I’m going to make it up to you this week, though, as we will finish our all-time roster.

(I’m Chris Lempesis and I approve this message.)

Anyways, I know that cornerback was supposed to be the next position on [...]]]> So, I know I’ve been a little, um, delayed in getting these posts up. I’m sorry – I really am.

I’m going to make it up to you this week, though, as we will finish our all-time roster.

(I’m Chris Lempesis and I approve this message.)

Anyways, I know that cornerback was supposed to be the next position on our list. However, I’ve decided to switch things up and go with the safeties for part six. We like to keep you on your toes here at OBOD.

Any more that needs to be said? Nope – let’s tee this thing up.

Safeties

Starter: LeRoy Butler (1990-2001) – The great safeties of today do it all. They cover. They stop the run. They blitz and hit like a ton of freakin’ bricks. Of course, it wasn’t always that way.

‘Til a badass cat named LeRoy came on the scene.

In my mind, Butler was a chief pioneer of the mentality that safeties could be multi-faceted threats. Look at what he did during his career: fourth in team history in total tackles, unassisted tackles and interceptions. He’s 12th in sacks with 20.5 (imagine if he played today). He went to four Pro Bowls for his efforts, a number that would have been higher had he not been forced to retire at the age of 34 because of a shoulder injury.

He was the soul of those great defenses in the mid-to-late 1990s (Reggie White was the heart and, as a reader pointed out last summer, Wayne Simmons was indeed the fire. Can you believe the “heart” and “fire” are both no longer with us?). Plus, there’s that little “Lambeau Leap” thing that Butler invented back in 1993. That doesn’t hurt his case, either.

Starter: Willie Wood (1960-1971) – Before we get into the numbers, let’s talk about who Willie Wood was, as a player. He was tough. Really tough. Played in 166 straight games (only behind Brett Favre and Forrest Gregg on the team’s all-time list).

He could tackle. In fact, Vince Lombardi called him the surest tackler the Packers had, quite an honor if guys named Davis and Nitschke play on the same unit. And he didn’t even play safety at USC, but rather quarterback.

Okay, now let’s talk numbers: Second on the team’s all-time list in picks (48). Led the team in interceptions five times. Still holds the career mark for interceptions returned for touchdowns (seven). Named All-Pro six times. A 1989 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Need I say more?

Backup: Bobby Dillon (1952-1959) – For almost any other team, Dillon would be a surefire starter. The fact that he’s a backup on this team has less to do with his play than it does the franchise’s amazing history at the position.

After all, Dillon was a monster talent, even if he only could see out of one eye.

In seven seasons, guess how many times he led the team in interceptions? Yep, you guessed it – seven. His 52 career picks are still good enough to put him at the top of the team’s all-time list. He returned five of those picks for scores, putting him in a tie with a guy you’ll hear more about in a minute for second on the team’s all-time list. He was a five-time All-Pro, as well.

He’s not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and, to me, that’s always been sort of a mystery.

Backup: Darren Sharper (1997-2004) – Many people forget this now, but Sharper was originally drafted as a cornerback/safety out of William & Mary in 1997. He was quickly converted to free safety – he wasn’t really fast enough to play corner, I’ve always felt – and there, he made a huge mark.

In eight seasons, Sharper – known for his intelligence and great closing speed - picked off 36 passes, returning five of them for scores. He also had six sacks and six forced fumbles. He led the league with nine interceptions in 2000 and his career mark was good enough for fifth on the team’s all-time list.

His play earned him two Pro Bowl spots. He was released after 2004 in a salary cap move and has since gone on to success with both Minnesota and his current team, New Orleans. He’s been to a total of five Pro Bowls.

That’s all for our look at the safeties. Check back Wednesday as we (finally) list off the cornerbacks on our roster.

-Chris Lempesis

(Plus, as you likely know, we LOVE doing mock drafts.)

Most of the “big fish” free agents have signed their respective deals and, as a result, some teams’ draft plans have changed. Our new mock has [...]]]> Now that we are roughly 12 days into free agency, it seemed like the perfect time to run an updated mock draft.

(Plus, as you likely know, we LOVE doing mock drafts.)

Most of the “big fish” free agents have signed their respective deals and, as a result, some teams’ draft plans have changed. Our new mock has certainly taken those moves into account as there are some major changes from our first mock.

What are those changes? Well, let’s find out, shall we?

1. St. Louis Rams -  Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma. The biggest jump in this current mock belongs to Bradford (whom I previously had going to Buffalo at No. 9). Why the sudden rise? Well, from everything I’ve read, it just sounds like the St. Louis brass rather likes Bradford. Plus, it’s a lot easier to sell the selection of a quarterback No. 1 overall than it is a defensive tackle. I have my doubts about Bradford, but from a business standpoint, I can see where St. Louis is coming from.

2. Detroit Lions – Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska. By signing Kyle Vanden Bosch and trading for Corey Williams, Detroit is definitely putting an emphasis on getting to the quarterback more. Those were both decent moves, but neither of those guys is a game-changer. Suh, on the other hand, surely could be. He’ll be NFL-ready from day one and could be head coach Jim Schwartz’s Haynesworth 2.0.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Eric Berry, S, Tennessee. While there is change with the top two picks, this song remains the same. In five years, Berry could very well end up the best defensive player to come out of this draft. Athletic, fast and rangy, he’s the type of do-it-all player who could make an impact on Tampa Bay’s defense right away. His playmaking numbers dipped a bit last season (just two picks as opposed to 12 combined in the two years previous), but don’t let that fool you. This kid’s for real.

4. Washington Redskins – Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State. Many analysts seem to think the ‘Skins will jump at Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen if he’s here. I disagree. New head coach Mike Shanahan has already said he wants Jason Campbell back. He’ll use 2010 to evaluate Campbell and see if he is, in fact, the future at quarterback. He’ll also give Campbell some added protection. Enter Okung, the most complete – and best – lineman in the draft.

5. Kansas City Chiefs – Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma. My previous mock had the Chiefs going with Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain as Okung, McCoy and Suh were all already gone. This time around, McCoy is available and I can’t see how Kansas City passes on him. He’s not overly big (just 295 pounds), but has explosive pass rushing abilities. Sure, the Chiefs whiffed on Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson didn’t do much as a rookie, but if they just keep taking d-tackles, one of them will hit, right? Maybe?

6. Seattle Seahawks – Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa. A replacement must be found for 35-year old Walter Jones. Originally, I had Rutgers’ Anthony Davis as that guy. But Davis’ weight issues and shaky combine (his character has come into question) make Bulaga the pick now. Some questions exist as to how high Bulaga’s ceiling really is. But the 6-feet, 6-inch, 312 pound Bulaga was also voted Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year last season. A couple of recent winners of that award, Jake Long and Joe Thomas, have done pretty well in the pros and Bulaga should follow suit.

7. Cleveland Browns – Joe Haden, CB, Florida. Another pick that has not changed since our first mock. The Brownies still need secondary help in a major way as they finished 29th in passing yards allowed per game (a whopping 244.7). Haden is, hands down, the best corner in the draft. He’s physical, aggressive and extremely fast and the Browns will jump at him here. Mike Holmgren will find his future quarterback later in the draft.

8. Oakland Raiders – Jason Pierre-Paul, OLB, South Florida. Yet another pick that has not changed, although this one is for different reasons, the biggest being I just do not want to climb into Al Davis’ head and try to figure out what he’s going to do. I’m just not man enough for that mission. I know he loves measureables and Pierre-Paul has those in abundance (6-feet, 6-inches, 265 pounds and lightening fast). Pierre-Paul could team with Kameron Wimbley, recently acquired from Cleveland, at OLB for the Raiders.

9. Buffalo Bills – Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame. As they can no longer get Bradford here, the Bills will jump at Clausen. Why? Brian Brohm, Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick, that’s why. That’s the quarterback group for the Bills as of now. None of those three bring any hope for the future, if you’re a Bills fan. And, as I said previously, that’s what Buffalo needs to give its fans here – some hope. Quite frankly, I have major doubts about Clausen as a pro, but I don’t doubt he’ll be the pick.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State. Everyone had the Jags going defensive end here before they signed Aaron Kampman. I always thought they’d go with Bryant and, well, I still do. Simply put, Jacksonville hasn’t had a gamebreaking receiving threat since the days of Jimmy Smith. Well, those days are long gone. Bryant is an athletic, tough wideout with very good hands who could loosen the strain on Maurice Jones-Drew.

11. Denver Broncos – Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama. Previously, I had Clausen going here. But, by acquiring Brady Quinn from Cleveland last weekend, Denver is no longer in the market for a quarterback (which is good because if things play out like I think, it couldn’t get one here anyways). The Jamal Williams signing beefs up the Broncos’ d-line, but they still have holes in the second level. McClain can remedy that as he is an absolute beast, particularly in stuffing the run.

12. Miami Dolphins – Brian Price, DT, UCLA. Nose tackle was a position of need for the Dolphins before 35-year old Jason Ferguson was suspended for the first eight games of the season (performance-enhancing drugs). Now, of course, it’s even more so, and I still think Price is the guy here. Price is similar in size – Ferguson’s 310 pounds and Price is 300 – and the Pac 10 Defensive Player of the Year also has the explosion to get into the backfield on passing downs. He’ll open things up for newly acquired ILB Karlos Dansby.

13. San Francisco 49ers – Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers. Yes, the issues surrounding Davis aren’t necessarily good. But he’s also a 6-feet, 6-inch, 325 pound monster who is looked at by many as the best pass protecting lineman in the draft. In other words, his equally large upside will prevent him from falling as far as some analysts think. Plus, something tells me Mike Singletary can keep this guy in line. Just a hunch. 

14. Seattle Seahawks (from Broncos) – C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson. With the combine Spiller had, Pete Carroll and Co. will be doing backflips if he’s still available here. A dual threat back, Spiller could be Pete’s new Reggie Bush (hopefully, minus the whole Kardashian thing). By nabbing Bulaga and Spiller, the Seahawks will have cleared up two of their biggest issues (offensive line and a lack of gamebreakers).

15. New York Giants – Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee. After chatting with my good friend (and huge Giants fan) Matt Anderson, I’m convinced New York will attempt to move up if it feels it’s in danger of losing McClain. But, since I’m not going to predict any trades here, I’ll stick with Big Blue selecting Williams. New York’s d-line wasn’t as good as many (myself included) thought it would be before last season. At 325 pounds and strong as a bull, Williams could go a long way towards fixing that.

16. Tennessee Titans – Derrick Morgan, DE/OLB, Georgia Tech. Originally, I had the Titans addressing some of their needs along the o-line with Idaho’s Mike Iupati. But after losing Vanden Bosch, I now think Tennessee turns to the defensive front, where it struggled last season without Fat Albert. At 275 pounds, Morgan is right on the fence as far as where he can play in the pros (depending on whether or not he adds weight). With 12 sacks and two forced fumbles last season, Morgan could replace Vanden Bosch in a major way.

17. San Francisco 49ers (from Panthers) – Earl Thomas, S, Texas. Having already upgraded at o-line with Davis, the Niners now turn their focus to finding a big-time playmaking safety in the secondary. Thomas’ size (5-feet, 10-inches, just under 200 pounds) isn’t exactly what you’d like at that position. But his numbers (63 tackles, eight interceptions last season) and speed definitely are. By taking Davis and Thomas, the Niners would walk away with a very nice first round haul.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers – Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho. Previously, Maryland’s Bruce Campbell was the pick here. But there are some fairly significant question marks on Campbell – like, if he’s so good, why did he receive no votes for All ACC-First Team last season? - and I think he’ll drop a good deal as a result. Still, the Steelers need o-line help badly. The 6-feet, 5-inch, 330 pound Iupati has the strength to be able to play, and flourish, right away. He could end up being very. very good. A typical Steeler pick.

19. Atlanta Falcons – Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas. With Morgan – the player I previously had them taking – off the board, the Falcons will turn to Kindle. At 255 pounds, he’ll play outside linebacker in Atlanta’s 4-3 scheme and he should be very good at that spot. He’s got great athleticism, knows how to get to the quarterback and could be for the Falcons what Brian Orakpo was for the ‘Skins last season.

20. Houston Texans – Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State. I’m not sensing much change at this spot for Houston. As usual, the Texans are set, offensively. Again, as usual, their defense still needs more work if they are to finally get over the top and into the playoffs. Last year’s first rounder, linebacker Brian Cushing, was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, but the team still needs one or two more pieces. Odrick (306 pounds with seven sacks last year) could very well be the nose tackle to open things up for Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye.

21. Cincinnati Bengals – Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida. Believe it or not, I actually left the Bengals off my first mock draft. I’m not sure how that happened, but if you’re a Bengals fan reading this, I am very sorry. Anyways, Cincinnati has major needs on the offensive line, particularly at center and guard. Lucky for them, Pouncey can play either of those spots in the pros. He’s also intelligent and plays with a mean streak that the Bengals’ offense sorely lacks.

22. New England Patriots – Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan. The Pats did not, as some expected, end up with Julius Peppers. They also cut Adalius Thomas, making outside linebacker a huge priority. Truth be told, I think Kindle will be a better pro, but Graham is not a bad consolation prize at all. Over his last three seasons at Michigan, Graham averaged over nine sacks a season, with ever-improving tackle numbers. He’s got short arms, yes, but he’s also a hard-worker who comes at you on every play. The Hoodie will love this guy.

23. Green Bay Packers – Charles Brown, OT, USC. Since this is a Packers’ blog, I’ll go a little more in-depth here. The re-signings of Chad Clifton/Mark Tauscher, at first, had me thinking Ted Thompson might go in a different direction with this pick (i.e., defense). But when I thought about it more, I still think the team has to nab a left tackle of the future. Clifton could break down at any minute and, while we all love T.J. Lang, I’m beginning to think he’s strictly a right tackle. The Packers need someone who can step in if Clifton goes down (which you know he will, if only for a game or two at a time). At just 290 pounds, Brown must bulk up a bit before he’s game ready. But his athleticism and NFL-ready pass protection skills would cover him if forced to play right away. He’s got a ton of upside and could protect Aaron Rodgers’ blindside for the next decade. At some point, this move has to be made. Why not here?

24. Philadelphia Eagles – Everson Griffen, DE, USC. Having whiffed on Kampman and Julius Peppers, the Eagles look to the draft to find their pass rushing end of the future. Previously, I had them going to Graham, but since he’s no longer available, they’ll go with Griffen. Not always the most motivated player, Griffen is still blessed with great athleticism and pass rushing skills. If the Eagles can keep a fire under his butt, he should be a productive player.

25. Baltimore Ravens – Carlos Dunlap, DT, Florida. Baltimore’s trade for wide receiver Anquan Boldin took care of its need for a big-time playmaker not named Ray Rice. That being the case, the Ravens will focus on d-line with this pick. Kelly Gregg is still very good, but will turn 34 during the season and the team needs to find a player to team up with Haloti Ngata for the future. There are some questions surrounding Dunlap (lack of motivation and a DUI arrest in particular). But he’s also had nine sacks in each of the past two seasons.

26. Arizona Cardinals – Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU. Having lost Dansby, you could argue that the Cards should go inside linebacker here. But since there are no real ILBs worth taking at this spot, they’ll stick with Hughes (whom I had them taking in our original mock). Clark Haggans and Chike Okeafor are both aging and merely decent and, with 26 sacks over his final two years at TCU, Hughes has shown a knack for getting to the quarterback.

27. Dallas Cowboys – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma. Again, I’m sticking with what worked the first time here. Flozell Adams, for all the hype and money, just isn’t very consistent in pass protection. Plus, he’s getting older, so the team needs to upgrade there for the future. Williams would have gone much higher if not for his subpar 2009 season, but he still has a lot of tools and could be a good pro, if he regains his 2008 form.

28. San Diego Chargers – Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama. In our first mock, I said this pick “could be surprising” considering the Bolts, at that point, still had Jamal Williams. Seeing as though Williams got cut (and signed with Denver), this pick is no longer a shock. In fact, it makes a lot of sense. San Diego needs its next Williams and “Mount Cody” could be just that, provided he stays motivated and keeps his weight down. Remember, Cody dominated for long stretches in the toughest conference in the country.

29. New York Jets – Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri. The names change (previously I had Clemson’s Ricky Sapp here), but the position remains the same. Like I said before, it’s time for New York to just suck it up and admit that Vernon Gholston is a bust and find someone else to go opposite Calvin Pace at OLB. Weatherspoon is not the biggest linebacker, at just 245 pounds, but like his good buddy Clay Matthews, he’s an intense, non-stop player who is good in mulitple facets. He was a leader for Mizzou’s defense and you can never have too many of those.

30. Minnesota Vikings – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State. With the Williams sisters still on trial (and possible facing four-game suspensions), Minnesota could very well look d-tackle here. But with all of the first-round tackles already gone, the Vikings turn their attention to cornerback. Good idea as Antoine Winfield is getting older and Cedric Griffin could miss the first six weeks due to his torn ACL. Wilson is a bit small at 5-feet, 9-inches, but is an aggressive, playmaking corner.

31. Indianapolis Colts – Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland. Charlie Johnson was serviceable at left tackle last season, but is far from the long-term solution there. As I previously mentioned, there are some big questions surrounding Campbell. But he is also a freak, physically (6-feet, 7-inches, 310 pounds, with a sub-4.8 40 time). In fact, some think he’s got the most upside of any lineman in the draft. After a year of learning, he could protect Peyton Manning’s blindside for the rest of Manning’s career.

32. New Orleans Saints – Taylor Mays, S, USC. Darren Sharper’s knee injury/contract demands place his future in New Orleans in doubt. The team needs someone who can play right away in the event Sharper walks and that player could be Mays. Before last season, it would have been unthinkable to have him this low. But a bad 2009 season (just one interception) and doubts about his ceiling land him here. Still, Mays brings great value at this spot.

-Chris Lempesis

(Okay, maybe we haven’t “covered the hell” out of it. But we’ve been good….solid….decent. Yeah, let’s stick with that – decent.)

But what about the rest of the NFL? [...]]]> So far, we at OBOD have covered the hell out of free agency as it relates to the Green Bay Packers and the rest of the NFC North.

(Okay, maybe we haven’t “covered the hell” out of it. But we’ve been good….solid….decent. Yeah, let’s stick with that – decent.)

But what about the rest of the NFL? After all, there has been activity outside of the division and, with it being Monday morning and all, it seems like a good time to expand our horizons and look at some of the other notable moves made. Some of these, of course, have Packers-related repercussions and we’ll mention them, as needed.

1. Cardinals taking big steps back – After watching Kurt Warner retire awhile back, the Cardinals lost three more key players this past weekend. Arizona finally rid themselves of Anquan Boldin, trading the somewhat malcontent receiver and a fifth round pick this year to the Baltimore Ravens for third and fourth round picks this year. Boldin might have been a pain in the butt, but he’s also an elite talent who is as tough as they come. Steve Breaston is decent, but Boldin he is absolutely not (love this move for the Ravens, by the way, as Boldin finally gives them the big-time wideout they seemingly have never had). Another big loss comes in the form of middle linebacker Karlos Dansby – I remember seeing him do something big a couple of months ago, but I can’t remember what - signing with the Miami Dolphins (five years, $43 million with $22 mil guaranteed). Dansby, while not an elite ‘backer, is very good and was a great fit for that defense. The Cards also lost safety Antrel Rolle to the New York Giants (five years, $37 million with $15 mil guaranteed, more on that in a bit). It’s true that they replaced Rolle by trading a fourth round pick this year and a seventh next year to the New York Jets for safety Kerry Rhodes and that Rhodes is a good player. But Rolle was on the up and knew this scheme. It will take Rhodes time to learn it. Those moves, combined with Matt “Chubby Girls and Beer Bongs” Leinart now at quarterback, lead me to believe the NFC West is an open race. Well, unless you’re the Rams.
2. The champs also appear to be losing some steam – The New Orleans Saints were dealt a considerable blow on defense as linebacker Scott Fujita signed a three year, $14 million deal with the Cleveland Browns. Fujita, while not a great player, was a very solid presence, both on and off the field. Things could get even worse if safety Darren Sharper bolts for another team (the Miami Dolphins, perhaps?). Sharper is 34, but is coming off of one of his best seasons yet and could still be a very good player for at least another year or two as he is a great fit in Gregg Williams’ scheme. The Saints seem to be making a push to get Sharper back, but they need to do more. If he leaves, that defense isn’t as good and they could go back to where they were a couple of years ago (i.e., a .500 team that wins eight games 45-41 and loses eight games by that same score). Right now, the Cards are definitely not as good as they were last year and the Saints could be heading that way, opening the door for other NFC teams….like maybe the Packers?
3. Two contracts shed a light on how much the Packers will have to pay Collins and Pickett – If you thought Nick Collins was going to want big-time dough before, you have to think that tenfold now when you see the deal Rolle got – the richest ever for a safety. In two years of playing free safety – he’d been a corner, previously – Rolle recorded 139 tackles, five interceptions, 13 passes defended and 1.5 sacks (with a Pro Bowl appearance in 2009). Collins, over the past two years – playing in two different schemes – recorded 104 tackles, 13 interceptions, 28 passes defended and one sack (with two Pro Bowl appearances). Collins pretty much crushes Rolle in the key playmaking categories and, as a result, you have to think he will want much more than Rolle got. If Rolle is getting an average of over $7 million per, Collins likely will aim for the $8-$10 million-a-year range and, at this point, it’s hard to blame him. Thanks, New York. As for Ryan Pickett, you can now use the contract given to New England’s Vince Wilfork - five years, $40 million with $25 million in guaranteed money - as a barometer of sorts. Age-wise, the two are fairly similar (Pickett turns 31 in October while Wilfork turns 29 in November). And while Pickett is not in the same class as Wilfork, a truly elite 3-4 nose tackle, he’s not that far off and provides great value to Green Bay’s defense. If Wilfork got an average of $8 million per, it’s likely going to take $5 or $6 million on average to lock up Pickett.
4. Cromartie deal not a slam dunk for the Jets – Many seem to be applauding the New York Jets for trading a third round pick in next year’s draft to San Diego for cornerback Antonio Cromartie. Those people have said that Cromartie’s pairing with Darrelle Revis (the second best corner in the game) gives the Jets the best corner tandem in football. While I disagree with them on that - Charles Woodson and Al Harris/Tramon Williams, anyone? – I’ll stick to the trade in this post. Here’s what Cromartie is: A guy who had one truly amazing season (2007, in which he recorded 10 picks) and two average ones since (five picks of the past two years combined). He’s also still griping about a new contract – even though he’s only been decent as of late – and has fathered seven children in five different states. I know Rex Ryan has a devil-may-care attitude about players with questionable character, just like his old man, but I also know that you don’t see too many Antonio Cromarties on championship teams. So glad the Packers didn’t pursue this guy.
5. Bad trends building for Big Ben – Okay, so this one doesn’t have anything to do with free agency. But the accusations of sexual assault against Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in Georgia was one of the biggest NFL stories of the weekend. Now I have no idea whether or not the guy is guilty or not. In the end, that’s not up to me to decide, anyways. What I do know, though, is that a nasty trend is forming with him. This is the second time such accusations have been lobbed his way, remember. He beat the criminal charges, stemming from an incident in Nevada awhile back, and he may well beat these. But leaders – true leaders – simply do not put themselves in these spots. Can you ever see Joe Montana allowing himself to be put in such a spot in a million years? Or even a guy like Aaron Rodgers? Not a chance in hell. Sure, he’s won two Super Bowls and he’ll never have to pay for a drink in Pittsburgh again. But if you want to be truly great, Ben, and not be remembered simply as “the guy who kept getting accused of sexual assault”, you must stop allowing yourself to get caught in these situations. Okay, I’ll jump off my soapbox now.

-Chris Lempesis

With the NFL scouting combine in full swing and free agency set to begin Friday at 12:01 a.m. EST, we at OBOD figured it would be a good idea to pull together an early mock draft. Like we said in our first mock last year, this baby is likely to change a ton [...]]]> Well, it’s time.

With the NFL scouting combine in full swing and free agency set to begin Friday at 12:01 a.m. EST, we at OBOD figured it would be a good idea to pull together an early mock draft. Like we said in our first mock last year, this baby is likely to change a ton between now and the NFL Draft (April 22-24). I will be handling the duties for this first mock; Adam and Gene will be weighing in with their thoughts in the weeks ahead.

You might be asking: Why don’t you guys just wait a little bit longer to write one then?

Answer: These things are just too damn fun to do. We can’t wait any longer.

Besides, we’ll be rolling out a least a few more of these between now and draft day, again, because mock drafts are just the best. And if you’re wondering why we haven’t yet ripped into the NFL for having the draft Thursday-Saturday this year? Don’t worry – we’re going to – very soon.

With that brief introduction out of the way, let’s tee this thing up, shall we?

As always, enjoy.

1. St. Louis Rams -  Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska. The Rams have a defensive-minded head coach who loves to get pressure on the quarterback, particularly from the defensive linemen. It must have killed Steve Spagnuolo, then, to see his team finish with just 25 sacks, third worst in the league. Suh will be NFL-ready from day one and should instantly help remedy St. Louis’ blues (hey, did I just make a hockey reference by accident?).

2. Detroit Lions – Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma. Sort of a similar story here. Jim Schwartz is a defensive guy and likely hated the fact that Detroit went offense with both its first round picks last season. He wants – and needs – to find his Haynesworth 2.0 (i.e., a game-changing d-lineman). McCoy isn’t nearly as big as Fat Albert – just 295 pounds – but is a very good two-way lineman with explosive pass rushing ability.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Eric Berry, S, Tennessee. Everyone’s talking about Suh and McCoy right now. In five years, though, Berry could very well end up the best defensive player to come out of this draft. Athletic, fast and rangy, he’s the type of do-it-all player who could make an impact on Tampa Bay’s defense right away. His playmaking numbers dipped a bit last season (just two picks as opposed to 12 combined in the two years previous), but don’t let that fool you. This kid’s for real.

4. Washington Redskins – Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State. Originally, I had the ‘Skins going with Sam Bradford. Then I read that new head coach Mike Shanahan wants Jason Campbell back. Good decision as Campbell, for all the dogging he takes from ‘Skins fans and the media, could be a good quarterback if given some actual protection. Enter Okung, the most complete – and best – lineman in the draft.

5. Kansas City Chiefs – Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama. Consider this curveball No. 1 of the mock as McClain is looked at by many as a mid-first rounder. The Chiefs would likely love to land one of the top two tackles or Okung. But with those three off the board, they turn their attention to finding an impact inside ‘backer, something they desperately need. McClain is an absolute beast, particularly in stuffing the run. And, really, is it a reach if you grab an impact player who fills a need?

6. Seattle Seahawks – Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers. It’s been a great, potentially Hall of Fame-type run for Walter Jones. But he’s 35 now and breaking down, physically. A replacement must be found. Davis could be that guy, a 6-feet, 6-inch, 325 pound monster who is looked at by many as the best pass protecting lineman in the draft. Some wonder about his weight issues and love for the game, but his upside is too much for Pete Carroll and Co. to pass up here.

7. Cleveland Browns – Joe Haden, CB, Florida. The Brownies need secondary help in a major way as they finished 29th in passing yards allowed per game (a whopping 244.7). Eric Wright is and up-and-comer on one side, but Cleveland has nothing on the other. Haden is, hands down, the best corner in the draft. He’s physical, aggressive and extremely fast and the Browns will jump at him here.

8. Oakland Raiders – Jason Pierre-Paul, OLB, South Florida. JP-P only played one year at South Florida and didn’t really record major numbers (42 tackles, six sacks and one interception). But what JP-P lacks in numbers, he makes up for in measureables (6-feet, 6-inches, 265 pounds and lightening fast). Well, we all know Crazy Al loves measurables. I’d say more, but really, to do so would be to try and crawl inside Davis’ head. Yeah, no thanks.

9. Buffalo Bills – Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma. Brian Brohm, Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Yep – that’s the quarterback group for the Bills as of now. None of those three bring any hope for the future, if you’re a Bills fan. And, really, that’s what Buffalo needs to give its fans here – some hope. I have my doubts about Bradford (coming off a shoulder injury and played in a spread-style offense), but he will provide optimism.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State. Jacksonville hasn’t had a gamebreaking receiving threat since the days of Jimmy Smith. Well, those days were a looooooong time ago. Bryant is an athletic, tough wideout with very good hands who could loosen the strain on Maurice Jones-Drew. He’s got some character concers, but Jack Del Rio doesn’t strike me as a coach who would be swayed by that stuff.

11. Denver Broncos (from Bears) - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame. Curveball No. 2 right here. While it’s true that Kyle Orton did a very solid job in his time as starter last season, he’s likely never going to be the type of quarterback who can get on a long playoff run. Who was Clausen’s coach in college? Charlie Weis, who previously was in New England with who? That’s right – Josh McDaniels. Clausen would know this offense and could spend a year or two being groomed behind Orton.

12. Miami Dolphins – Brian Price, DT, UCLA. The Dolphins need some help at nose tackle, where Jason Ferguson is now 35 years old. Price is similar in size – Ferguson’s 310 pounds and Price is 300 – and the Pac 10 Defensive Player of the Year also has the explosion to get into the backfield on passing downs. A meat-and-potatoes, Bill Parcells-type of pick right here.

13. San Francisco 49ers – Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa. The Niners are definitely a team on the up, but they could still use some help at o-line. Some questions exist as to how high Bulaga’s ceiling really is. But the 6-feet, 6-inch, 312 pound Bulaga was also voted Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year last season. A couple of recent winners of that award, Jake Long and Joe Thomas, have done pretty well in the pros and Bulaga should follow suit.

14. Seattle Seahawks (from Broncos) – C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson. Filling the offensive line void was key, but it didn’t help the fact that the Seahawks have a major lack of gamebreakers at the skill positions, offensively. Spiller, on the other hand, would help that very much. A dual threat back, Spiller could be Pete’s new Reggie Bush.

15. New York Giants – Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee. Heading into last season, the defensive line was looked at as perhaps the biggest strength for the Giants. Turns out it wasn’t. At 325 pounds and strong as a freakin’ bull, Williams is the type of player who can command double teams and open things up for players like Justin Tuck.

16. Tennessee Titans – Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho. The Titans have some needs, defensively, but also have some holes along the offensive line. And since their best player is running back Chris Johnson, they need to ensure he has the best five guys in front of him in order to fully succeed. The 6-feet, 5-inch, 330 pound Iupati has the strength to be able to play, and flourish, right away. He could end up being very, very good.

17. San Francisco 49ers (from Panthers) – Earl Thomas, S, Texas. In addition to o-line, the Niners could use a big-time playmaking safety in the secondary. His size (5-feet, 10-inches, just under 200 pounds) isn’t exactly what you’d like at that position. But his numbers (63 tackles, eight interceptions last season) and speed definitely are. He’s also a very hard worker – something you know head coach Mike Singletary will love.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers – Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland. I’m still shocked the Steelers won the Super Bowl two seasons ago with that offensive line. Their current left tackle, Max Starks, is decent but not great. Campbell is a freak, physically (6-feet, 7-inches, 310 pounds, with a sub-4.8 40 time). In fact, some think he’s got the most upside of any lineman in the draft. He might not be NFL ready just yet, but he could sit behind Starks for a year if need be.

19. Atlanta Falcons – Derrick Morgan, DE/OLB, Georgia Tech. At 275 pounds, Morgan is right on the fence as far as where he can play in the pros (depending on whether or not he adds weight). Either way, Atlanta needs help at both these spots (particularly at defensive end, where Jamaal Anderson has been a major bust). With 12 sacks and two forced fumbles for a team that plays in Atlanta’s backyard, Morgan could help bolster the Falcons’ defense in a major way.

20. Houston Texans – Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State. As usual, the Texans are set, offensively. Again, as usual, their defense still needs more work if they are to finally get over the top and into the playoffs. Last year’s first rounder, linebacker Brian Cushing, was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, but the team still needs one or two more pieces. Odrick (306 pounds with seven sacks last year) could very well be the nose tackle to open things up for Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye.

22. New England Patriots – Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas. This pick changes if the Pats, as some expect, end up with Julius Peppers. If they don’t, though, Kindle could be the guy here. At 255 pounds, he’s an OLB in the pros. He’s got great athleticism, knows how to get to the quarterback and could be for the Pats what Brian Orakpo was for the ‘Skins last season.

23. Green Bay Packers – Charles Brown, OT, USC. Since this is a Packers’ blog, I’ll go a little more in-depth here. While the team could go in a few different directions (corner, outside linebacker and even safety) in this spot, finding a left tackle of the future is paramount of importance, even if Chad Clifton comes back for one more year. At just 290 pounds, Brown must bulk up a bit before he’s game ready. But his athleticism and NFL-ready pass protection skills would cover him if forced to play right away. He’s got a ton of upside and could protect Aaron Rodgers’ blindside for the next decade. It’s a smart, safe choice, one that would pay off both now and in the long term.

24. Philadelphia Eagles – Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan. The Eagles’ linebacking corps, as a whole, took a step back last season. Injuries played a part in that, of course, but still, Philly needs to reinforce the position. Over his last three seasons at Michigan, Graham averaged over nine sacks a season, with ever-improving tackle numbers. He’s got short arms, yes, but he’s also a hard-worker who comes at you on every play. Philly fans will love this guy.

25. Baltimore Ravens – Damian Williams, WR, USC. One thing struck me, more than anything, about the Ravens during last season’s Monday night game with the Pack: Their near total lack of playmakers on offense, outside of Ray Rice. That needs to change if they are ever going to make a serious run at a Super Bowl. Williams isn’t the biggest receiver at just 6-feet, 1-inch, but has very good speed and recorded over 1,000 yards receiving for the Trojans last year.

26. Arizona Cardinals – Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU. If Karlos Dansby is re-signed (and he should be), the Cards are fine at inside linebacker. They still need help on the outside, though, where Clark Haggans and Chike Okeafor are merely decent. Hughes played defensive end in college, but at 257 pounds, he’ll be moved to OLB in the pros. With 26 sacks over his final two years at TCU, he’s shown a knack for getting to the quarterback.

27. Dallas Cowboys – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma. In their playoff loss to Minnesota, the Cowboys showed their weaknesses along the o-line. Flozell Adams, for all the hype and money, just isn’t very consistent in pass protection. Plus, he’s getting older, so the team needs to upgrade there, at least for the future. Williams would have gone much higher if not for his subpar 2009 season, but he still has a lot of tools and could be a good pro, if he regains his 2008 form.

28. San Diego Chargers – Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama. At first glance, this pick could be surprising. After all, the Chargers have Jamal Williams at nose tackle and he is one of the best in the league. However, Williams turns 33 in April and is coming off a torn triceps injury that caused him to miss most of last season. They need a future and “Mount Cody” could be just that, provided he stays motivated and keeps his weight down.

29. New York Jets – Ricky Sapp, DE/OLB, Clemson. It’s time for New York to just suck it up and admit that Vernon Gholston is a bust. That being the case, the J-E-T-S need someone to go opposite Calvin Pace at OLB. Sapp was never 100 percent, health-wise, last year, yet he still finished with five sacks. Once back at 100 percent, he could become the pass rushing threat New York’s defense needs to become great.

30. Minnesota Vikings – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State. Antoine Winfield is still very good, but also getting up there in age. Cedric Griffin is steadily improving, but could miss the first six weeks due to his torn ACL suffered in the NFC Championship Game. Wilson is a bit small at 5-feet, 9-inches, but is an aggressive, playmaking corner. He wouldn’t be forced to matchup against great players right away, allowing him to learn the game. In time, he could be very, very good.

31. Indianapolis Colts – Carlos Dunlap, DT, Florida. I said before last year’s draft and I’ll say it again now: Yes, the Colts have two great ends in Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. Between them? Not much. Indy needs to upgrade at tackle and it must do so this season to lessen the strain on the two outstanding ends. There are some questions surrounding Dunlap (lack of motivation and a DUI arrest in particular). But he’s also had nine sacks in each of the past two seasons and can play tackle or end (in the event Freeney or Mathis gets hurt)

32. New Orleans Saints – Taylor Mays, S, USC. Before last season, it would have been unthinkable to have Mays this low. But a bad 2009 season (just one interception) and doubts about his ceiling land him here. With Darren Sharper getting older, the Saints need future insurance and Mays brings great value at this spot.

-Chris Lempesis

And the final score will be 34-24.

And the Super Bowl MVP will be not Peyton Manning, but Dallas Clark.

And he will have 9 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns.

It’s to no one’s surprise that I picked the Colt’s after I admitted to the world my man crush on Peyton Manning.  I am [...]]]> The Indianapolis Colts.

And the final score will be 34-24.

And the Super Bowl MVP will be not Peyton Manning, but Dallas Clark.

And he will have 9 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns.

It’s to no one’s surprise that I picked the Colt’s after I admitted to the world my man crush on Peyton Manning.  I am actually a little surprised that Chris didn’t try to make up his Nostradamus-like pick of his Tennessee Titans by going with the Saints and hoping for the best.  To have the record show, prior to the year in a small circle amongst friends, including Chris, I picked the Colts to win the Super Bowl and the Titans to miss the playoffs entirely.  Being the unified voice that OBOD is, we went the Titans and I am still shaking my head to this moment.

After reading the Super Bowl previews from both Chris and Gene, there really isn’t anything left for me to say that they didn’t cover.  Both did bang-up jobs of breaking down the game (eat your heart out Peter King), so I am going to try to pick up a couple table scraps and explain why I think the Colts win by two scores that doesn’t involve Manning.

First, who is going to cover Dallas Clark?  If Visanthe Shiancoe gave the Saints problems last week, Clark could be an absolute nightmare tonight.  Reggie Wayne steals a lot of the attention, but it is basically Clark, not Wayne, who has replaced Marvin Harrison.  Check out these identical stats.

Wayne: 100 rec, 1264 yards, 12.6 avg, 10 TD

Clark:  100 rec, 1106 yards, 11.1 avg, 10 TD

Jabari Greer can probably hold his own against Wayne, but it is Clark who will present a tremendous matchup problem for Gregg Williams.  The X-factor is Darren Sharper.  He may be the best Clark-kryptonite the Saints have, but he will then be forced to leave his ball-hawking centerfield position in game where turnovers will be critical for a Saints upset.

My second point why the Colts will win is the running game.  A lot of Manning’s success comes from playaction.  I expect the Colts to coming out running, not passing early.  Looking beyond his fumbles, Adrian “All Thumbs” Peterson ripped up the Saints run defense pretty good a couple weeks ago.  Joseph Addai is not Peterson, but Manning is not Brett Favre.  The Colts don’t need a 140 yards from Addai, but more like 75 yards, enough to get the playaction going.  If they are successful with that the Saints secondary will be on their heels the whole game.

On the flip side, Pierre Thomas could be the key for a Saints upset.  The Colts defense is predicated on speed, which in my opinion will make Reggie Bush a non-factor.  But what if the Saints come out and pound the ball with Thomas right at Dwight Freeney and Raheem Brock?  The Colts are not great against the run (24th in the NFL), but have righted the ship some in the playoffs.  However, the Colts have to respect Drew Brees, unlike Joe Flacco or Mark Sanchez.  The Saints cannot go conservative like they did against the Vikings, but if they success running the ball, it could give Brees enough time to exploit any mismatches down field.

I do believe the Saints can win and as it should, the game will rest of the shoulders of their best player, Brees.  However, actually winning is a different story.  Brees will play well, but I think Manning plays better.  Either an early turnover or the Saints inability to get Manning off the field will lead to an early hole for the Saints, which will feel like the abyss against Manning.  Chris is right saying that if the Saints force a shootout they have a chance because they are best-equipped team in the league in playing from behind.  However, on the other side ol’ corral is Manning, who will have just one more round in the chamber than Brees.

-Adam Somers

–Adam’s piece on changing your view of Peyton Manning really resonated with me. I’ve always been a Manning hater, but as the Colts have made this Super Bowl run, I’ve found myself less and less bothered by him. Here’s why: In Manning’s last Super Bowl, I [...]]]> First, let’s get a few things out of the way:

–Adam’s piece on changing your view of Peyton Manning really resonated with me. I’ve always been a Manning hater, but as the Colts have made this Super Bowl run, I’ve found myself less and less bothered by him. Here’s why: In Manning’s last Super Bowl, I was clinging to the small hope that he wouldn’t pass Brett Favre in the record books and unseat him as the greatest quarterback of all time. Well, when Favre went turncoat on us, my view on quarterback legacies was returned to a saner realm, and I realized that Favre cannot compete with Manning, or a handful of other quarterbacks, for the title of greatest ever. He’s probably in the top five, but his playoff follies knock him to the edge of that list, and Manning has a chance to blast all of his records. Manning’s a better quarterback than Favre. That distinction is only going to get clearer. And I’m OK with that now.

–That said, if you’re a Packers fan, you should root for the Saints for several reasons. First, we owe them — really, the entire nation owes them — a debt of gratitude for sparing us two weeks of “the Brett Favre fairytale,” and ending that farce in such hilarious fashion. Well, maybe they were bumming in Bristol, Conn. But if Manning burnished his legacy two Sundays ago, Favre shot another hole in his. Second, I’m a firm believer in rooting for the NFC team, unless there’s a legitimate reason not to (like if the Vikings, Bears, Cowboys or Lio…OK, maybe only the first two scenarios are possible). Third, the city of New Orleans deserves it.

–Side note: If you’re the Saints, and you win, do you say, “Screw it, we’re not going to visit Obama. We’re taking this thing to Crawford, Texas, and celebrating on W’s front lawn. And then when he comes out, we say to him, ‘You left our city for dead, but look at us now!’” Just a thought…

–And one more thing: I know it’s the Colts, and I know it’s Miami again, but this Super Bowl halftime show has NO CHANCE of being as cool as the last Colts-in-Miami halftime show. Prince, in the rain, playing “Purple Rain?” Come on. I love “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” but nothing The Who does tomorrow will measure up to that. Although, there is a little humor in the fact that Prince wrote that God-awful song for the Vikings (I’m not linking to it, because I like Prince too much to acknowledge its existence), and now his adopted team fell short of making it to the stadium where Prince put on the second-greatest Super Bowl halftime show of my life (just behind U2, just ahead of Michael Jackson).

OK, enough of my Bill Simmons impersonation. On to the game:

The key to beating the Colts, obviously, is controlling Peyton Manning, and as Chris said, the teams that have done that usually have done it by disguising coverages and confusing Manning at the line. The Patriots have done it in the past, and the Packers did it last season. But it’s going to mean a Saints secondary with depth issues playing above their heads for four quarters. This is where Darren Sharper comes in; he’s best when he’s unpredictable, and him being unpredictable is going to be a big part of the Saints’ game plan. If they can create a couple turnovers, it’s conceivable the Saints might have enough leeway to keep up with the Colts.

And I’ll agree with Chris again as it relates to the Saints’ offense. I don’t know why a team that prides itself on aggressiveness became so conservative in the NFC Championship Game (maybe too much time with Brad Childress polluted Sean Peyton’s brain?). But that can’t happen again in the Super Bowl. They need to stay aggressive against the Colts and keep the pressure on Manning to answer. They don’t have the luxury of playing a quarterback as mistake-prone as Favre, and they won’t be able to afford the long lulls in production they had against the Vikings.

It’s going to be an entertaining game, but in the end, I don’t think the Saints have enough defensively to stop Manning.

Final score: Colts 31, Saints 27.

–Gene Bosling

Soon, there will be no more hype. No more injury reports. No more analysis. No more rumors of some band claiming to call themselves The Who playing the halftime show.

Seriously, fellas, you need to stop. You’re killing all of us.

Soon, Super Bowl XLIV will be upon us, with the Indianapolis Colts [...]]]> At last, it’s almost here.

Soon, there will be no more hype. No more injury reports. No more analysis. No more rumors of some band claiming to call themselves The Who playing the halftime show.

Seriously, fellas, you need to stop. You’re killing all of us.

Soon, Super Bowl XLIV will be upon us, with the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints battling it out to determine the world champions. But, since it’s not quite time yet, I figured I’d weigh in with my thoughts on the game. There’s a good chance Adam and Gene will give their respective thoughts and predictions rather shortly, so make sure to check back for those.

(Quick aside: You might have noticed that I stopped doing the weekly “Breaking down…” posts right after the week of the Cowboys game, way back in mid-November. The reason for that was simple: The Packers were on a winning streak. And you don’t you-know-what with a winning streak. Like I’ve said before, I’m superstitious to an astounding degree.)

Since pretty much everyone on the planet is picking the Colts – currently a five-point favorite the last time I checked – I’m going to use this post to try and answer a simple question: How do the Saints go about winning Sunday?

When I really looked at it, I came up with the following five things (my prediction for the game will follow):

1. Blitz Peyton Manning sparingly, if at all. Yes, yes – I know this goes against the standard football logic that says you have to pressure a great quarterback if you want to throw him off his game. But with the way Manning’s playing, you have to throw that logic out the window. Instead, the Saints need to take a page out of – brace yourselves – Bob Sanders’ playbook. Shocking, I know, but remember what Sanders did against Manning last season while he was still defensive coordinator of the Packers? He did what he always did: Swept four and dropped seven into coverage (with very little blitzing). It worked perfectly as Manning was never quite comfortable with all those defenders roaming in the secondary. Manning finished just 21-of-42 for 229 yards, with no touchdowns and two interceptions as Green Bay romped to a 34-14 win. With his lightening-fast delivery and knowledge of every blitz possible, Manning leaves you almost no chance to sack him, anyways. So you have to play the odds and throw as many bodies into coverage as you can and just hope someone makes a play. With players like Darren Sharper in their secondary, the Saints could do it.
2. Get physical with the receivers – very physical. Obviously, the Colts have a very good offense. But theirs is a finesse offense (as is the case with almost every dome team). This is especially true with regards to their receivers. Again, they’re very good, but I don’t see much physicality in that group. So you jam them, you press them – hell, you flat-out grab them off-the-snap if you have to. You might draw a penalty, yes, but you will also begin to frustrate them. That, in tune, will frustrate Manning (believe it or not, I still think that’s possible). The Colts are not necessarily a vertical offense; they rely heavily on short-and-intermediate stuff. Being physical with the pass-catchers cuts down on the timing you need to run those routes.
3. Do not let the Colts run the ball early on. This one’s simple: If the Colts can run early, Manning can playaction frequently. If that happens, game over.
4. Sean Payton: Don’t forget what got you here. Like everyone else, I was stunned at how conservative Payton became during the course of the NFC Championship Game. He took the ball out of Drew Brees’ hands and decided the Saints were going to become a ball-control offense. That’s not how the Saints won 13 games in the regular season and it almost caused them to lose to the Vikings. Get back to what you to best. Put Brees in the shotgun and let him wing it all over the yard. You’re going to need at least 35 points to win this one, Sean, and running on first-and-second down won’t do that for you.
5. Make Reggie Bush the focal point of your offense, especially early. With just nine total offensive touches for 41 yards (and a score), Bush was a glaring non-factor in the Vikings’ game. That can’t happen again Sunday. We can talk all we want about how Bush just hasn’t been the pro we all thought he’d be, but the fact remains: When he makes plays, the whole team is lifted (and opponents get the wind kicked out of them). He can break the game open Sunday, but he’ll need the ball way more than nine times for that to happen. The Saints should be aiming more for the 15-20 touch range and if that happens, you can almost guarantee Bush will break something.

Prediction

Unlike a lot of people, I really believe the Saints have a shot to win this one. After all, their offense is no shrinking violet and their defense, while certainly not great, can produce turnovers at key moments (see: the end of regulation in the Vikings’ game). With the way the Colts are playing, that might just be the only formula you can beat them with: Score, score, score and just hope for a turnover at some point. The Jets tried a gameplan based around running and defense and it worked – for less than a half. The Saints have to be thinking shootout. The only problem there is…

You’re getting into a shootout with, arguably, the greatest quarterback ever – which I think Manning becomes with a win Sunday – playing the best ball of his career. Everytime I look at this game, that’s all I keep coming back to: He’s one win away from possibly being the best ever. How does he let that moment pass him by? Sure, he’s had some playoff stinkers in the past, but he’s just so close now. And when the great ones are that close, they usually don’t slip up.

And Manning won’t slip Sunday.

Prediction: Indianapolis Colts 38, New Orleans Saints 31

-Chris Lempesis

Without further adieu, here’s part two. Hey, that rhymed!

Also, I’ve decided to run this part as defense only. Including the special teams players here would make this post far too long for you guys to read all at once. The special teams section will be up later today (I promise).

Again, [...]]]> Alright, hope y’all enjoyed part one.

Without further adieu, here’s part two. Hey, that rhymed!

Also, I’ve decided to run this part as defense only. Including the special teams players here would make this post far too long for you guys to read all at once. The special teams section will be up later today (I promise).

Again, enjoy.

Defensive end: Aaron Kampman (2002-Present). Remember when Kampman almost became a Viking? Many forget this now, but Kampman signed an offer sheet with Minnesota after the 2004 season. Good thing Ted Thompson decided to match it as Kampman blossomed into one of the league’s best pass rushers soon thereafter. From 2005-2008, he recorded 43.5 sacks, one of the top totals in the league for that span of time. He was equally strong playing the run, making him perhaps the NFL’s best all-around end for awhile there (he earned two Pro Bowl berths, as well). His experiment at outside linebacker in the 3-4 played to mixed results, to say the least, and there’s a good chance Kampman’s time in Green Bay is over. Decade stats: 112 games, 320 tackles, 54 sacks, 11 forced fumbles

Defensive end: Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (2000-2008). The man with the wild name (shortened to, simply, KGB by most fans) brought a pass-rushing ability equally as crazy. Never the largest defensive end at just 255 pounds, KGB was blessed with a rare combination of speed and moves that allowed him to wreak havoc on oppposing tackles. From 2001-2004, KGB recorded 49 sacks (and went to the Pro Bowl in 2003). He was never quite the same after the team tried turning him into an every-down end (a foolish move, if there ever was one), but he still managed some solid seasons and ultimately finished as the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks. Decade stats: 124 games, 220 tackles, 74.5 sacks, 17 forced fumbles

Defensive tackle: Ryan Pickett (2006-Present). Pickett (or “Big Pick”, as I like to call him) was Thompson’s first big-time free agent signing back in 2006. Pretty good move on that one as Pickett has been a big-time cog in Green Bay’s defensive line during his time there. Pickett provides most of his value in run support, tying up blockers so other players are free. He’s provided extra value in that he’s almost always willing to play through injuries with little drop-off in performance. He also proved the doubters wrong by being more than able to hold up as a two-gap nose tackle in the 3-4. Hopefully that extension gets done soon so we can have him around awhile more. Decade stats: 58 games, 109 tackles, 2.5 sacks

Defensive tackle: Grady Jackson (2003-2005). His time as a Packer was oh-so-short, but while he was one, Jackson was pretty damn valuable. His massive size (listed at 345 pounds, but likely a burger away from 355) provided Green Bay with a player who almost always had to be double-teamed (pity the team who didn’t). The Packers were extremely tough to run on when Jackson was in the lineup. Jackson was also a fairly good pass-rusher. Would have been nice to see him stick around a little longer, but it was fun while it lasted. Decade stats: 34 games, 72 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles

Outside linebacker: Nate Wayne (2000-2002). Wayne, like Jackson, wasn’t in Green Bay for long. But also like Jackson, Wayne was good while he was there. While Wayne made his living playing under the lights in primetime games, he was also pretty good in plain ol’ regular games. Wayne was a do-everything linebacker. He led the team in tackles in 2002 and finished second in 2000, but he could also rush the passer and hold his own in coverage. Often forgotten by many fans, Wayne was perhaps the best outside linebacker the team had for the decade. Decade stats: 44 games, 204 tackles, 10 sacks, six interceptions, five fumbles recovered

Outside linebacker: A.J. Hawk (2006-Present). Hawk’s inclusion on this list speaks more to the team’s true lack of talent at the position for the past 10 years than it does for his actual play (but hey, I had to put someone here, right?). The flaws in his game are well-documented, but there have been some moments where Hawk has shown why he was the fifth pick of the 2006 draft, whether it’s stuffing a runner behind the line or making a nice play in coverage. If only he could do it more. Decade stats: 63 games, 294 tackles, 8.5 sacks, five interceptions

Middle linebacker: Nick Barnett (2003-Present). Okay, so he jumped the wrong route on fourth-and-26. Forget all that. Instead, focus on the fact that Barnett has consistently been a strong (if never truly great) presence at the position ever since his arrival. A true sideline-to-sideline ‘backer, Barnett can make plays at almost any point within the first two levels of defense. He is the unquestioned leader of the defense, providing a fiery inspiration that was sometimes lacking on the unit. Has never been to a Pro Bowl, but was flat-out robbed of a spot in 2007 (102 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions). Holds numerous team records already, including most tackles in a season (194 in 2005) and most seasons leading the team in tackles (five). Should be around for quite some time to come. Decade stats: 103 games, 559 tackles, 15.5 sacks, nine interceptions

Cornerback: Al Harris (2003-Present). Mike Sherman didn’t make many good moves as a general manager, but trading a second-round pick for Harris in 2003 was certainly one of them. From day one in Green Bay, Harris has been a top-flight corner (Chad Ochocinco once said Harris was maybe the best in the league, for example). Sure, he’s struggled in some big games, but the rest of the time, he’s been pretty damn outstanding. A physical, bump-and-run specialist, Harris was great at throwing some of the best in the league off their game (also earning him two Pro Bowl berths). His dreads and flair for the dramatic (I’ll take “Wild Card Games Against Seattle in 2004, Alex”) have made him a fan favorite. Don’t fret too much about his ACL injury, fans – he’ll be back. Decade stats: 102 games, 269 tackles, 14 interceptions, four sacks, two defensive touchdowns

Cornerback: Charles Woodson (2006-Present). Following the 2005 season, Woodson wanted to play anywhere but Green Bay. The Packers were the only team willing to make him a legitimate offer, though, so he begrudgingly came on board. Worked out well, I’d say. Woodson has turned into an elite defensive player since arriving in Green Bay (and he was pretty good before he got there). Zone. Bump-and-run. It doesn’t matter to Woodson. After spending three years terrorizing quarterbacks in the old 4-3 scheme, Woodson put up his “Sgt. Pepper’s” year in 2009 playing out of the new 3-4 set. The rest of the league took notice as Woodson was voted 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, capping off quite a transformation as the guy who didn’t want to be a Packer became a massive fan favorite. Decade stats: 62 games, 223 tackles, 28 interceptions, six sacks, nine forced fumbles, seven defensive touchdowns

Strong safety: Atari Bigby (2005-Present). Remember what I said about Hawk? Well, same goes for Bigby as he makes this list almost by default (what, you thought I’d put Mark Roman on here?). That is not to say Bigby’s a bad player. He’s certainly had his moments of greatness (the entire 2007 season, for example). He’s a tremendously hard hitter who can be pretty good in coverage when his head is on straight. Injuries have been his major downfall. Will likely get one more shot to prove his worth and there’s at least a chance he’ll do it. Decade stats: 42 games, 121 tackles, 10 interceptions, three forced fumbles

Free safety: Darren Sharper (2000-2004). The “Sharper vs. Nick Collins” decision was one of the toughest I had in putting together this team. Ultimately, I went with Sharper because his numbers were bigger and his impact was more consistent. Time makes us forget things and I had definitely forgotten just how great Sharper was as a Packer. He was amazingly intelligent in coverage in terms of figuring out where the ball was going. From there, he let his athleticism take over in order to close quickly and make the play. He earned two Pro Bowl spots (and one All-Pro spot) during his time in Green Bay. His large salary and a focus on rebuilding led to his release after 2004. Sharper’s kept his play up and we’ll all see him on the big stage come Sunday. Decade stats: 75 games, 324 tackles, 31 interceptions, five sacks,five forced fumbles, three defensive touchdowns

Again, check back later today for part three.

-Chris Lempesis

Let’s cut to the chase. Here [...]]]> (Before we begin: Just to reiterate, if you’re worried this is it for OBOD’s offseason coverage, don’t be. We’ll be all over free agency when it starts and we’re already busy researching for the draft and we’ll be beginning our coverage of that soon enough. Three words: Mock drafts, baby!)

Let’s cut to the chase. Here is part two of our look at some potential free agent targets for Green Bay (scroll down a bit for part one).

Again, enjoy.

3. Strong safety – As I said earlier this week, I think Atari Bigby showed just enough flashes to warrant one more shot as the starter in the 3-4. He likely comes back on another one-year tender, but if the team decides to upgrade, it will have some very intriguing options. New Orleans’ Roman Harper, just 27, had a very good season (103 tackles, two forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks) playing opposite a ballhawking free safety in Darren Sharper. Well, the Packers certainly have one of those in Nick Collins. Indianapolis’ Antoine Bethea is perenially underrated, but has averaged around 87 tackles and three interceptions in his four years in the league. He’s restricted and, at just 25 years old, could command a high tender. Since the Packers are clearly in love with the way the Steelers do things on defense, Pittsburgh’s Ryan Clark could be a nice fit. He’s basically the same player as Bigby, but Clark is better in coverage. He’s 30 years old and has had some injury problems, but would definitely be an upgrade. Baltimore’s Dawan Landry, 27, is a restricted free agent who had a nice season, with or without Ed Reed in the lineup (89 tackles, four interceptions). If Reed makes good on his threat to retire, Baltimore likely locks Landry up long-term. Finally, Cleveland’s Brodney Pool had a good 2009 season with 50 tackles, four picks and 10 passes defended in just 11 games. Problem with Pool, though, is that he was put on injured reserve in early December due to multiple concussions. He’ll be restricted, but if the Browns decide to just let him go in fear of those concussions, he could make for an intriguing – and cheap – option. Side note: Pool was the player I wanted Green Bay to pick with its first-rounder in 2005. Good thing the Packers didn’t, eh?

4. Defensive line – If Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly both return (and I think they will), those two – along with Cullen Jenkins and B.J. Raji – could make for a solid d-line next season. The one problem, though, is that there isn’t much behind those four, meaning all of them have to stay healthy or else the remaining players get overworked. The Packers need one more guy to make that group formidable, and the odds are good that Ted Thompson uses the draft to find him (in, say, the third round). But if he opts for free agency, there are some players who’d be a nice fit. Pittsburgh’s Casey Hampton is getting older (he’ll be 33 by the time next season starts), but still competes at a very high level. He put up 43 tackles and 2.5 sacks, a lot from a 3-4 nose tackle. He’s only got a few years left, so he could be had at a reasonable rate. San Francisco’s Aubrayo Franklin, also a nose tackle, was outstanding this past season (36 tackles, two sacks) as the anchor of the Niners’ defense. He eats up blocks, doesn’t turn 30 until August and would instantly make Green Bay’s linebackers better. Only problem with him is that he’s a near-lock to be hit with the franchise tag, meaning he’d cost two first-round picks in addition to a big contract. If the Packers are in search of a defensive end, Dallas’ Marcus Spears would be a nice fit. His numbers aren’t overly impressive (25 tackles, 2.5 sacks last season) but he’s strong as a bull, can occupy blocks and turns just 27 in March. He’ll be restricted, so he’ll likely cost a bit (maybe a second-rounder). New England’s Derrick Burgess, obviously, has experience as an end in the 3-4. He’s a bit undersized – just 260 pounds, light for a 3-4 end – but recorded five sacks at the spot for the Pats last season. He’s older, turning 32 in August, so he could be had for a decent, short-term rate.

5. Punter – As I said earlier in the week, Jeremy Kapinos is pretty much awful and provides no help in winning the field position battle. Green Bay should just let him go and try to find an actual punter (for the first time, seemingly, in forever). We all remember Seattle’s Jon Ryan, of course, only now Ryan is actually pretty good (and still only 28 years old). Baltimore’s Sam Koch and Atlanta’s Michael Koenen are both under 30, as well, and both in the prime of their careers. Chicago’s Brad Maynard is still outstanding, despite being nearly 36. Did I dedicate enough space to punters? More than enough, I’d say.

6. Kicker – The Packers seem dead-set on bringing Mason Crosby back, although they are likely to bring in legitimate competition (thank God). They’ll likely take a kicker late in the draft or bring in an unsigned free agent or two. But if they decided to go get an actual, established kicker, there will be some options. Cincinnati’s Shayne Graham is as steady as they come and, at 32, should still have a few years left. New England’s Stephen Gostkowski and Pittsburgh’s Jeff Reed are both solid, if unspectacular, kickers who have experience kicking in crappy weather. Gostkowski is only 26, so he’d be a better target than the soon-to-be-31-year old Reed (plus, Reed seems to really like his booze, potentially a disaster in Green Bay). Did I dedicate enough space to kickers? WAY more than enough, I’d say.

7. Outside linebacker – The Packers appear to be set for the long haul at the position with Clay Matthews and Brad Jones (yet another seventh-round steal by the Pack). Still, if Brady Poppinga is cut (like I hope), Aaron Kampman isn’t re-signed (like I suspect) and Jeremy Thompson retires due to his neck problems (like I fear), the Packers could be short-handed in terms of depth. Thompson likely drafts a guy late – why not if you hit on Jones late last season, right? – but he should also target a veteran presence. Kansas City’s Mike Vrabel would be a perfect fit, despite the fact that he turns 35 in August. Plus, that’d give the Packers two linebackers who can catch touchdowns (Vrabel and Spencer Havner). That’d be kinda cool.

That concludes our week-long look at Green Bay’s post-season, pre-draft to-do list. Thanks for checking back throughout the week and I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Or, at the very least, hopefully I allowed you to kill some time at work.

-Chris Lempesis