It's the off-season and it's already been an eventful one for the Green Bay Packers. Donald Driver, the team's all-time leading receiver has decided to walk away from football rather than play for another team. This comes after a year where the Packer great saw very little playing time.
Charles Woodson, the team's defensive leader was cut to clear salary cap room. One of the best free agent signings of all time, Woodson's abilities have begun to decline. Though he most certainly can still play, it is tough to justify his high price tag given the young talent that the Packers have in the secondary.
Decisions remain to be made on Jermichael Finnley and AJ Hawk, two players who have had their ups and downs while playing for the Green and Gold. Both have shown they can be productive in the right circumstances, but there's a good possibility that one or both of them will not be back, at least not under their current contracts.
The running back position is in flux. Cedric Benson is a free agent. Alex Green was inconsistent. James Starks can't stay healthy. DuJuan Harris showed some flashes, but can he hold up through an entire season? That remains to be seen.
Both lines have been decimated by injuries, along with the linebacking corps on defense. All three of those units should have some players coming back to compete, but it remains to be seen how Nick Perry, Desmond Bishop, Derek Sherrod and Jerel Worthy will come back from their injuries.
Greg Jennings has likely played his last down for the Packers. As good of a player as he is, the Packers cannot afford to bring him back, given the contracts that they will need to do in the next 12 months. That significant loss notwithstanding, the receiver position is poised to be a continued strength for the team. If any team can afford to lose a great player like Greg Jennings (and I'm not saying anybody wants to), the Packers can handle it.
Some things aren't changing though. Aaron Rodgers is one of, if not the best quarterback in the NFL. With any protection, the man can pick nearly any defense apart, especially with the receivers he has. But, the man needs to be paid. He is paid significantly under his market value on the extension he signed shortly after he assumed the starter's role. It was a good deal for the Packers, but it's time to pay the man. Priority two is extending Clay Matthews. They are the rocks to build around.
One other thing that's not changing is that random fans are going to have plenty to say about the teams that they love. Random fans like me are going to start blogs devoted to the teams they love. I love the Green Bay Packers. I take pride in that. I also take pride in trying to be as objective in my analysis and recognizing my own biases and stepping out of my homer shoes. That's what I want to bring to the conversation. Maybe that's a change too.
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