Packers' high picks have disappointed on defensive line – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Green Bay — It looks like another year of just trying to be competitive in the defensive line for the Green Bay Packers after a series of disappointing high draft choices and pair of suspensions.
Other than the return from injury of nose tackle B.J. Raji, there is little reason to think the unit can emerge from the bottom quartile of NFL defensive lines.
Ryan Pickett, Cullen Jenkins and Johnny Jolly all played significant roles in one or more of the three best seasons for the D-line in the 3-4 era of coordinator Dom Capers. Those years were 2009, ’10 and ’12.
With Pickett aging, Jenkins elsewhere and Jolly in limbo, general manager Ted Thompson tried to inject new blood by selecting a defensive lineman in the first three rounds of the 2012, ’13 and ’14 drafts.
Jerel Worthy, a second-round pick three years ago, was a flop.
Datone Jones, a first-round pick two years ago, has been very common to date and can’t play the opener because of an NFL suspension for violating the substance-abuse policy.
And Khyri Thornton, a third-round pick last year, was so bad in his first training camp that it’s hard to imagine him ever contributing.
The Packers have maintained respectability up front with the canny fourth-round selection of Mike Daniels in 2012, the fifth-round choice of Josh Boyd in ’13 and the signing of “street” free agent Letroy Guion a year ago.
Last year, the Packers’ D-line had the fewest collective points of four teams on the all-NFC North squad selected by personnel men for the Journal Sentinel. For a third straight season, Green Bay didn’t have a D-lineman make first team.
The entire group returns along with sixth-round pick Christian Ringo, the only addition of consequence in the last six months.
“We’ve got some developing guys,” said Mike Trgovac, who enters his seventh season coaching the D-line. “I think we’ve got a good player in Raji, a good player in Boyd, Daniels, Guion. We’re hoping for ‘Tone (Jones).”
Based on the off-season, the base front will be Raji at nose tackle, either Boyd or Guion at left end (5-technique) and Daniels at right end (3-technique). Jones, who can play either end in the 3-4, and Ringo, a 3-technique, would seem to have the best chance to join Daniels as the two interior rushers in sub defenses.
“We’ve got some guys with some flexibility,” Trgovac said. “Whether we play Letroy at end or not, we’re going to find our best players and put them on the field.”
Once again, the prevailing body type is thick and short. The Packers played the run poorly until mid-season whereupon there was definite improvement until the playoffs, when Dallas rushed for 145 yards (5.2 average) and Seattle gained 194 (5.5).
“We’re trying to really pick up where we left off on the run,” Trgovac said. “Even in the playoffs, we did a lot of good things against the run. We got ahead in Seattle and we had some defenses that weren’t great for stopping the run. Some of those numbers got a little inflated.”
With Guion facing an NFL suspension of possibly three games, the need is critical for Raji to make a seamless return from a biceps tear on Aug. 22.
In 2013, Raji had his worst year rushing the passer and ranked last on the unit in tackles per snap. It remains to be seen if Raji has the physical makeup and mindset in Year 7 to fight the reach and angle blocks that come from both sides down after down over center.
“I thought the guy showed great discipline getting up every day and taking advantage of what happened to him,” said Trgovac. “He’s probably in the best shape since he’s been here. His weight is excellent.”
Three weeks into the unrestricted signing period, Raji settled for a one-year, $1.75 million contract with $500,000 guaranteed and substantial incentives.
Guion went back to the Packers on the same day with a one-year, $2.75 million deal that had no guarantees. His market value collapsed Feb. 4 with his arrest on drug and gun charges that led to his suspension.
“I don’t get into all that with him,” Trgovac said. “He’s a family guy. He’s got kids. He probably regrets what happened to him.”
As a Vikings nose tackle, Guion tied for second on the all-North team in 2012 before finishing fourth, or last, the past two years. Trgovac took issue with that assessment.
“That’s what they (scouts) get paid for,” he said. “I don’t know where you’d rank him, but Letroy was very good for us last year. He has the ability to rush the passer, he’s played 3-technique before and he’s a smart kid that loves the game.”
Guion was a unanimous last-place pick behind Minnesota’s Linval Joseph and two players, Chicago’s Stephen Paea and Detroit’s Nick Fairley, that moved to new teams in March.
“He played OK,” an NFC North personnel man said. “He’s active, athletic, undisciplined. Has some point-of-attack strength. Slow to find the ball. Gets turned too much. Needs to shed better with his hands. He’s not bad; he’s a banger in there.”
Boyd had arthroscopic knee surgery in the off-season but it shouldn’t be a problem entering camp. His playing time jumped from 116 snaps as a rookie to 407 last year.
“Compact, squatty,” an NFC scout said. “Got some quickness in the gap. He can disrupt. Scrappy. Needs to get stronger to consistently hold the point. Will play high. Decent backup.”
The best player on the unit the last two years has been Daniels, a sawed-off, hard-charging interior rusher who’s entering the final year of his contract.
Now that Ndamukong Suh has left the Lions, Daniels could become the best inside rush man in the division.
“Daniels is a good, good player,” said an NFC scout. “Quick, explosive, powerful. He’s a disruptive guy who struggles with the double teams. He doesn’t see things great all the time in blocking schemes but he’s productive with his quickness.”
Trgovac attributes some of Jones’ sluggish start to ankle injuries that struck on the first play of his first exhibition game and another that cost him three games last year.
Is it an excuse?
“Every time he starts to get going he had that ankle… whether it’s an excuse or not,” replied Trgovac. “Now, is he making the impact plays that you’d expect from a first-rounder? Probably you could say no, but the guy’s busted his (expletive).”
An NFC personnel man said Ringo probably was more physical coming out of Louisiana-Lafayette than Worthy was leaving Michigan State. An apt comparison, according to scouts, would be Daniels.
“He’s a strong little cat,” the scout said. “While he and Daniels are both quick, they’re both also strong.”
Added an AFC personnel director: “Jump a gap, get in the backfield, read plays in the run game. More of a pressure-hurry type guy than a sacker. He’s as good a prospect as Daniels.”
Mike Pennel, a rangy, massive second-year man, is “working really hard to play like a big man,” according to Trgovac.
Last year, Pennel occasionally would trash a blocker and engulf the ball carrier only to play high and lose his gap later on.
“He’s never going to be a big rusher,” another scout said. “But for a big guy he moves kind of well and plays hard.”
Thornton came up with a hamstring injury in the exhibition finale. Twelve months later, he needs to be more aggressive in everything he does.
“I think that’s a fair statement right there,” Trgovac said. “Big year for Khyri. He was a guy coming in from a small school learning.
“It’s going to be tough for him to take that next step. Hopefully, his (off-season work) shows up. He’s got twitch and he’s got good movement for a big guy.”
The Packers were the fourth team for Bruce Gaston during his rookie season. He’s another shorter 3-technique with inside rush potential.
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