Packers' Linebacker Analysis
PACKER LINEBACKERS:WHO STAYS AND WHERE
By Packer Pundit Guest Blogger
texaspackerbacker
With the drafting of A.J. Hawk, and to a lesser extent, Abdul Hodge, the Packers will have some decisions to make. One that I would rule out from the git-go would be moving Nick Barnett out of the middle.
Barnett is a blue chip player, who with Hawk at WILB, could become an all pro. Hawk hopefully will live up to the high expectations. Ben Taylor is a near lock as the third starter. He was solid and consistent with Cleveland--when he was healthy.I see Brady Poppinga taking over for Taylor on the strong side in a year or two. He was emerging as a starter quality player when he was injured last season. Roy Manning was originally signed as a backup in the middle, and should be adequate at that.
Hodge, IMO, was an after-thought in the draft--a target of opportunity when he fell a little bit. I don't see him as a star in the long term, although he could be a contributor. Hopefully he (and all these second-stringers) will be terrors on Special Teams.Kurt Campbell was my early choice to come out of nowhere and have a breakout season. That is not likely now with Hawk on the team, but he is the right kind of a linebacker for a Bates-ian defense, which we apparently will still have.
If there is an odd man out, it would probably be Robert Thomas, who didn't show much. However, keeping eight is as likely as keeping seven, so he probably will stick around too.
At any rate, Linebacker should be a strong point on this defense, which was rated so high statistically last season, and should be even better this year.Published by PackerPundit On Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 6:10 PM.
You continue to seriously underestimate Abdul Hodge.
He will be a factor although Taylor may be the opening day starter. Regardless, we are strong at the linebacker spot. Great depth.