while he has not missed significant time, has been constantly slowed down by toe and shoulder injuries. He is still one of the best corners in the league and has the athleticism and instincts to play in the new scheme but he is on the back-end of his career.

3) Who else is there? Tramon Williams looks like he will be an above average NFL cornerback after filling in for several games while Harris was out. He has speed, athleticism, and average size at about 5-11, 190 pounds. He also showed that he has above average hands with 5 interceptions recorded this past season. I have no doubt that Williams will be a successful NFL player once a spot in the starting lineup is available.

Other than Williams who else is there? Will Blackmon has been said to be the best athlete on the team but he has only shown his return abilities on special teams, and has yet to make a name for himself on defense. Jarrett Bush has been moved to safety and according to reports is making progress at his new position. Patrick Lee, a second round pick last year out of Auburn, played special teams last year, and was never able to crack the defensive lineup.

What to do?

The Packers could look to free agency and go after a cornerback such as Nnamdi Asomugha but he will want big money. Dunta Robinson is also a possibility if the Texans do not franchise tag him. Other than that, there are really no outstanding free agent cornerbacks available, which is why the Packers will add to this position through the draft. A lot of mock drafts currently project the Packers taking Ohio State cornerback Malcom Jenkins with the ninth pick. Vontae Davis, widely considered the player with the most upside, could also be a possibility. But his stock has dropped with concerns regarding his character.

In the end, the Packers draft Jenkins out of Ohio State.

TOP THREE DEFENSIVE NEEDS: #2

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS

Now that the Packers are in the 3-4, they need to find outside linebackers, think Demarcus Ware or Terrell Suggs. Currently, the Packers will be putting Kampman at one of the outside linebacker spots, where I expect that he will be very successful. So that leaves the other spot open. As of right now, Brady Poppinga, Brandon Chillar, Jeremy Thompson, and possibly Desmond Bishop are likely candidates for the last spot.

Of those candidates, Brandon Chillar probably has the best shot at winning the spot for next year. He is a good blitzer from his days as a Ram and he is the best coverage linebacker that the Packers have on the roster. That said, I also like Jeremy Thompson who is six feet, four inches, 270 pounds. With Thompson, there would be no problem with rushing the passer. The biggest question mark for him would be dropping into coverage, an areas where he has little to no experience.

The other route is for the Packers to either sign a free agent outside linebacker or to draft one. If they went the free agent route they could possibly sign Suggs, however from his recent remarks, it sounds like he would prefer to stay in Baltimore. There is also the possibilty of signing Julius Peppers the defensive end from the Panthers, who has recently expressed an interest in playing in the 3-4. However, if the Packers continue their recent free agent signing trends, which I don't mind, then they will have the opportunity to choose from several players in the draft. Aaron Maybin, Brain Orakpo, and Everrette Brown are all college defensive ends who are currently projected as outside linebacker prospects. Brown leads Maybin and Orakpo as a better pro prospects according to Scouts Inc.

So what will the Packers do? I expect that they will entertain the thought of signing a Suggs or Peppers because of the pressure put on the organization by the fans, but in the end, Thompson will stick to his guns and draft the Packers next outside linebacker.

TOP THREE DEFENSIVE NEEDS: #3

DEFENSIVE LINE

Now that the Packers will be making the switch to the 3-4 defense, they will need to look for much bigger bodies to play the defensive line. As of right now, Justin Harrell, Johnny Jolly and the recently injured Cullen Jenkins are expected to compete for two of the defensive end spots. Then in the middle, the Packers expect Ryan Pickett to be a more than adequate nose tackle. The first problem is that while I will not consider Justin Harrell a bust, he has missed significant time because of injury. So, he is definitely a question mark. Secondly, Pickett has been slowed down the past two years with knee injuries. You just wonder how his knees will hold up as a nose tackle, where he will be expected to take on two blockers at a time. And then there is Cullen Jenkins who is coming off a torn pectoral muscle.

At this point in time, there are some adequate solutions currently on the roster in Colin Cole who could possibly play nose tackle, and Michael Montgomery, a defensive end who saw his playing time increase as the Packers experienced more injuries along the line.

Therefore, the Packers will need to do one thing along the offensive line and that is add depth. Last year, reguardless of the system, the Packers experienced a lot of trouble on defense simply because they lacked the depth needed to stay competitive.

FOLLOW-UP ON KAMP

Kampman's career like evolution is slowling evolving. Instead of spending time on all four appendges, like our predecors, Kampman will make the move to his feet, joining the rest of his counterparts. More...