As we all very well remember last year, the Packers had possibly the worst injury rash of any Super Bowl-winning team. With 15 members of the team returning from injured reserve in addition to 10 draft picks, not including players they have and will sign to futures contracts, the Packers already seem to be bursting at the seams. The Packers will have some difficult decisions on who to cut and who to keep in the upcoming season. We can be almost certain that we sill see several of the players who will be released appear on other teams rosters.
Out of the returning players from the IR, Jermichael Finley immediately jumps out as a game changer. Finley is one of the most versatile weapons the Packers posses. As the Lombardi Sweep has noted prior, Finley creates mismatches that can drive a defensive coordinator crazy. With him back in the line up, it will also make it harder for the Bears, and other Cover-2 teams, to remain in their core defensive formation. Which linebacker in the league would you trust to cover Finley over the middle without safety help?
At first glance, I think we can expect Super Bowl starters Daryn Colledge, Ryan Pickett, Brandon Jackson, Korey Hall to be playing elsewhere than Green Bay. Ted Thompson has already released Donald Lee and Derrick Martin. Also, it seems that James Jones, Nick Barnett, Atari Bigby and Mark Tauscher will not be joining the team next year. James Jones and Daryn Colledge are victims of their own inconsistency. Brandon Jackson’s lack of ability outside of 3rd down blocking was severely exposed this season. Nick Barnett seems to have lost favor with the Packers after another year on the IR and his vocal twitter account. Atari Bigby looks like he will be squeezed out by younger safeties, equally talented safeties. Mark Tauscher is another year older and unlikely to be signed after back- to-back season-ending injuries. Unfortunately, it looks like Ryan Pickett will be a victim of the cap, and Lombardi Sweep will be sad to see him go. Of course, this could all change in the 50 days between now and the start of the season.
Below is the Packers depth chart from the Super Bowl plus players returning from the injured reserve in bold and their draft picks in italics.
QB – Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn, Graham Harrell
RB – Brandon Jackson, James Starks, Dimitri Nance, Ryan Grant, Alex Green (3)
WR – Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Brett Swain, Randell Cobb (2)
OL – Chad Clifton, Daryn Colledge, Scott Wells, Josh Sitton, Dryan Bulaga, TJ Lang, Even Dietrich-Smith, Jason Spitz, Nick McDonald, Marshall Newhouse, Mark Tauscher, Derek Sherrod (1), Caleb Schaulderaff (6)
TE – Andrew Quarless, Tom Crabtree, Donald Lee, Jermichael Finley, Spencer Havner, DJ Williams (5), Ryan Taylor (7)
FB – Korey Hall, Quinn Johnson, John Kuhn
DE – Ryan Pickett, CJ Wilson, Cullen Jenkins, Jarius Wynn, Justin Harrell, Mike Neal, Ricky Elmore (6)
DT – BJ Raji, Howard Green, Lawrence Guy (7)
OLB – Clay Matthews, Frank Zombo, Erik Walden, Diyral Briggs, Brad Jones, Brady Poppinga, DJ Smith (6)
ILB – AJ Hawk, Desmond Bishop, Matt Wilhelm, Robert Francois, Nick Barnett, Brandon Chillar
CB – Charles Wodson, Tramon Williams, Sam Shields, Pat Lee, Brandon Underwood, Josh Gordy, Josh Bell, Davon House (4)
SS – Charlie Peprah, Atari Bigby, Morgan Burnett, Derrick Martin, Anthony Smith
FS – Nick Collins, Jarrett Bush
LS – Brett Goode
P – Tim Masthey
K – Mason Crosby
Players signed to futures contracts – G Adrian Battles, T Chris Campbell, S Michael Greco, LB Cardia Jackson, S Anthony Levine, WR Antonio Robinson, DT Jay Ross, WR Chastin West and LB/DE Albert Young
