Packers Huddle

After thinking back about Campbell getting paid based on his breakout 2021 season, I looked back at the contracts the Packers given out to their own players over the past three years, not counting the Eric Wilson type of deals, and I came up with the following (supplement the list if I missed any):

Jaire Alexander (2022), Four years/$84M;

De’Vondre Campbell (2022), Five years/$50M;

Rasul Douglas (2022), Three years/$21M;

Darnell Savage (2022), Fifth year option/$7.9M;

Rashan Gary (2023), Four years/$96M;

Kenny Clark (2024), Three years/$64M ($29M in 2024); and

Keisean Nixon (2024), Three years/$18M ($8M in 2024).

Looking at that list it is hard to say that anyone has outperformed their deals and it could be argued that Douglas and/or Nixon were the best values.

Considering that Xavier McKinney has, in my mind at least, outplayed the big contract he got before this season, perhaps a bit more dabbling in free agency and bit less reliance on re-signing the team's own players might be worth considering, at least on the defensive side of the ball.

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Larry with some nice cut ups on Kenny Clark vs the loins


https://files.mastodon.social/cache/med ... 274d26.mp4

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For 2024, Hafley's defense is tied for 3rd in the league in Takeaways per game at 1.8
That's really impressive for the first year in the new defensive system
And per the stats from Warren Sharp, the Packers are tops in the league in turning turnovers into points

That's complimentary football in action.


https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/t ... s-per-game

For some added context, Capers crew delivered 2.2 takeaways per game during the Championship 2010 season and 2.4/game in 2009 when Charles won DPOY.

Now the 8th D scoring in the league. 20.5 pts a game.

10th in yards, 321.8.

7th in epa/play.




Don’t look now, but this is a legit top 10 D.

Man, if we find an instinctive LB that can cover the middle of the field, we're going places!

YoHoChecko wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 08:28

Man, if we find an instinctive LB that can cover the middle of the field, we're going places!

Cooper is everything I hoped Quay Walker would be.

Too bad Quay got injured, hope it is just a week or two absence for him, because I'd like to see an athletic combination in the middle of the field for the first time that I can remember.

Thought Valentine looked good as well.

The defense is now up to #8 in scoring defense at 20.5 points per game, nearly a full point better than last season and it seems to be peaking.

I'd like to think that facing a Spencer Rattler led Saints team coming into the cold next Monday, without Alvin Kamara, means another outstanding defensive performance.

Go Pack go.

LombardiTime wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 09:08

Too bad Quay got injured, hope it is just a week or two absence for him, because I'd like to see an athletic combination in the middle of the field for the first time that I can remember.

Quay's injury may be a blessing in disguise.

If Cooper balls out calling the defense and making plays as the strong side ILB while Quay is out, Hafley may leave him in place and put Quay in the supporting weakside chase role which, I believe, better suits him.

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Packers Opponent Passer Rating:

Packers defense is allowing an 89.0 across 14 games

Which is just ahead of Spagnuolo's KC defense

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/o ... ser-rating

edit to add: GB has delivered this opponent passer rating while missing CB1 for 8 games

APB wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 11:13

LombardiTime wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 09:08

Too bad Quay got injured, hope it is just a week or two absence for him, because I'd like to see an athletic combination in the middle of the field for the first time that I can remember.

Quay's injury may be a blessing in disguise.

If Cooper balls out calling the defense and making plays as the strong side ILB while Quay is out, Hafley may leave him in place and put Quay in the supporting weakside chase role which, I believe, better suits him.

This scenario reminds me of Barnett going down in 2010 and Bishop finally getting some real snaps. While he made a few mistakes he made up for them by adding some big hit energy we'd been lacking and forcing some fumbles. While Quay seems to be improving, Cooper is just making outstanding plays, he needs more snaps.

Watch Eric Stokes, top of the screen. He had to put his mouthpiece in mid-play because he realized the play was coming right at him.

Why he continues to see playing time amazes me.

Cdragon wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 12:56

APB wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 11:13

LombardiTime wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 09:08

Too bad Quay got injured, hope it is just a week or two absence for him, because I'd like to see an athletic combination in the middle of the field for the first time that I can remember.

Quay's injury may be a blessing in disguise.

If Cooper balls out calling the defense and making plays as the strong side ILB while Quay is out, Hafley may leave him in place and put Quay in the supporting weakside chase role which, I believe, better suits him.

This scenario reminds me of Barnett going down in 2010 and Bishop finally getting some real snaps. While he made a few mistakes he made up for them by adding some big hit energy we'd been lacking and forcing some fumbles. While Quay seems to be improving, Cooper is just making outstanding plays, he needs more snaps.

By God, CD you hit the nail on the head in comparing Cooper's emergence to Desmond Bishop finally getting on the field in 2010.

As with Cooper, the coaches seemed reluctant to put a guy on the field who did not always seem to no where to go in Bishop. I also noticed that Cooper emphasised in his post-game on the field comments that he was just doing what his coaches instructed him to do, which seemed to acknowledge that may have been an issue that kept him off the field in favor of Wilson and McDuffie earlier in the year.

At this point, I've seen enough of Packer linebackers who apparently know the defense inside and out but all too often fail to make a play.

Set Cooper free.

Well, I guess he ain't all bad...?

APB wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 15:22

Well, I guess he ain't all bad...?

Yeah our corners aren't being targeted anymore. Our LBs are.

The one bad thing about Walker being hurt is it puts McDuffie and Wilson on the field. McDuffie held up well vs Miami but got destroyed vs the Lions.

go pak go wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 17:37

APB wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 15:22

Well, I guess he ain't all bad...?

Yeah our corners aren't being targeted anymore. Our LBs are.

The one bad thing about Walker being hurt is it puts McDuffie and Wilson on the field. McDuffie held up well vs Miami but got destroyed vs the Lions.

Wonderboy rookie Evan Williams looked to have a tough night in coverage, as well. Not an attack on him, just saying he was targeted a few times along with the LBs. The middle of the field is really a vulnerability and I'm not sure how it changes unless/until we get different personnel. Bullard getting healthy might help. Cooper getting more involved might help. Jaire getting healthy again should help.

But there's no clear answer in terms of LB awareness. They seem to be out of the passing lanes more often than not. I don't think that's teachable. I think that's instinctive. It can be developed if you become a seasoned vet with great film study, but it's not something you can just "correct" for with some fundamentals and shifts. And it doesn't happen overnight. a LB with great coverage INSTINCTS is high on the priority list for me this offseason (but not, like, another LB with a top 50/60 kind of pick; enough with that)

Pckfn23 wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 18:24

I'm really hoping Alexander is ready for the MN game. No real pressure to win but opportunity for the secondary to play a different game against some real talent.

I think Hafley is incredibly handcuffed with his current stable of corners and Alexander being in opens up so much for the defense.

go pak go wrote: ↑

17 Dec 2024 09:35

Pckfn23 wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 18:24

I'm really hoping Alexander is ready for the MN game. No real pressure to win but opportunity for the secondary to play a different game against some real talent.

I think Hafley is incredibly handcuffed with his current stable of corners and Alexander being in opens up so much for the defense.

Absolutley pressure to win! Get the 5 seed. Run through our side of the bracket. MN runs through their side of the bracket. Host the NFCCCG!

Alexander needs to play football.

YoHoChecko wrote: ↑

17 Dec 2024 09:33

But there's no clear answer in terms of LB awareness. They seem to be out of the passing lanes more often than not. I don't think that's teachable. I think that's instinctive. It can be developed if you become a seasoned vet with great film study, but it's not something you can just "correct" for with some fundamentals and shifts. And it doesn't happen overnight. a LB with great coverage INSTINCTS is high on the priority list for me this offseason (but not, like, another LB with a top 50/60 kind of pick; enough with that)

What we see from the LBers in zone is the same as what we see in our zones across the board. They are passive and are just occupying their zones. Perfect example is the flats. Regardless if it is a corner, safety, or linebacker the RB check down is given a 10 yard buffer almost all the time. Rally and tackle. The same thing happens in deep middle. Safeties are giving big cushions to not be beaten, rally and tackle. Does this have to do with lacking Alexander and thus playing more Tampa 2? I hope so.

2 things need to happen more. Play the man in your zone (instead of just occupying a zone), and mix up the coverage more.

Pckfn23 wrote: ↑

17 Dec 2024 09:41

go pak go wrote: ↑

17 Dec 2024 09:35

Pckfn23 wrote: ↑

16 Dec 2024 18:24

I'm really hoping Alexander is ready for the MN game. No real pressure to win but opportunity for the secondary to play a different game against some real talent.

I think Hafley is incredibly handcuffed with his current stable of corners and Alexander being in opens up so much for the defense.

Absolutley pressure to win! Get the 5 seed. Run through our side of the bracket. MN runs through their side of the bracket. Host the NFCCCG!

Alexander needs to play football.

I get what you mean. Like you play to win. Goal is definitely to be 13-4. But I will not have much hurt feelings if we are 13-4 and MN is 14-3 and we are still the 6 seed. To me it's all about winning, working on the best combination of players, and getting the right guys rested up enough (less snaps not de-activating them) to do the January run.

I am very much opposed to *win this week and next week and then rest week 18*. I am also opposed to *win at all cost*. Use this time to experiment and win for the sake of winning.

Also...how crazy would it be if the 6 seed is 13-4 this year? That would HAVE to be some kind of record. I remember the odd years when 10 wins wasn't enough for a 6 seed.