At Tight end, Bubba Franks will start with four-year veteran David Martin backing him up. Franks is a solid receiver in the short to intermediate range, but he lacks the speed to stretch the middle of the field. Martin, a former wide receiver has that speed, and is a nice complement to Franks in two-TE formations. Neither, however, is a spectacular blocker.
Offensive Line
The Packers have one of the top offensive lines in the league when healthy, and they know each other very well having played together for a long time. The Packers fulfilled their top priority in the off-season by signing LT Chad Clifton to a new contract. He had a bit of a down year coming off a serious injury, but should be fully recovered heading into this season. RT Mark Tauscher anchors the other end of the line adequately, but he’s not tremendously athletic. He excels by getting off the line quickly and uses his hands very well.
In the middle of the line, C Mike Flanagan is flanked by LG Mike Wahle and RG Marco Rivera. Flanagan is one of the better centers in the league, consistently using his quickness to get out on the linebackers. Wahle is an excellent pulling guard who also gets to the second level on a consistent basis, and is at his best when he is on the move. Rivera is also a consistent performer who uses great technique and always seems to gain good position in one-on-one match-ups. Kevin Barry is a solid sixth man who also plays tight end in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
Defensive Line
The Packers still lack an every-down left defensive end to complement Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, who is the only legitimate pass-rushing threat on the line. Aaron Kampman is a hard worker on the left end, but he is not very athletic and he lacks the speed to get around the outside. Former first-round pick Jamal Reynolds was released after showing little sign that he would ever live up to his potential, so Chuckie Nwokorie and Tyrone Rogers will likely battle to be the No.3 man in the rotation.
At tackle, the Packers will likely use a four-man wave system with Jackson and Cletidus Hunt in the starting roles. Jackson was a big addition last season, giving the Packers the run-stuffing tackle that helped solidify a defense that was a bit shaky early in the year. Rookie third-round draft pick Donnell Washington, who weighs in at a massive 332 pounds, should push for playing time at the nose tackle position while Kenny Peterson and James Lee try to earn spots in the rotation. Sixth-round draft pick Corey Williams will also be given a look, but I don‘t think he‘ll see much more than spot duty.
Linebackers
It appears the Packers have found a diamond in MLB Nick Barnett, who led Green Bay with 134 tackles as a rookie last season. He’s an instinctive player with the speed to roam from sideline to sideline, and his coverage skills allow him to be a three-down player. Torrence Marshall will back him up, but he is only adequate and would likely struggle in a starting role.
On the strong side, Hannibal Navies isn’t spectacular, but he’s steady and he matches up well against the tight end. Na’il Diggs is rebounding from an injury-plagued season, but is expected to be a playmaker on the weak side this year. He has good speed and athletic ability, and playing in the open field more should maximize his abilities. Once you get past the starting linebackers though, Green Bay lacks quality depth, so a key injury is of concern.
Secondary
Assuming Mike McKenzie decides to report, he and Al Harris will continue to start at the corners. Both are physical players that try to disrupt the patterns of opposing receivers, but they lack great speed. If McKenzie holds out, it will be a serious blow to this secondary, forcing Al Harris into the No. 1 role and Michael Hawthorne, who is a better fit in the nickel, will be forced to start. The Packers will also have to count on rookies Ahmad Carroll and Joey Thomas to add depth behind Bhawoh Jue, who normally comes in as the dime back.
Darren Sharper, one of the best safeties in the league, will play more of a strong safety role this year while Roman was brought in from Cincinnati to take over at free safety. Marques Anderson was very inconsistent and gave up far too many big plays as the starting strong safety last year. Roman, who is a better cover guy and tackler, is an immediate upgrade and will allow Anderson to fill in in a part time role, which he is better suited for.
Special Teams
Green Bay spent their third-round pick on lefty punter B.J. Sander, who possesses a strong kicking leg, but it could be interesting to see how he handles the pressure of punting in the NFL. Placekicker Ryan Longwell is accurate on anything inside 40 yards, which isn’t easy to do at Lambeau, but he lacks leg strength on field goals and kickoffs.
