[GregJennings]

Some of these are going to be tough to call. I'll just give my best guess at this time as to what will happen.


Aaron Rodgers - Quality starter
Ryan Grant - Quality starter
Quinn Johnson/whoever wins - Quality starter

Greg Jennings - Quality starter
Donald Driver - Quality starter
Donald Lee or Finley - Quality starter

Chad Clifton - Quality starter
Darryn Colledge - Quality starter
Jason Spitz - Quality starter
Josh Sitton - I'm going to say quality starter
Barbre/Giacomini/Lang - I'm going to say quality starter (call me crazy, but I have confidence that TT has a guy in the fold)


I honestly think the offense is going to be balanced across the board. They should be able to attack in any and every way. I'm going to say they are a top 5 offense (points and yards) in 2009.


Al Harris - Quality starter
Charles Woodson - Quality starter
Nick Collins - Quality starter
Bigby, Smith, Rouse - I'm going to say we get a quality starter out of the group

Aaron Kampman - Quality starter
AJ Hawk - Quality starter
Barnett/Bishop/Chillar - I'm going to say we get one serviceable player. Maybe not quality, but servicable
Thompson/Matthews - I'm going to say we have some struggles in coverage here. Maybe a quality guy, but too young

Jenkins - Quality starter
Pickett - Quality starter
Raji - Quality starter


On defense, I think our linebacker corp is a little suspect. I could see us struggling a little bit in coverage. I think our run defense should be really good. I think our pass rush should be really good. I just think we're going to have in consistent moments. I'll call them a top 12 defense (just better than average)



Top 5 offense + top 12 defense / 2 = 8.5 (I think we'll be the 9th best team in the NFL).

So they're the 5th best team in the NFC. That makes them a borderline playoff team. They should battle hard for the division. I think it's going to be an exciting year. I just don't see many glaring weaknesses and I think they have enough star power to win a lot of games. If their ST's is great, the sky is the limit. If their ST's struggles, it could get ugly. Thompson has had more than enough time to build quality ST's depth. There is no excuse for another bad year on ST's.

I really think this is the Packers year. I like this team as much as I liked the 2007 team going in, maybe more. Last year I was worried about the DL. This year I really don't have that worry at any position. Last year the ST's stunk which was a huge surprise to me. I'm hoping it was just one tough year. I think this team will be anywhere from average to great depending on ST's. I think I have a solid feel for the personnel on offense and defense.

[JimATX]

Right now it is obvious that RT is a position of concern because of the unknowns. I will add LT because of the inexperience behind Clifton. The rest of the team is solid enough to contend for the NFC-N title. After that, who knows what could happen.

[GregJennings]

If Cliffy goes down, I think there is a weak link. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but between Barbre and Giacomini, I think they're going to find a good one.

[Be_Here_Now]

its hard to say. although i'm optimistic about this season as well, you have to remember that EVERYONE on defense is a projection because of the new scheme. nobody has played in it before.

and for positions like TE for example, a guy like Lee or Finley might be good enough to be labeled a quality starter, but how do they compare to other starting TEs in the league?

[BFavre4MVP]

Verdict is out from the middle of the line to the right, in my opinion. Everyone, including most columnists from the JS, GBPG, and Wisconsin Journal, think that Spitz's transition to center will be easy. I always thought he was rather mediocre at guard, so I'm hoping they're right that the center position is a more natural fit for him.

Sitton has shown some ability, but battled injury much of last year, so I'm not comfortable calling him a sure thing. I'm most optimistic about finding a good one at right tackle between Barbre, Giacomini, and Lang, but to call whoever it is a "quality starter" yet is a stretch in my book.

As far as the defense is concerned, I feel good about the three starters we'll have on the line and at the LB spots, save the Matthews/Thompson/Poppinga spot, but we should be fine there.

I'm worried about the return of Bigby because Rouse isn't consistent enough to start on a top defense. Smith could be a big signing there if Bigby starts slow or can't find his groove.

Everywhere else, I agree. There's a lot of quality players on this team, especially if we stay healthy.

[BFavre4MVP]

its hard to say. although i'm optimistic about this season as well, you have to remember that EVERYONE on defense is a projection because of the new scheme. nobody has played in it before.

and for positions like TE for example, a guy like Lee or Finley might be good enough to be labeled a quality starter, but how do they compare to other starting TEs in the league?

You bring up a good point. However, we have a great core of football players on the defense, meaning guys that will excel regardless of the scheme they're playing in. I count Woodson, Harris, Kampman, and Jenkins among those players. The one I'm most interested to watch is Barnett. For years people have been questioning his size, his instincts, his speed, his tendency to over pursue and the like, but he clearly has a good amount of ability and took on a role as a fiery, emotional leader for the defense in recent seasons. Let's hope he adapts to the scheme well.

[JASIII]

My take:


Aaron Rodgers - Quality starter
Ryan Grant - Quality starter
Quinn Johnson/whoever wins - Too early to say. Big, big potential with Johnson. Vets have been only adequate, and barely

Greg Jennings - Quality starter
Donald Driver - Quality starter
Donald Lee or Finley - Merely adequate starter, no better than average. Not what I would call 'quality'

Chad Clifton - Quality starter
Darryn Colledge - Quality starter
Jason Spitz - Too early to call him a Quality starter
Josh Sitton - Too early to call him a Quality starter
Barbre/Giacomini/Lang - Position of concern! Lack of experience!




Al Harris - Quality starter
Charles Woodson - Quality starter
Nick Collins - Quality starter
Bigby, Smith, Rouse - If Bigby is healthy and returns to form, he's quality, otherwise NO

Aaron Kampman - Quality starter
AJ Hawk - Quality starter
Barnett - Quality starter
Thompson/Matthews - Good chance we get quality here, hard to say yet.
Jenkins - Quality starter
Pickett - Quality starter
Raji - Quality starter



My outlook is not quite as optimistic as the OP, but I think it's a good enough team to win the division

[diesel]

My take:


Aaron Rodgers - Quality starter
Ryan Grant - Quality starter
Quinn Johnson/whoever wins - Too early to say. Big, big potential with Johnson. Vets have been only adequate, and barely

Greg Jennings - Quality starter
Donald Driver - Quality starter
Donald Lee or Finley - Merely adequate starter, no better than average. Not what I would call 'quality'

Chad Clifton - Quality starter
Darryn Colledge - Quality starter
Jason Spitz - Too early to call him a Quality starter
Josh Sitton - Too early to call him a Quality starter
Barbre/Giacomini/Lang - Position of concern! Lack of experience!




Al Harris - Quality starter
Charles Woodson - Quality starter
Nick Collins - Quality starter
Bigby, Smith, Rouse - If Bigby is healthy and returns to form, he's quality, otherwise NO

Aaron Kampman - Quality starter
AJ Hawk - Quality starter
Barnett - Quality starter
Thompson/Matthews - Good chance we get quality here, hard to say yet.
Jenkins - Quality starter
Pickett - Quality starter
Raji - Quality starter



My outlook is not quite as optimistic as the OP, but I think it's a good enough team to win the division

Good anaysis. I might question Grant's status as a quality starter. Hopefully he is injury free and returns to his 2007 form. 3.9 yrd per carry last year needs to improve. Jelling of O-line could help that as well.

[ammek]

Poppinga is missing from your roster.

Labeling the likes of Sitton and Raji as 'quality starters' when they have no NFL experience shows how meaningless this exercise is. It's OK to feel good about the coming year — that's what the offseason is about. But this team has a lot of question marks, and the 2009 record will depend on how well the coaches identify and address them. I hope they do a better job.