D.J. Smith was signed today by the San Diego Chargers.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Reports today confirmed that D.J. Smith, the Green Bay Packers former linebacker by less than 24 hours, had found a new home.

The San Diego Chargers signed Smith today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

The Packers waived Smith yesterday because of a failed physical, but reports weren’t clear on whether Smith was claimed by the Chargers by the 3 p.m. CDT deadline or whether he had passed through waivers and was signed by San Diego.

But one thing is for certain – Smith won’t be wearing the #51 Green and Gold jersey anymore. After suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament last October, nobody was really sure if he would make it back with the Packers, especially after the Packers re-signed A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones this offseason. In addition, Desmond Bishop, another inside linebacker, is hoped to return at some point after he suffered a serious hamstring injury that also kept him off the field all of last season.

Smith, who was a sixth round pick by the Packers in 2011, was considered short for a linebacker, but was always around the football. In 22 games with Green Bay, he had 82 tackles. He also stepped into the starting role at inside linebacker last year when Bishop went down with his injury.

D.J. Smith was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of Appalachian State University. At just 5’11″ 239 pounds, Smith was highly overlooked in the draft, which allowed the Packers to get great value in him late in the draft.

In 2011 Smith appeared in all 16 games and even started three times. He totaled 32 tackles and picked off Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford on Thanksgiving day.

In 2012 Smith tore his ACL in the sixth game of the season against the Houston Texans. He started all six games he played in, in 2012 — he totaled 29 tackles and deflected 4 passes.

Many considered Smith the replacement for inside linebacker A.J. Hawk, who has struggled the last few seasons for the Packers.

However, in 2012 Hawk played very well for the majority of the year, especially after Smith went down. The Packers obviously trust Hawk enough to release Smith.

Smith’s agent said that the Packers told them they needed to “create some space for things that are coming.” He also stated that the Packers may be interested in brining Smith back at a later date.

his agent said that “a number of teams have already expressed interest in Smith.”

A possible destination for Smith would be Packers’ in-division rival the Minnesota Vikings, much to chagrin of Packer fans. The Vikings are in desperate need of linebacker help and they obviously know Smith pretty well.

The Packers also released running back Brandon Saine.

With the releasing of both Saine and Smith the Packers save about $1 million in cap space for 2013.

Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk (50) gestures before the snap against the San Diego Chargers during the first quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Green Bay Packers received a moderate surprise when Brad Jones re-signed on Thursday.

Jones, who had spent the better part of 2012 starting alongside A.J. Hawk at inside linebacker, had interest from as many as eight teams. With Green Bay negotiating a pay cut from Hawk and bringing back Robert Francois, it was generally believed Jones would leave for greener pastures. But Packers GM Ted Thompson was patient, and after the “stupid money” dried up, there was no better opportunity for Jones than a return to Green Bay.

Suddenly, the Packers find themselves with a logjam at inside linebacker. Desmond Bishop (hamstring) and D.J. Smith (ACL) return from injured reserve to challenge youngsters Jamari Lattimore and Terrell Manning along with the aforementioned Hawk, Jones, and Francois. Of that group of seven linebackers, five have started for Green Bay before.

As one might expect, there’s considerable uncertainty over which players will end up in the first unit.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman (5) looks for a receiver as Green Bay Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop (55) closes in at Lambeau Field. Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

Desmond Bishop has been Green Bay’s best inside linebacker when healthy. However, despite tearing his hamstring in the first week of the preseason, Bishop’s injury was severe enough to dissuade the Packers from using their IR return designation on him. Predictably, Bishop’s agent, Blake Baratz, has said Bishop is ahead of schedule in his recovery and should be ready for training camp. That remains to be seen, but Bishop is the team’s best option if he’s available.

Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk (50) puts pressure on Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker. Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

A.J. Hawk has been the whipping boy for fans, yet a coaches’ favorite for years now. While his play has never been spectacular, Hawk had one of his best seasons in 2012. It was largely for that reason that the Packers negotiated a cheaper deal rather than giving Hawk his outright release. At the time Hawk’s pay cut hit the newswire, it was assumed that he’d return to his spot on the first unit with the other inside linebackers competing for Bishop’s spot. Now with the speculation that Brad Jones returned for more money, one has to think Hawk’s spot is up for grabs as well.

Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Brad Jones (59) breaks up a pass to Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte. Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

The play of Brad Jones was one of the many pleasant developments of the 2012 season. After shifting between positions several times over his first few years, Jones finally found a home at inside linebacker. There, Jones’s superior coverage ability and athleticism allowed him to excel. After taking over for D.J. Smith following the Houston game, Jones played the most snaps of any linebacker. Most significantly, Jones became the inside linebacker in the nickel defense and was given the radio helmet for play call relay. While Bishop and Hawk are officially ahead on the depth chart, it would surprise me if Jones wasn’t starting come week 1.

Green Bay Packers linebacker D.J. Smith (51). Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The rest of the inside linebackers are muddled together. D.J. Smith, a late round pick due only to his 5-11 stature, was a reliable run defender and solid tackler in his first stint as starter. Smith struggled in coverage, however, and the team greatly improved when Jones took over for him following his ACL tear. Robert Francois has developed into an important special teams member, but hasn’t shown to be exceptional in any one area of defense. He’s a solid backup, but nothing more. Jamari Lattimore’s first two training camps invited several comparisons to a young Desmond Bishop, but like Bishop he won’t become a contributor until he becomes more consistent. Terrell Manning is the wildcard of the group. Ted Thompson traded up in the fifth round to acquire Manning. Had a stomach virus not knocked out his rookie year, Manning might have displaced Jones (who was still adjusting to the position at the time) for the slot behind Smith on the depth chart).

Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

With no clear frontrunners, and at least six players in contention, inside linebacker will host the most interesting position battle of training camp. While two may grab hold of the starting slots and never relinquish them, the specialized talents of the players may result in more situational use of the linebackers. Because of this, Brad Jones (best in coverage, experienced with play call duty) will probably find his way into the starting lineup. If he’s healthy, Bishop is not only the best overall player in the group but also the strongest complement to Jones. That would leave seven-year starter Hawk on the sidelines and perhaps place him on the market, but it’s too early to dig into that scenario.

Given the depth at inside linebacker, it’s not out of the realm of possibility defensive coordinator Dom Capers dusts off the old “Psycho” package to get more of these players on the field. Having the right linebackers on the field could help curtail the read-option which puzzled Green Bay last season.

Jason Hirschhorn covers the Green Bay Packers for Lombardi Ave. He has previously written for Hail to the Orange, College Hoops Net, Mocking the Draft, LiveBall Sports, and the List Universe. He is currently a senior writer for Beats Per Minute, an indie-music webzine. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JBHirschhorn.

Clay Matthews Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

It has been a rough start for the Packers as they prepare for a huge game tomorrow against the undefeated Texans. However, there have been three players this year that have gotten the job done for the Packers.

OLB Clay Matthews

Clay Matthews has once again been arguably the NFL’s best pass rusher as he has terrorized offensive lines once again this season. Matthews already has 8 sacks and is staying right up with JJ Watt as he tries to get the most sacks in the NFL this season. Matthews has been playing well in making his presence known. Matthews is one of the most scouted players in the NFL and  is once again the star pass rusher and part of the reason the Packers’ record is not worse.

WR Randall Cobb

Randall Cobb has gotten the chance to be more involved in the offense and he has done a great job being an effective receiver in the quick passing game.

Cobb has been targeted 25 times by Aaron Rodgers this season and he has 22 receptions out of those 25 targets. Cobb has been a big play machine for the Packers while still getting the job done as a return man. Cobb is averaging 27.3 yards per kick return and 11.5 yards per punt return with a touchdown. Cobb has been another bright spot in this disappointing start for the Packers this year.

D.J. Smith has played well for the Packers. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

ILB DJ Smith

DJ Smith has been a pleasant surprise on defense for the Packers as he has made a very solid pair in the middle of the Packers’ linebacking corps with AJ Hawk who has been the tackling machine.

DJ Smith has shut down the run and has also had a couple sacks on the season. DJ Smith also has gotten the job covering opposing receivers and  has 4 pass deflections and doing exactly what is necessary.

Aug 16, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Adonis Thomas (35) loses his helmet after getting tackled by Green Bay Packers cornerback Brandian Ross (39) in the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE

Remember, it’s only preseason … Remember, it’s only preseason … Remember, it’s only preseason … Remember, it’s only preseason … 

That’s what we have to keep repeating.

It doesn’t count in the record books and thank God that’s the reality. But we still have to look at the 35-10 shellacking the Packers took from the Cleveland Browns Thursday night as disconcerting.

It is only the second time the Packers have started 0-2 in preseason during the Mike McCarthy regime … it’s very uncharacteristic for a McCarthy-coached team to look this bad.

Yeah, you can point to the injuries; you can point to the fact that most of the game was played by second-, third- and fourth-stringers; you can point to the fact that everyone made a mistake in this one – even McCarthy who was flagged 15 yards for throwing the challenge flag at the wrong time.

Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson (87) celebrates. Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE

Aside from the Aaron Rodgers-to-Jordy-Nelson connection for a touchdown in the first quarter, there wasn’t a whole lot to shout about. Though it’s a loss, again, it doesn’t count.

What we should be worried about is that it was a loss to the Cleveland Browns – yes, that same Browns team that has stunk up the league for the past decade. The question we must ask this morning is this: Are the Browns that good or are the Packers sinking to Cleveland’s level of badness?

What’s going to happen when the Packers play a really good team, like next week against the Bengals? Or when they open the season against the 49ers and then have to host the Bears?

Well, here are a few initial thoughts I’ve had this morning as I feel bad:

• Graham Harrell isn’t an NFL quarterback and Ted Thompson should have Mike Holmgren and Colt McCoy on speed dial;

• The running game, especially Alex Green, didn’t look all that bad last night;

• D.J. Smith is going to be an unsung hero for the Packers this year;

• Jordy Nelson is going to again lead the Packers in receiving this year;

• The second string offensive line is just that – offensive;

• The young players the Packers have in the secondary are energetic, talented and getting ready for prime time. However, they are very green;

• I can’t wait to see what Cedric Benson can do in this offense;

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb had a rough night.Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE

• Randall Cobb isn’t standing out like everyone said he would be and his fumble in the first quarter was inexcusable;

• Charles Woodson is again going to be a huge factor for the defense;

• Where was Nick Perry?; and

Remember, it’s only preseason … Remember, it’s only preseason … Remember, it’s only preseason … Remember, it’s only preseason …

With the loss of Desmond Bishop, it's time for D.J. Smith to make an impact. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

It looks like the Green Bay Packers have lost inside linebacker Desmond Bishop for most of the season, if not the entire 2012 campaign.

The little known, big hitting Bishop was vastly underrated, but a huge value to the Packers’ defense. No doubt, the players, coaches and fans will miss him.

But it’s time to face reality and look ahead, folks. We’ve been down this road before – when your best player at a position goes down and the next guy has to be plugged in and ready to go. So, where is it we go from here?

D.J. Smith.

He’s the next guy up.

If there’s a player poised to make some noise and take full advantage of the opportunity, it’s Smith.

Remember last year when both Hawk and Bishop sat with injuries and it was Smith and Robert Francois who came in and lit the place with inspired play? Well, it’s time again for Smith.

I feel he will shine. Whenever he enters a game, something happens. The guy is constantly around the ball and is constantly making big plays. Some say his height is a huge disadvantage. Maybe so. It might hinder his coverage skills, but he brings more than that to the table. He finds the creases, sheds blocks and seems to always get to the ball. I like that and I think Packers fans will quickly take to his brand of play.

That’s why I think he’s going to step in and become the next Packers’ unsung hero.

The opportunity is there. I feel Smith is the one to seize it.

In the meantime, we wish Bishop a speedy recovery because despite all that Smith will bring, the Packers need Bishop on the field.

As a side note, the injury to Bishop also makes it a lock that his inside partner, A.J. Hawk, will stay with the team. There are many who felt Hawk might be traded or even cut by the end of Training Camp. With Bishop out of the picture and the depth depleted, it’s almost certain that Hawk will be around when the Packers kick off against the San Francisco 49ers in the season opener.

August 9, 2012, San Diego, CA: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers (12) calls an audible in the first quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jody Gomez-US PRESSWIRE

Turnovers, Injuries, dropped passes, a poor running game and just general inconsistency plagued the Packers in their preseason opener against the San Diego Chargers Thursday night on national television.

It’s not an uncommon scene and certainly not something that should concern Packers fans too much. There is never much one can take away from that first game of the year – other than the fact that, thankfully, it doesn’t count.

But there are some things for certain – the Packers have to get healthy and they have to show vast improvement in consistency next time out.

When Nick Perry opened the game with a sack on Philip Rivers, Packers fans cheered. But when the flag came out for unsportsmanlike conduct because of his post-sack enthusiasm, Packers Nation could only grow. I guess it was the harbinger of the the night.

The Packers gave up a 23-yard touchdown to Antonio Gates after fumbling the ball away on their first drive of the night. Another fumble on the ensuing kickoff only spelled out what type of night it would be. Though the defense held its own throughout the game and Graham Harrell finally led the Packers to a score just before halftime and another touchdown at the beginning of the fourth quarter, it wasn’t enough.

Aug 9, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop (55) is tended to by members of the Packers

But Donald Driver said patience is required, especially at this time of year. “That was the whole thing,” Driver said. “You have to get the rust off, and then you start playing ball. You see exactly what he can do. Right before half, he drives the ball right down there and scores. That was big for us. He has the confidence that he can play on this level, and he’s proven it.”

To his credit, Harrell didn’t get down. He kept working and the coaching staff showed their confidence and stuck with him.

“That’s kind of the attitude and mentality I try to bring in every day,” Harrell said. He who finished 15 of 27 passing for 135 yards and a TD. His passer rating was 81.6. “Whatever just happened, whether it was great or whether it was really bad, let’s play the next one and see what happens.”

The game ended after the Chargers had scored a late touchdown to give them a 21-13 lead. Rookie B.J. Coleman was then thrust into the lineup to lead the Packers on a last ditch attempt to try to score. On the last play of the game, Coleman completed a pass to rookie RB Marc Tyler who was stripped of the ball by former Packer Ricky Elmore.

It was a fitting end to a game where inconsistence ruled the day.

Aug 9, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk (50) yells out defensive calls before the snap against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

Positives that came out of the game? Randall Cobb, Tim Masthay, D.J. Smith, Davon House, Tramon Williams, and even Harrell once he got his legs under him. One could also include the play of Tyler, but his fumble to end the game put a damper on that.

Negatives: Injuries to House and Desmond Bishop. Bishop’s could be serious and would be an extreme blow to the Packers middle defense. House is to have X-rays to see the extent of the damage.

The Packers have a week of practice ahead of them where one hopes the coaching staff stresses ball security. They are in action again Thursday, Aug. 16, when they host the Cleveland Browns at Lambeau Field.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers may have been relaxed at last week's Family Night, but tonight the Packers get down to business against the Chargers. Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

To preview today’s preseason game, Ernie Padaon of Fansided.com’s Boltbeat queried Lombardi Ave, the FanSided Packers site, to get a little more info on what is going on out in cheese land. Here is what I had to say:

1. What Packers veterans are on the bubble? 
There are a few Packer veterans who might see reduced playing time or may end up being cut. CB Sam Shields has had a rough start to his camp. He’s been beaten consistently and doesn’t seem to be playing like the third-year player that he is. He’s in a battle with Jarrett Bush and second-year player Davon House, among others. It will be interesting to see if he sticks. Though A.J. Hawk signed a long-term contract after the 2010-11 Super Bowl season, there are many who feel he could be beaten out by second-year player D.J. Smith. Smith started for Hawk when he was injured last year and made impressive play after play. Smith has a nose for the ball and always seems to be around it. The Packers already cut Charlie Peprah because they want to go with younger players and also play Charles Woodson on the back end of the defense. The next couple of weeks should be interesting as the competition for spots continues.

2. A lot of Chargers fans wanted to draft Nick Perry before we got a chance at Melvin Ingram, how is Perry doing in camp so far? 
Glad you asked that. He’s been kind of the Invisible Man as he makes the transition from a down defensive lineman to a stand-up outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense. Nobody’s panicking yet because he is a beast of an athlete and most feel that when he learns the system and gets more playing time that he will come around and be the perfect complement to Clay Matthews.

3. What Packers youngsters are looking to steal a roster spot coming into the game? 
It looks like Marcus Tyler, the FA running back from Southern Cal is going to get some playing time and if he plays well, could make a move for at least a practice squad spot. On defense, the Packers are really high on Casey Hayward. He’s looked like a player during the first week or two of training camp, but his value won’t be known until he gets some playing time. With Davon House, the Packers may be seeing a real resurgence of young players at the cornerback position.

4. What is your favorite cheese? 
ahahahahahaha – I always come back to sharp cheddar!

5. Predict the Packers season
After a 15-1 season and then getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Giants, the Packers are coming into this season with a chip on their shoulders. The team is looking for redemption. Though I doubt they will go through the majority of the season unbeaten again like they did last year, I see this team winning at least 12 games and possibly 13. They will need that many to win the division. In the end, I can honestly say that if they don’t make the playoffs, it will be a huge disappointment. I think the team won’t disappoint and will compete for a Super Bowl berth. Anything less would be very disappointing.

Ernie Padaon’s Comments
Nick Perry as the invisible man? Could you imagine if we took him with the first pick and he was an invisible man? People would be calling him a bust immediately and calling for AJs head for another failed draft pick.

The sharp cheddar is always a good go-to cheese also. Even in the land of cheese, cheddar can always be counted on for deliciousness.

What is your favorite cheese?

Will A.J. Hawk win the starting inside linebacking position this season? Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Since the Packers moved to a 3-4 defensive philosophy, their defense has been about as consistent as the lineup for the Monday Night Football broadcasters.

In 2008, they were twentieth in yards given up per game. In 2009, they jumped to 2nd, in 2010, they were 5th and in 2011 all way down to last.

While some might point to the presence, or lack thereof of a player like Cullen Jenkins (he played in only four games in 2008 and, of course we know by the unsullied jersey of Eli Manning last January, zero games for the Pack in 2012), the play of their linebackers hasn’t been a stellar example of consistency.

In fact, no position on the Packers defense has had to endure as many rotating starters since 2008 as the linebacking corps. For long periods of time, the following have been completely out or at the very least severely encumbered by injury: Matthews (hamstring, shin), Hawk, Barnett, Walden, Zombo, Brad Jones, Brandon Chillar.

Will D.J. Smith get more playing time or even a starting role this season? Raymond T. Rivard photograph

So it should come as no surprise when we, Packers fans to the enth degree, search for spectacular stability. We’ve had it at almost every other position for years, Rodgers, Jennings, Bulaga, Woodson, and until last year, Collins and to some extent Raji. With a breakout performance by Desmond Bishop last year, we know that spectacular play from the inside linebacking position is possible. That could be what’s suddenly driving speculation that Hawk is in a training camp battle to save his starting position (and therein his roster spot).

Since they lost to the Cardinals back in the 2009-10 playoffs, when it became painfully clear that Hawk just did not possess the speed necessary to track down running backs on the sideline, I’ve never been a big fan of the Ohio State product. But Hawk had a productive year in 2010 and the Packers, on a Super Bowl high, invested a multi-year contract in the linebacker and let Nick Barnett go.

Last season, Hawk was consistently blamed for not making enough big plays. When he did have to sit because of injury, Packer fans were treated to some excellent playmaking by his understudy, a rookie, D.J. Smith. He’s 5-11, 239 pounds, and came out of a small school, Appalachian State.

During his unlimited action last year, he had 40-plus tackles and an interception. It will be very interesting to see if Smith gets more snaps than usual during the preseason, especially if it is with the first team. The Packers will likely say it is to give Hawk a rest, but many will view this as a clue that Hawk has a fight on his hands, which is as good a motivator as there is for someone who has already inked his post rookie payday contract.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to sit down with Keith Myers over at The 12th Man Rising, the Seattle Seahawks’ Fansided.com site to answer a few questions about the Green Bay Packers’ offseason and the outlook heading into the 2012 season.

I’ve posted the exchange below, but if you want to see a great site, take a trip over to the 12th Man Rising and see, among other things, what they’re saying about their upcoming season, as well as what they think about former Packers’ quarterback Matt Flynn.

Enjoy.

Home » Seahawks » 2012 NFL Preview: Green Bay Pack

Aaron Rodgers winds up for the Packers. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Another day, and another team previewed. (I’m not sure I can keep this up for 32 straight days, but I will certainly try.) This time we venture to Wisconsin to take a look at the Green Bay Packers. The Seahawks and Packers have a fun history, first with the Holmgren era, and now with John Schneider coming to Seattle from Green Bay. And who can forget the “We want the ball and we’re gonna score” playoff game.

Helping me out with the preview is Ray Rivard from Lombardi Ave.

Biggest Team Need Heading Into Offseason: Defense, defense, and more defense

Key Free Agents Retained: Donald Driver, Jared Bush

Key Player Additions: Jeff Saturday, Anthony Hargrove (despite suspension)

Key Players Leaving: Chad Clifton, Nick Collins

Quick Thoughts on Draft: It was an awesome draft for the Packers. Picking up Nick Perry to complement Clay Matthews was brilliant, but the fact that GM Ted Thompson traded up so much to get defensive players from front to back was a stroke of genius and is going to help the team immensely.

Quick Thoughts on 2012 schedule: The start of the season is brutal with tough competition and a quirky schedule for the first month. Starting on national television with a 3 p.m. game opening weekend at home against the 49ers will be tough. But then the team has to turn around and play the Bears on Thursday night. That’s simply brutal. Overall, however, the Packers’ schedule does settle down later in the year when the games really start to count. While the division schedule is always tough, playing teams from the AFC South should play to their advantage.

Most Interesting Roster Battle: The defensive line, wide receiver and inside linebacker. Thompson went out and picked up some tough players to help improve the defensive line. The competition at those positions will be heated and the cuts that come from there will be interesting. As for inside linebacker, most would say that A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop are locks. I don’t thing so – especially for Hawk who had a so-so 2011. He will really have to battle D.J. Smith for that position, as well as others to be deemed the starter. Though most will see the first four positions at wide receiver as locks for Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb, the fifth position will be up for grabs between Donald Driver and second-year players Diondre Borel and Tori Gurley. The young guys are up and coming and could result in an interesting cut or even the possibility of a trade. Many feel that Jones is potential trade bait.

Biggest Strength Heading Into 2012: Clearly, the offense should again be the team’s biggest strength. Aaron Rodgers should lead the well-oiled machine to an even higher level in 2012. Is there any defense out there that can slow them down or even stop them? Maybe on a good day. The only way the offense was slowed last year was when the Packers shot themselves in the foot (versus Kansas City and in the playoffs against the Giants).

Biggest Weakness Heading Into 2012: The defense. Finishing dead last in defense last year was an embarrassment.

Biggest Question Still To Be Answered: See above … the defense will have the infusion of many new and young players. How they perform will be crucial to an improved defense. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers has got to come up with more creative schemes to allow the Packers the flexibility to surprise offenses. Will the defense show enough improvement to put this team back into contention for another title? That’s the question.

2012 Prediction: Packers record: 13-3; NFC North Division Title; Super Bowl championship.

The Packers defense was exposed last season. The needed players at all 3 levels of the defense, and I’m not sure they did enough in the offseason to make drastic improvement on the stat sheets this year. They’ll be young in some key areas, but should improve as the year goes on. Luckily for the Pack, it wont matter that much. Aaron Rogers and the offense are good enough win their division even without much of a defense.

Expect the Packers to be pre-season favorites to win the Super Bowl.

Rookie D.J. Smith (51), played well near the end of 2011 when he was forced into action because of injuries to the Packers' linebackers. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

This four-part series concludes by showing the correlation between the Packers’ 2011 draft and their strategy for long-term team-building.

The 6th Rounders
Caleb Schlauderaff, OL, Utah
D.J. Smith, LB, Appalachian State
Ricky Elmore, LB, Arizona

This is what Ted Thompson loves: Hoarding late-round picks and taking as many players as possible, hoping that at least one becomes a starter. In the 2011 6th round, Thompson had one bust, one break-even and one big hit.

Ricky Elmore, projected as an OLB, was a complete bust in training camp. His college teammate, Brooks Reed, selected in the second round, and who had fewer sacks in college than Elmore, was a key cog in the Texans’ defense.

Schlauderaff couldn’t beat out Ray Dominguez, an undrafted free agent and was shipped to the Jets in exchange for most likely a 6th round pick this year. Thompson made sure this mistake wasn’t compounded by getting equal compensation for the light-weight guard.

Smith was the surprise of the draft. He stepped in and started when the Packers had both inside linebackers go down. He even played well enough that some people unhappy with A.J. Hawk’s play (and contract numbers) suggest that Smith could be a starter as soon as this season. In the least, Smith offers solid play from a backup and if he does become a starter, this pick will look like one of Thompson’s best in years.

The 7th Rounders
Ryan Taylor, TE, North Carolina
Lawrence Guy, DT, Arizona State

-between these two, Thompson selected Lawrence Taylor (we wish)

With Taylor, Thomspon finally found a guy who has a passion for special teams – a trait sorely lacking on the 2011 Packers. Taylor brought attitude and feisty play to a squad that previously tried to not be embarrassed on special teams plays. Taylor contributed in small ways on offense. His long-term value is special teams.

A long-term project, Guy spent 2011 on the Packers’ practice squad. He will face a lot of competition to make the 2012 roster.

Wow!

Like this is the complete end of the Packers’ season … well, I can tell you it’s not. The Packers have been playing without several of those for whom thy will be without today and the team has done just fine, thank you.

Here are the players who will most likely not play today:

Chad Clifton – the left tackle has been out of the lineup for more than a month and Marshall Newhouse, while shaky at times, has held his own against some pretty good pass rushers.

James Starks – he has been hobbling for several weeks now and Coach Mike McCarthy is doing the right thing by sitting the second-year player. Starks could probably take at least a couple of weeks off to get healed up for the late season playoff run.

Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk – the starting inside linebackers were hurt in the Detroit Thanksgiving Day game and missed last week. It looks like Hawk has an outside shot of playing, but Bishop is out. In their places, Robert Francois and D.J. Smith have played admirably.

See more after the jump and don’t forget to Like Lombardiave.com on Facebook and folow us on Twitter.

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Desmond Bishop and AJ Hawk both missed the second half of Thursday's game ... but their absence was covered by DJ Smith and Robert Francois.

The Packers have their detractors … i.e., Skip Bayless among them. But screw them – the Green Bay Packers are, despite their glaring foibles,  undefeated for many reasons, one of which is depth.

On Thursday, the Packers and the Lions were hit with injuries … injuries to important players at key positions.

But because of Mike McCarthy’s luxury to plug in players that simply step in and continue to carry out the game plan, the Packers don’t seem to miss a beat.

Consider Evan Dietrich-Smith, who took over at right guard when Josh Sitton went down in the first half with a knee injury. Not only did he have the unenviable task of matching up with Ndamukong Suh, but he had to hold his own in a complex offense in which he has had no snaps with the first team at that position in game situations. Sitton didn’t miss a snap in 2009 or 2010.

Not only did he frustrate Suh enough to cause the all-pro to lose his head and get thrown out of the game, but he played well enough to help the Packers move on to 11-0.

As did D.J. Smith and Robert Francois as the Packers lost both inside linebackers, A.J. Hawk an Desmond Bishop. Both Smith and Francois made contributions on defense – Smith for his bone-jarring hits and Francois for his efforts against the pass and his huge interception of Matthew Stafford where he reached as high as he could to pull down a pass over the middle.

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