Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Green Bay's defensive changes
By Tim Kavanagh
After the Green Bay Packers were manhandled by the San Francisco 49ers in their postseason matchup -- including the Niners generating 323 rushing yards -- there were some who wondered whether Green Bay would bring back DC Dom Capers for 2013, or move on to another option.
As of this week, it appears we can put that speculation to rest.
"I have complete confidence in our coaching staff," Packers GM Ted Thompson declared when interviewed down at the Senior Bowl on Monday, via the Journal Sentinel.
So if Capers (and his scheme) isn't the problem, what will change? Well, having D-lineman Jerel Worthy back on the field will be good, though it's unclear exactly when that will be. Worthy underwent surgery for an ACL injury this past week, and that could push his return date beyond the start of the regular season. As a result, this could be another offseason where the Packers look to bolster their front-seven via the draft and potentially some pieces in free agency. In truth, the Packers have not been a team that generally targets the big names in free agency, but rather fills in here and there.
The good news is that this year's draft class is renowned to be heavy on players that can bolster a team's defensive line. Whether that's the direction the Packers take early on is unknown, but it certainly wouldn't be a surprise if that's the choice on opening night of the draft.
