NFC

Anyone who has seen the sporting news as of late knows about the Albert Haynesworth situation. If you missed it, let me fill you in. Basically, Haynesworth was ticked off because the Washington Redskins (his team) switched from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 package.

The Redskins allowed him to seek a trade, but there were no takers. And it's obvious why, it's because of the massive money involved. I mean come on, who would take on this man's deal?

He has the largest contract for a defensive player in NFL history, with a $100 million deal. Now, since he couldn't get a trade, it looked as if he'd just go back to the 'skins and play at least until someone traded for him, he was released, or his deal expired.

He even was offered $21 million to come on and play for this season, and Haynesworth took it. I mean come on, who wouldn't, right? But, the big man seemed to have pulled an Ocean's 11 here, as he kinda took the money and ran!

Haynesworth did not show up at voluntary work outs, which I don't see as a big deal. Many players have skipped that before, so it's not a biggy. But then, he missed a mandatory training camp with the Redskins. This is unacceptable really.

Now, it looks as if Haynesworth will not be going to back.

He got the largest deal for a defensive player in NFL history for a reason, this man has proved he can play. But last year, he didn't nearly live up to expectations, and his numbers from Tennessee, where he played well, won't help him look good now.

The NFL is a "what have you done for me lately" kind of league. Sure, you had a good few seasons before, but if you can't produce now, you mean little in the fans' eyes or management's. That may be a bit harsh, but it's true.

And it would be different if you just had a down season, like many players do, then try hard to improve and what not.

But now Haynesworth isn't trying at all, he's pulling a stunt that's not worth it.

If he had a great year last year, say, 10 sacks and 50 tackles, then yeah, he "may" have a case. But the dude didn't get near that, and he's pulling this?

And even if he did have a great year, then why not just come back and prove you're still good?

Look, a 4-3 defense and a 3-4 defense are different, but both have at least one DT and two DEs. Haynesworth would play a good bit at the NT position if anything, then move around when need be, like he did in Tennessee.

I'm all for this guy moving around if he can be used well there, but he won't even come on the field to see how he'd do in the 3-4. Which is very sad to me.

He's basically being given this large contract here because he's proven that he can produce. But, he didn't prove that last year in the defense he was supposed to have killed in.

He's wanted this former Redskins' defense in a 4-3, because he believes he can play better and pack up the stats in it. But like I said, he didn't do that last year in this defense. And if he's so good, like he seems to put himself off as, then why not prove you can do it in any defense?

The new 3-4 defense is not a big deal for him playing wise, he'd play a lot. I understand wanting to look good. But, if you're a talented player, you could play in any defense and produce well.

Sure, there are some who can really only play one defense well. But, I've seen many defensive players switch defensive styles and play well in all of them. It's what you do on the field, and how good a player you are that matters. If you're as good as advertised, you'll produce no matter the defense to me.

Now Haynesworth's "defense" in this here is that the owner, Dan Snyder, told him he's playing ONLY in the 4-3. This is according to Haynesworth and has not been confirmed. Not calling Haynesworth a liar here, but it's hard to believe that Syder would promise something like this, much less would be be able to make sure it happened.

If one defense is sucking overall, and you bring another guy in to make it better, then chances are the defense will change no matter how good one player was in it. You've got 10 other guys sucking on the field in it, and who cares how number 11 did, he'll have to fall in line with the others to learn the new defense and do well in it just like the other 10.

Like many have said, if this rumor of Syder saying he's only playing in the 4-3 while with the Redskins is true, then he should have gotten it in writing. I could easily tell you that Syder won't admit to it if it was true.

But hey, maybe I'm out of line here kinda calling Haynesworth somewhat of a cry baby. It's obvious he is a man on a mission though, even if that mission is "mission impossible."

If he never got injured, think of where he’d be. If his knees held up, imagine the conversations we’d be having.

As expected, Cadillac Williams accepted the Buccaneers’ one-year tender to remain with the team. This, after completing his first injury-free campaign in 2009.

After two injured patellar tendons and an unlikely comeback, Williams looks to be back on the track he set for himself when he won Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2005. Back when he set an NFL rookie record with 434 rushing yards in his first three games. Back when he became the first rookie to rush for 100 yards in each of his first three games. Back when his shoes and gloves went to the Hall of Fame.

Oh, the expectations.

But it’s not too late for Williams to become one of the all-time great Buccaneers.

Last year he passed Buccaneer greats Errict Rhett, Ricky Bell, and Reggie Cobb to move to fifth on the franchise's all-time rushing list with 3,240 career yards. Up next is Michael Pittman with 3,362 career yards, a mark Williams will likely hit early in 2010. The others will take more time. Warrick Dunn ranks third with 4,986, and his former teammate Mike Alstott is second with 5,088 career yards.

In the three seasons in which he played 14 games or more, Williams averaged 933 yards and almost four yards per carry. At that pace, he would pass James Wilder’s franchise mark of 5,957 career yards in the final weeks of the 2012 season.

The only things that stand in his way are health and his impending free agency.

At 28 years old and entering his sixth NFL season, Williams is likely at the peak of his career. And while Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham will still steal some carries, the Buccaneers are better when Williams carries the ball early and often.

The Bucs are 8-1 when Williams rushes for 100-plus yards and 11-0 when he carries the ball more than 22 times.

After proving in 2009 that durability is less of an issue, he is poised to carry the load at running back moving forward. If Williams stays in Tampa Bay, and he stays healthy, we will inevitably be talking about perhaps the greatest Buccaneer running back of all time.

This article can also be found at www.bucem.com

In this second installment of “Studying the Stats,” I’ll be taking a look at how the Green Bay Packers' offense did in 2009 coming out of the locker room. In other words, how they started out each half.

(Part1: Interceptions )

If you remember the 2008 season, there was much consternation about the Packers’ slow starts (here’s just one example ). There were also many Mike McCarthy comments about "fixing our slow starts” and promises to “work on” getting out of the box faster.

During the 2009 preseason, McCarthy kept his word. Along with working on the red zone offense, getting out to faster starts was a point of emphasis for the Packers during the 2009 training camp.

Well, I’m here to give credit where credit is due. Mike McCarthy’s offense made definitive progress in this area in 2009. The Packers had the first score of the game 11 times in 2009. Their record over those games was 9-2. Even more impressive, if they continued playing well and took a lead into halftime, the 2009 Packers were 11-1 in those situations.

For the record, in 2008, the Packers, scored first 8 times, going 5-3

Now of course, this doesn’t mean to win games in the NFL you have to win the first half, but it sure makes things easier. With a few exceptions, most NFL teams would rather be in the position of protecting a lead late in games, rather than desperately trying to score.

Looking at the 2009 stats a bit closer, what did the Packers do on their first offensive drives of each half? The Packers scored seven times on their first possession of the game, for a total of 37 points. While I don’t have these stats for other teams, I’m going to surmise that scoring almost 50 percent of the time on your first drive of the game is at least average to above-average.

Conversely, on the the Packers’ first drive of the second half, they scored only four times, for a total of 20 points. That’s a 25 percent rate of scoring. At one point during the season, the Packers went seven straight games without scoring on their second half opening drives (TB, Dal, SF, Det, Bal, Chi, Pit).

Although it was frustrating to watch, this didn’t seem to have a great effect on the final result, as the Packers were 8-4 in the 12 games they didn’t score in their initial second half possession.

Despite the overall improvement, there’s always room for more, right? If the Packers' potent offense can put more teams in an immediate hole in 2009, besides setting an early dominant tone for that half, it will also serve to help the Packers' defense. Teams playing from behind are generally more predictable. Given talented personnel and the right defensive schemes, they can also be easier to defend against.

Getting off to a fast start is even more important on the road. “When you go on the road in a tough environment, the biggest thing is you’ve got to start fast,” said quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the article linked above, who knows the Packers didn’t record a first down on their first two series against the Falcons.

“We need to put together a four-quarter game, and that starts with the first drive.”

Putting together a four quarter game. I personally feel the Packers are sitting on a top-five offense, especially if the OL is somewhat stabilized (meaning no serious injuries and nobody forced to play out of position). Picture the potent Packers offense playing at their highest level for all four quarters. They have the ability to bury teams early, something I’m sure Mike McCarthy would be very pleased with.

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Be sure to bookmark Jersey Al’s Packers Blog for more in-depth Packers commentary.

Jersey Al Bracco is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com. 

Looking back at the Green Bay Packers' stat sheet for the 2009 season, a few items just jump off the page. In some cases they are negative stats the Packers DO NOT want to see again. In other cases, they are positive stats the Packers would LOVE to repeat.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be taking a look at a few of these eye-openers and discussing what they could mean for the Packers in 2010.

Stat No. 1—Interceptions

The Packers led the entire NFL in 2009 with 30 interceptions. In addition, they gained 477 yards and scored three touchdowns on interception returns, with NFL Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson notching all three.

After the 2009 preseason, I wrote that the Packers defense would be one that would live and die by the turnover. It seemed to me at the time that opposing teams would be able to move the ball against the Packers’ defense, so they would need the big plays to counter that. Either that or their red zone defense would have to be of the shutdown type, which as I recently wrote about, did not happen in 2009.

Overall, the defense exceeded my expectations with regards to yardage given up,  but part of that was due to the wonderful field position opponents were handed by some very poor punting and kick return coverage. Face it, opposing teams were not forced to go the length of the field to score very often. (I’ll examine this closer in another installment of this series.)

The other factor to consider was the level of the opponent. Against the lesser offenses (Detroit, Cleveland, Seattle, Chicago, Baltimore), they racked up some impressive yardage relinquished numbers, only to go in the full opposite direction against Minny, Pittsburgh, and Arizona. On average, there were enough weak offenses on the schedule to offset the shootouts and keep the Packers as the second-ranked defense in terms of yards gained.

So despite the seemingly impressive defensive statistics, this would still be a team that would live and die by the turnover—especially in the big games. The turnovers, more specifically the interceptions, did happen. And not surprisingly, much success followed.

However, there were only four games in 2009 where the Packers did not record an interception, and not coincidentally, they were all losses. (Minnesota, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, and Arizona in the playoffs).

As has been discussed ad nauseum, it was these top-tier quarterbacks under little pressure that picked apart the Packers. Had the Packers been able to pick off at least one pass in any of those games, it could have been a difference-maker in the final result.

But living and dying by the turnover is not the type of defense you want to take into the playoffs. One off day or a hot opposing quarterback and your season is over. Better to have a defense able to get a big stop from time to time, an obvious bone of contention in that playoff loss.

So while it would be fantastic if the Packers led the NFL in interceptions again in 2010, I would gladly accept a few steps down from that position in exchange for a defense that can make a BIG stop or get a BIG sack late in a BIG game against a BIG-time quarterback. Yes, that would be BIG…

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You can follow Jersey Al on Facebook and Twitter .

Be sure to bookmark Jersey Al’s Packers Blog for more in-depth Packers commentary.

Jersey Al Bracco is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com. 

In 2009, the Green Bay Packers finished 29th in Red Zone Scoring Defense, allowing their opponents to score 76 percent of the time. To make matters worse, the Packers allowed a touchdown 61 percent of the time when their opponent made it inside their 20 yard line. That landed them 28th in the league.

All of this, of course, has Dom Capers seeing “red.”

As quoted in a recent article by Mike Spofford on Packers.com, Capers said, “…when people get down in the red zone—if they’re going to get there—you have to keep them kicking field goals rather than scoring touchdowns.”

Capers went on to vow that red zone defense would be a major emphasis for the team in the classroom and on the field during OTAs, mini-camp, and, most importantly, training camp. When the pads are on, Capers plans a lot of very spirited red zone drills against the Packers red zone offense, one of the best in the NFL last season.

And it’s that performance by the red zone offense last season that can give us confidence that the red zone defense will be much better in 2010.

Why is that, you ask?

Because in 2009, Packers coach Mike McCarthy made the red zone offense a major point of emphasis in camp—and the improvement was noticeable.

I recall McCarthy talking about it several times in his press conferences leading up to the 2009 season. The extra work brought results. Last season the Packers registered to score 87 percent (54 of 62) of the time when they penetrated the opponent's 20 yard line. They would still like to improve their TD percentage (60 percent), but that’s a different article.

Where were the problems with the red zone defense? Two words: pass defense. The Packers allowed a total of only five rushing TDs in 2009 (all in the red zone), but allowed 23 red zone passing touchdowns.

“You have to play differently down there,” Capers said. “The field is shrunk, the ball is out much faster, things happen a lot quicker, and you can’t have any hesitation. You have to respond very quickly down there.”

And you saw it happen repeatedly, especially in the second half of the season, with the Packers secondary injuries forcing them to put some inexperienced players out on the field. Just a moment of indecision or confusion (reference Arizona playoff game) can lead to easy touchdowns. And it did.

Now, 2010 gives the Packers back their secondary at near full strength (Al Harris is still a question), and a major emphasis is being placed on red zone D in training camp. With these two factors in play, I believe Packer fans can expect to see significant red zone defense improvement in 2010.

In fact, I think they should demand it.

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You can follow Jersey Al on Facebook and Twitter.

Be sure to bookmark Jersey Al’s Packers Blog for more in-depth Packers commentary.

Jersey Al Bracco is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com. 

Up to this point, I have been shocked seeing so many early predictions for the 2010 season. With training camp and preseason not even under way (where injuries happen), I won't make my predictions until the summer.

However, that doesn't mean I don't have an idea of early contenders for each conference. Last week, I talked about the AFC and listed my early favorites.

Now, I present to you the teams to beat in the NFC this season.

New Orleans Saints

Until the champs are beat, the New Orleans Saints in my opinion are the team to beat in the whole league, especially the NFC. Virtually every key player has returned on both sides of the ball, including Darren Sharper.

The Saints were also smart by taking Patrick Robinson in the late first round to further the cornerback depth.

Green Bay Packers

I may take a hit for putting this team to high in some minds. However, I am on the Green Bay Packers' bandwagon. This team is ready to move on to the next level and take over the NFC North.

Aaron Rodgers, who will be in the running for MVP this season, gets another season under his belt. The offensive line also improved by getting a great value pick in Bryan Bulaga.

The biggest question may be the defense, but with Al Harris returning it will be a tough combination with him and Woodson. Right now, this is the biggest question mark for Green Bay.

Minnesota Vikings

Assuming Brett Favre returns, the Vikings will be a threat in the NFC. Favre will have a great supply of receivers, tight ends, and the best running back in the conference. The two biggest questions are the offensive line and the secondary.

The line showed some aging last season and will need to improve greatly if Brett lasts the whole year. I wasn't impressed much with the lack of improvement in the secondary, which most teams feasted on.

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys' stock has risen over the past month. The acquisition of Dez Bryant does wonders for the offense, giving Tony Romo another target.

There are still a few questions I have about the Cowboys though. How will the secondary hold up? Outside of Malcolm Jenkins, there is a need of improvement there.

Also, the offensive line has been one of the best for a few years now, but will it begin to decline? The release of Flozell Adams may begin that stretch.

The NFC does not have as many early contenders, despite other teams that can make the playoffs:

San Francisco 49ers

For now, they are my early pick to win the NFC West. However, this is still a young team with a defense hitting its bumps in the road. Also, will Alex Smith have a breakout year where San Francisco become a virtual threat to the teams above? I don't think so.

Atlanta Falcons

A lot of people believe the Atlanta Falcons are Super Bowl contenders—not so fast. First, I want to see how Matt Ryan bounces back from his sophomore slump, especially with the weapons he has on offense.

The biggest weakness is the defense as a whole. Atlanta signed Dunta Robinson, which is a huge help, but will the pass rush step up despite adding youth?

Matt Miselis is an NFL Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com.

Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/MattMiselis

As the Green Bay Packers’ 2010 voluntary OTAs get underway, it’s apparent the Packers coaching staff have some different positional ideas for this year’s defense.

Will Blackmon is moving to safety, Ryan Pickett is moving to left DE, BJ Raji is back at nose tackle, Brady Poppinga was the first team LOLB and Jarret Bush is now strictly a corner (insert joke here…).

The defensive line change was the first one revealed, where the Packers have decided to have BJ Raji and Ryan Pickett switch positions. For the foreseeable future, BJ Raji will be at the position he was drafted to play, nose tackle, and Jenkins will move out to left defensive end.

For his part, Pickett said all the right things, “Personally I think because B.J. is more of a nose and his body type, I’m a little taller, a little different style than him,” Pickett said. “They thought that would be the best move to help the team. and I was like, ‘All right, that’s fine,’ even though that wasn’t my first desire to play end.”

Raji, on the other hand, could barely hide his glee. When asked about the reasons, Raji said, “I don’t know why, I didn’t even ask. It was kind of exciting when they told me. I just went from there. “I could easily maximize my potential there…I just feel like I have more of a range to get to the ball.”

Defensive line coach Mike Trgovac downplayed the move and stopped short of calling the switch permanent, saying the ultimate decision will be made by Head Coach Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Dom Capers. It could be (permanent),” Trgovac said. “This is the time of year you want to do things like that. I think B.J. and ‘Pick’ are, for their size, very versatile guys. We want to make sure that they both have work at nose and end.

My perspective on the move is this: I think it’s mostly about the Packers’ most popular F word, flexibility, and partially about creating more of an inside pass rush. We all know how the Packers love to have interchangeable parts, especially on the line on both sides of the ball.

Beyond that, I think this move is all about Raji. Wherever Pickett plays, he brings the same resume, run-stopper. Raji, on the other hand, represents the best chance for creating an inside push and not letting opposing quarterbacks have a nice comfortable pocket to step up into (see Brett Favre and Kurt Warner). He has shown the ability to do so at the college level, where even double teams were often not enough to stop Raji from penetrating and getting in the quarterback’s face.

Hampered by the ankle injury last year, Raji was never able to get that strong push he needed to put offensive linemen into a backpedal, instead, getting stood up and entangled in way too many stand-offs. The Packers certainly are hoping they get to see the BJ Raji they deemed worthy of the ninth pick of the draft. And they plan to give him EVERY chance to do so.

As for Brady Poppinga lining up with the first team defense, I think this is simply the Packers sending Brad Jones a message: You will not be handed the starting LOLB job, you will have to work hard, be hungry and win the job. I don’t think there’s any more to this move than that.

The third change came as more of a surprise, with the Packers moving Will Blackmon to safety. I call it a surprise because Blackmon has never played safety in the pros or college (he actually played wide receiver as a college senior, but never safety).

I’ve never been a big fan of Blackmon as a cornerback, so I’m curious to see how this works out. He has always carried more weight than the typical cornerback, so his body type fits better at safety. Blackmon expressed via twitter that he doesn’t care where he plays, as long as he’s on the field.

I think the Packers definitely consider Blackmon their most skilled returner (especially on punts), so they want to find the defensive position where he can help the team most. While Blackmon is still rehabbing his knee, he has been spending classroom time with safeties coach Darren Perry and is enthusiastic about the move.

I believe moving Blackmon to safety is all about not getting themselves in a position like last year, where because of injuries, they had to put players out on the field they weren’t totally comfortable with. I see Blackmon as a free safety backup to Nick Collins, with Bigby and Burnett manning the strong safety spot.

As mentioned previously, Jarret Bush will no longer be thrown to the wolves as a safety, and with Harris, Williams, and Lee back on the field, perhaps this is finally the year Packers fans get their wish, Bush is sent packing.

Strictly speculating , there could be another change in the Packers defensive backfield that follows Blackmon’s move. I believe you could see Derrick Martin used at cornerback, where he started his career. According to Martin’s agent, he believes Martin’s best position is at nickle or dime corner, and it’s safe to say he would be an improvement over what the Packers were forced to throw out there late last season.

As a special teams demon, I could also envision Martin as an effective blitzer out of the defensive backfield, freeing up Charles Woodson to cover the No. 1 receivers when needed. And he would still give the Packers some additional insurance at safety. And just as importantly, this move could be the final nail in Jarret Bush’s coffin.

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You can follow Jersey Al on Facebook and Twitter .

Be sure to bookmark Jersey Al’s Packers Blog for more in-depth Packers commentary.

Jersey Al Bracco is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com. 

With his former USC teammate Brian Cushing earning an NFL suspension for using a banned substance, the whispers have started again about Green Bay's Clay Matthews.

And let's be honest, it’s understandable. One look at Matthews’ physique, after reading all the “skinny kid” stories, is enough.  

But should we suspect Clay Matthews? Is he guilty by association? Of course not. There are, however, a lot of similarities in their stories and how they transformed themselves from scrawny kids to muscle-bound NFL warriors.

Brian Cushing was a multi-sport athlete in high school who decided to focus on football after his freshman year. He hit the weight room hard and came back a much bigger player his sophomore year.

The change was so dramatic there were many whispers of steroid use from NJ high school football observers. Yet speak to anyone close to him, and they would emphatically defend him as an honest and incredibly self-motivated kid that would never cheat.

He accomplished the feat by hard work in the weight room. His development continued at USC, and those closest to Cushing came out publicly to defend him. Videos of Cushing working out were published on the Internet .

His high school coach and personal trainer stood by him and still does, even after the recent developments. This from an article written by Tara Sullivan of The Bergen Record , a local NJ newspaper:

“'This is being handled by his agent and his attorney so I’m not at liberty to speak about it, but I will say this, I support Brian Cushing a hundred percent,' said Fred Stengel, Cushing’s coach at Bergen Catholic High School."

“'I talked to him [Friday] night and people are going to believe what they believe, but I’m behind closed doors with him and on my family, I will go to the death and say he doesn’t take steroids,' says Joe DeFranco, who began training Cushing when he was a junior in high school, guided him through preparation for the NFL combine and continues to work with Cushing in the NFL’s off-season.”

In a public statement, Cushing has explained his version of the situation: “I was substance-tested randomly by the NFL during the 2009 season. The results of those tests indicated the presence of a non-steroidal banned substance.”

That substance is believed to be a single elevated hormone level, which led Cushing’s camp to file an appeal.

In her article, Sullivan goes on to write, “As quickly as Cushing would like to move forward, it won’t be easy. This is his reality now, a résumé permanently stained by a failed test. There will be no simple way of washing away the doubt, no way for him to silence the notion he cheated himself and the game. For those who believed all along he was juicing, they now have proof; for those who remain solidly in Cushing’s corner, there is the grim acceptance of loss in the court of public opinion.”

Cushing should learn from the examples of Andy Pettite and Alex Rodriguez: come clean, tell everyone what you took, why you took it, and how many times you took it. Just tell it all. Fans will forgive and forget—it’s already happened in NY for those two players.

But What about Clay Matthews?

He has a similar back story. We’ve all read about his physical transformation. In high school, his own father (also his coach) wouldn’t start him as a junior. Even after a growth spurt, hitting the weight room and having a good senior year, major colleges weren’t interested.

His father tried to convince him to go to a small school where he could play, but Clay insisted on going to USC and trying out as a walk-on. Pete Carrol kept him on mainly out of respect to his USC-alumni father and brother.

“I thought it was intriguing,” USC coach Pete Carroll says of Matthews’s arrival. “He had that big family background here. So I thought, ‘OK, is there some magic in here somehow?’ But I didn’t see it. He just looked like a nice, hardworking kid who was undersized, just not physically able to match up.”

His teammate, Rey Maualuga, says of him, “I just remember how little he was. But he was always in the weight room three times more than anybody else.” Indeed, as Matthews was named USC’s top weightlifter on the team three times.

Against all logic, Matthews was confident he could succeed at USC, home of five-star prospects and blue-chip players.

“I knew if I came to USC and they gave me a shot, that I could play”, says Matthews. “I also knew if I was going to hang with these guys, I’d have to work really hard and be really persistent. I just kept working and working and getting bigger and faster and better. I knew I was capable of playing with the best athletes in the nation. Maybe I was crazy to have that mindset, but obviously that’s better than saying you can’t.”

So the underlying theme we’ve been told is the same: Success is achieved by honest hard work, desire, self-motivation, and a will to succeed.

Yet the whispers persisted: that type of physical transformation is not possible by normal means . Throw in the false reports of a failed drug test at the NFL Combine for both Cushing and Matthews, and a lot of assumptions can easily be made.

But of course, assumptions mean nothing. While many parallels can be drawn between the Cushing and Matthews success stories, and it’s fair to say they are more alike than different, we simply cannot and should not extrapolate into the unknown. Matthews got to where he is physically by outworking everyone in the weight room; I’ll stick with that belief until proven otherwise.

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You can  follow Jersey Al on Facebook and Twitter . Visit Jersey Al’s Packers Blog for more in-depth Packers commentary.

Jersey Al Bracco is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com.

Throughout the Green Bay Packers storied history, their GMs and scouting departments have worked endlessly to find those undrafted hidden gems that other teams may have missed. They yearn for players that can make the roster at an inexpensive cost and contribute to the team. You might call that the ultimate value proposition among NFL GMs.

As the Green Bay Packers’ 2010 rookie camp has come to an end, 25 NFL dreams have been shattered for now. At the same time, three more tryout invitees were signed to contracts after the weekend of workouts, bringing to 14 the number of undrafted free agents (UDFAs) that will be given a chance at NFL fame and fortune with the Packers.

The Packers roster in 2009 included four major contributors that were not selected in the NFL draft: Cullen Jenkins, Atari Bigby, Tramon Williams and Ryan Grant. In addition, other UDFAs on the roster were Spencer Havner, John Kuhn, Jarret Bush, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Josh Bell, Bret Goode and late season practice squad signee Cyril Obiozor.

There is little doubt that Ted Thompson and his scouts work very hard at looking for undrafted gems. Employing less expensive UDFAs is just one way he has been able to keep the Packer’s salary structure and overall expenditures at manageable levels. It’s too early to say if he has hit the jackpot with any of them (perhaps Ryan Grant could be that guy), but overall, I think he’s done a very good job in this department.

Which got me thinking about other UDFAs in Packers history. How successful have the Packers been historically at finding high-quality UDFAs? Well, this calls for a top 10 list, I thought to myself. So I started doing the research, checking every draft year since 1960.

With one notable exception, the results were rather underwhelming. In fact, to come up with a decent top 10 list, I’d probably have to use the four current roster contributors mentioned above (Jenkins, Bigby, Williams, Grant). Personally, whenever compiling a “greatest” list, I never like to include players that haven’t had at least five years as a starter.

So, taking all of these factors into account, I decided to pare this down to a top five, which then makes for a tougher decision on the last spots and hopefully some debate about them.

I present to you my selections for the five greatest Packer UDFAs since 1960:

Honorable Mention:

A few players that were in the discussion for the last spot, but didn’t quite make it:

Ryan Longwell: Certainly a nice career with the Packers, but I couldn’t live with myself if I included a field goal kicker here. Especially one that now kicks for the Vikings.

Ed West: Eleven years with the Packers, 14 years total in the NFL, West was a steady, if unspectacular player. A 14 year NFL career for an UDFA is nothing to sneeze at.  Longevity points…

5) George Koonce
ILB, 6′1″, 245 pounds, 8 seasons in Green Bay, 1992-1999
112 games, 433 tackles, 122 assists, 7.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, 6 fumble recoveries

Out of East Carolina University, George Koonce was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons after the 1991 NFL Draft. He was in the Falcon’s camp with a brash second round pick named Brett Favre, but was cut during the preseason. He played in the WFL the following spring and along with Favre, was brought to Green Bay by Ron Wolf for the 1992 Season

Koonce won a starting job during his first season with the Packers and never looked back. He started all but 10 of the 112 games he played in as a Packer, and his penchant for ferocious hits made him a fan favorite. Koonce, along with Reggie White, led a defensive resurgence for the Packers; a big reason the Packers made it to two Super Bowls in the Nineties.

While Koonce deserves some consideration for the Packer Hall of Fame, he just doesn’t have the stats to justify inclusion. Nobody, however,  can argue over the enjoyment Koonce brought to Packer fans when he would unleash a crushing hit  on a running back.

4) Mark Murphy
SS, 6′2″, 200l pounds, 11 seasons in Green Bay, 1980-1991 (missed 1986 season due to injury).
147 games, 687 tackles, 239 assists, 11 sacks, 20 interceptions, 13 fumble recoveries

Out of tiny West Liberty State, Murphy came to the Packers as a free agent in 1980. He was primarily Johnnie Gray’s backup for three seasons before becoming the starter in year four after Gray retired. Murphy would continue as the starting strong safety for 8 years, serving as one of the few bright spots on some pretty mediocre Packers defenses in the 1980s.

Easy to spot with with his helmet off, the bald, shiny-headed Murphy was also easy to find on the field—just follow the ball. For a safety to have 687 unassisted tackles in basically eight years of playing, it shows both how active he was and also how weak the Packers defense was in front of him. Murphy would lead the Packers in tackles 3 different seasons and is fifth all-time in career tackles for the Packers.

Murphy was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1998. Ironically, his profile on the HOF web page mistakenly describes him as a 10th round draft pick, when in fact, he was never drafted.

3) Johnnie Gray
FS-SS, 5′11″, 185 pounds, 9 seasons in Green Bay, 1975-1983
124 games, 771 tackles, 230 assists, 22 interceptions, 20 fumble recoveries, 85 punt returns, 21 kickoff returns

Out of Cal State-Fullerton, the undersized Johnnie Gray was overlooked in the 1975 draft. Fortunately, the Packers signed Gray as an undrafted free agent and found their starting safety for the next nine seasons. Gray played at the free safety position for six years, before switching to strong safety for his final three seasons.

Gray manned the Packers secondary during that black hole in the Packers defensive history we all like to forget; the 1970s and 1980s. Much like Mark Murphy, who took over the SS job when Gray retired, Johnnie Gray had to be everywhere on the field. Gray had three seasons with over 100 total tackles, and much to my surprise, is still second on the all-time Packers career tackles list. Only John Anderson has more tackles as a Packer than Johnnie Gray.

While Gray made his mark with his tackling prowess, he also contributed in many other ways. Gray recovered 20 fumbles as a Packer, good enough for second place on the Packers all-time list, tied with Ray Nitschke and only one less than Willie Davis. He also finished his Packer career with 22 interceptions, 85 punt returns and 21 kickoff returns.

Gray was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1994.

2) Paul Coffman
TE, 6′3″, 222 pounds, 8 seasons in Green Bay, 1978-1985
124 games, 322 catches, 39 TDs, 4223 Yds,

Out of Kansas State University, Paul Coffman was not drafted or even pursued by any NFL team. When a Packers assistant coach came to Kansas State to work out one of his teammates, Coffman decided to ask for a tryout with the Packers. Coffman’s request was granted, and he surprised absolutely everyone by making the team.

Although he sat the bench as a rookie, Coffman exploded onto the NFL scene his second season, starting all 16 games and catching 56 passes, breaking the Packers’ record previously held by Ron Kramer. Coffman would go on to catch 322 passes and score 39 touchdowns for the Packers, while averaging an outstanding 13.1 yards per catch.

Over his seven prime years with the Packers, Coffman averaged 46 catches per year. He was known for his precise routes, great hands, and ability to make catches with defenders draped all over him. He worked hard on his blocking, and with the help of his coaches, also developed into one of the better blocking tight ends in the league.

Paul Coffman is a three-time Pro Bowler and in 1994 was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.

1) Willie Wood
FS, 5′10″, 180 pounds, 12 seasons in Green Bay, 1960-1971
166 games, 48 interceptions, 16 fumble recoveries, 187 punt returns, 20 kickoff returns

Being a 5′10″ African American quarterback, known more for running the ball in the 1950s, did not exactly put you very high on any NFL team’s prospect list. Not surprisingly, after leaving USC, Wood was ignored in the NFL draft and his phone wasn’t ringing after the draft, either.

Wood embarked on a letter-writing campaign, but only one NFL GM responded; Vince Lombardi. Lombardi agreed to to give Wood a chance at defensive back, and it was a gambled that payed off one hundred times over.

Although he barely made the team, and mostly sat the bench while he learned a new position, by the start of his second season, he was a starter and would stay there for eleven seasons. Wood would go on to be one of the best defensive backs the game has ever known, with his athletic ability helping him to excel in all aspects of play. Pass coverage, tackling, interceptions, returning punts, Wood could do it all at a high level.

Willie Wood was an eight-time Pro Bowler and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989. Wood is one of only thirteen undrafted players to have their busts in the Hall of Fame:

1946	Frank Gatski	G		Cleveland Browns (AAFC)
1946	Lou Groza	T-K		Cleveland Browns (AAFC)
1946	Marion Motley	FB		Cleveland Browns (AAFC)
1946	Bill Willis	MG		Cleveland Browns (AAFC)
1948	Joe Perry	FB		San Francisco 49ers (AAFC)
1948	Emlen Tunnell	DB		New York Giants
1952	Dick “Night Train” Lane	DB		Los Angeles Rams
1960	Willie Wood	DB		Green Bay Packers
1963	Willie Brown	DB		Houston Oilers (Cut during training camp by Oilers and then signed by Denver Broncos.)
1966	Emmitt Thomas	DB		Kansas City Chiefs
1967	Larry Little	G		San Diego Chargers
1970	Jim Langer	C		Cleveland Browns (Cut by Browns during training camp and then signed by Miami Dolphins.)
1984	Warren Moon	QB		Houston Oilers
1990	John Randle	DT		Minnesota Vikings

Unfortunately, Willie Wood is in very poor health; yet another example of an old-tme player paying the price for the savagery of the game. I discovered this while researching this piece when I came across a recent aritcle about Wood by Martin Hendricks of JSOnline.com. A highly recommended read.

Summary:

I started out talking about the chances of finding that hidden gem of an UDFA. Looking at the Packers history in this department illustrates how unlikely that happenstance really is. In the last 50 years, the Packers have found a few nice shiny rocks, but only one true gem. And I have a feeling most NFL franchises would be more than happy with those results.

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You can  follow Jersey Al on Facebook and Twitter . Visit Jersey Al’s Packers Blog for more in-depth Packers commentary.

Jersey Al Bracco is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com.

With the Draft behind us and spring training still awhile away, its now time for all the over analyzing to begin in full swing. Time for the report cards, and player grades.

Not here. I just want to take a quick look at our OLB position, see what we have done, not done, and most importantly, what we could do. So, here goes:

Currently we have Brad Jones as our LOLB, to compliment Clay Matthews, III. It would seem apparent with the lack of drafting, that the Packers management group thinks rather highly of Jones. After all, he did have four sacks over the last 5 games.

But behind them, we are rather limited with players like Brady Popinga and Cyril Obiozor, with the possibility of Brandon Chillar backing up the position. To me, and by no means am I an expert, this is unsatisfactory.

There has been talk of also trying Hawk at the OLB spot, so there may be hope.

After the draft was concluded, there were the interviews with the coach and GM. Ted Thompson was asked point blank about his failure to address the need of OLB:

Q: What are you going to do for pass rush opposite Clay at linebacker?

A: Brad Jones and Brady Poppinga are lined up over there. Brad did pretty good during the limited time that he played there last year, and we're going to work at it. We didn't draft any linebackers this year, but still we're going to be trying to add some stuff to that position, sure.

Later, he was asked again about OLB:

Q: When you say you're still working on outside linebacker, is that rookie free agents or working a trade or a veteran free agent?

A: We're working on it. That's about as far as I can go on that. I'm not suggesting there's going to be some groundbreaking dynamic thing.

I understand everybody's concerned about that position. We don't think it's quite as dire as everybody else does. But it is a position we'd like to add a couple more competitors.

Now we all know Ted is very hush hush, and doesn't ever really give hints into his thoughts. He is a man made of rock when it comes to this, and seems to have the ultimate poker face.

After the draft was concluded, we went out like every other team and signed some undrafted rookies. Frank Zombo out of Central Michigan, Tim Knickey out of Stephen F Austin, and James Russell out of Wake Forest are who we have signed to compete for the OLB spot.

Surely this cannot be the increased competition at the spot that Thompson was referring to. This can't be all he brings in to push Jones, to push a team that many have destined for a Super Bowl sooner rather than later.

So now I go back and read Thompson's words again, and I start to get a sense, a feeling that we are not done, a feeling that Teddy just may shock us all.

I start thinking—probably too much—about who Ted could surprise us with. I go to NFL.com and pull up the list of free agent OLB, well, all LB, but I'm specifically looking at OLB to see who may be available to help us.

There are some interesting names on the list, but one that popped out at me the most. First, here are some of the absolutely free, no restrictions OLB floating around out there: Bertrand Berry, a 12-year pro; Rocky Boiman, an eight-year vet; Keith Bullock, a 10-year warrior; Derreck Burgess, a nine-year vet; and Thomas Davis, a five-year pro.

These guys all played for some decent teams, and most played OLB in a 3-4 defensive set. But while I'm scrolling this list, I couldn't get past one name, and it really popped at me: Elvis Kool Dumervil.

Most would think there is no way McDaniels would trade him. But I ask this: Who thought McDaniels would trade a Pro Bowl QB in Jay Cutler, or a Pro Bowl WR in Brandon Marshall?

McDaniels didn't bring those guys in, and he wants his own guys buying into and running his system. McDaniels didn't bring Dumervil in either—he was drafted by Shanahan.

So to me, it makes perfect sense that McDaniels would trade a player of that calibre. I know I am surely dreaming, but the thought of Matthews and Dumervil lined up pass rushing gives me tingles.

Barring that unlikely move, it would appear all hope may not be lost after all. Because with just the first few recognizable names of UFA on the LB list, I can see that if Ted really wants to bring in other competition, it is there, and more importantly, it is available.

So this is my little prayer in writing: we are not done addressing the OLB spot. And a much deeper prayer for Dumervil in the Packer lineup next year.

As a kid, my grandmother told me, all prayers are answered, its just that sometimes the answer is no. Here's to hoping that mine get answered favorably.